Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-06-29
CHAPTER ~.
How a Journey Ended at Hope.

IT was owing to typographical con.
ditions that Cortez had been estab-
lished as the point of entry to the
interior of Alaska. 1t was because
of them that she had grown and flour
ished, with her sawmills, her ginmilLs.
her docks and her dives. But at the
time when this story opens Alaska had
developed 10 a point where an over
land outlet by winter and circuitous
inlet by way of Boring sea and the
crooked Yukon in summer were no
longer sufficient There was need OF "A
permanent route by means Of which
men and freight might come and go
through all the year The famous
North Pass and Yukon railway. far 70
the eastward. afforded transportation
TO Dawson City and the Canadian ter
rltory and had proved itself such q
financial success that builders began
20 look for a harbor more TO the wcs-.
ward. from which they could tap the
great heart OF Alaska Thus 70 was
that Coz 20 awol,o one morning 10 find
herself selected as the terminus Of q
new line other railway propositions
followed fm~y promotion schemr+
for tie most farf. bat among them TIVE
that had More than paper and "hr
air" behind them one of these was
backed by the copper trust which had
made heavy mining investments 2OO
miles inland the other by Curtis Cor
don, a promoter who claimed New
York as his birthplace and the world
as his residence
Gordon had been one OF the first 10
caters in the Kyak coal fields and he
had also purchased a copper prospect
n few miles down the bay from COrtez
where he had started town which he
called Hope There were some who
shook their heads and smiled know
ingly when they spoke Of that pros
poet. but no one denied that IL was fast
assuming the outward sembance OF o
mine under Gordon's direction. He
bad erected a fine substantial wharf
together with buildings. bunk houses
cottages and a spacious residence foI
himself. and daily the piles Of debris
beneath the tunnel entries 10 his work
ines grew He paid high wages, he
spent money lavishly. and he had q
magnificent and compelling way with
him that dazzled and delighted the
good people Of COrtez. When he be
gan work OH a railroad which was de
signed 10 reach far into the interior
his action was taken as proof positive
OF his financial standing. and his crit
les were put down as pessimists wbt
had some personal grudge against him
1t was up to the raw, new village OF
Hope, with its odor Of fresh cut I'll
and undried paint, that the freight
steamer. with Natalie Gerard and 9TH,
Irish prince" aboard, came gingerl!
one evening.
Even before the ship had tied up h'
had identified the tall, impressive maj
on the dock as the genius and FOUNDED
of Hope and the dark haired, wei
formed woman beside him as Natalie'
mother. Ii was not until they were
close at hand that the daughter made
her presence known; then. unable u
restrain herself longer. she shriekeC
her greeting down over the rail. Mrs
Gerard started, then stared upward a
81 at an apparition. She stretched on
a cropping hand to Gordon. who stoo'
as IL frozen in his tracks.
O'Neil remained in the background
like an uncomfortable bridegroom, con
scious meanwhile OF the searching AM
hostile regard OF Curtis Gordon. Bu
at last his protegee managed to gas
ont I'm n more or less coherent man
nor the main facts OF the shipwrec
and her rescue, whereupon GORDON
attitude abruptly altered
~sfy God-' he calculated. you
not on the NebraskaT
Eyes. yes, yes~ cried Natalie. TT
lifeboats went of and left me all alor
in the dark-with the ship sinkin
Mr.. O'Neil saved me. He took me I
aud Jumped just as the ship sank al
we were all night I'm the freezing W
for. We nearly died, didn't WEI /
tainted. and so did l. mummie, dear
n waa SO cold He held me up IN
we were rescued, though, and TN
there wasn't room I'm the ifeboat I
both OF us. But he made them tai
me in, just the same, while he stay
In the water. He was unconscio
when he reached the shore. oh, IL W
splendid"
O'Neirs identity being establish
and the nature Of his service becomil
apparent, Curtis Gordon took his hai
In a crushing grip and thanked him
a way that might have warmed Z
heart Of a stone gargoyie. The M
was transformed now that he und'
stood. He became a geyser OF e
.auence. He poured forth his appre