The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-22
North of Fifty-Three"
by Bertrand w. sIncair-Copyrisht by Little Brown Co.

won near OF leaving you Denlnd.
SO you can consider that settled"
lLoraine Marsh declared at last.
We're going day after tomorrow
So liz Mr.. Barrow"
Jack walked with her out to
the Ladysmith, and among other
things told her how he happened
to be In the coast city.
I've been doing pretty well
lately" he said. II came out here
on deal that involved about
$4,000. | closed 1t up just this
morning and the commission
would just about buy us that lit
tie house we had planned once.
Won't you let bygones be by
cones, Hazie?"
1t might be possible, Jack"
she answered slowly, ''if II were
not for the fact that you took the
most effective means man could
have taken to kill every atom of
affection | had for you. ! don't
feel bitter any more-I simply
don't feel at ALL"
But you will" he said eager
ly. Just give me a chance,
Hazel"
You'll have to make your own
chances she said deliberately.
Why should | put myself out to
make you happy when you de-
stroyed all the faith | had in you?
You simply didn't trust me. II
SANDER. could turn you against
me once it might a second time.
Besides, don't care for you as a
man wants woman to care for
him. And | don't think I'm going
to care-except, perhaps, in a
friendly way"
And with that Barrow had to
be content.
He called for her the next day,
and took her, with the Marshes,
out for a launch ride, and other
wise devoted himself to being an
agreeable cavalier. On the launch
excursion 1t was settled definitely
that Hazel should accompany
them DdcK East.
So that at dusk of the following
day she and Lorraine Marsh sat in
Pullman taking a last look at
the environs Of Vancouver as the
train rolled through the outskirts
of the city. Hazel told herself
that she was going home. Barrow
smiled friendly assurances over
the seat.
Even so, she was restless, far
from content. There was some
thing lacking. At half after eight
she called the porter and had him
arrange her section for the night.
And she got into bed, thankful to
be by herself, depressed without
reason.
She slept for a time, her sleep
broken into by morbid dreams,
and eventually she wakened to
find her eyes full Of etars. She
did not know why she should cry,
but cry she did till her pillow
grew moist.
She raised on one elbow and
looked out Of the window. The
train slowed with a squealing of
brakes and the hiss of escaping
air to a station. On the signboard
over. the office wondow she read
the name of the place and the no.
tation: Vancouver, 1870 miles"
Her eyes We're still wet. When
the Limited drove east again she
switched on the tiny electric bulb
over her head, and fumbled in her
purse for another handkerchief.
Her fingers drew forth, with the
bit Of linen, a folded sheet of pa
per, which seemed to hypnotic
her, so fixedly did she remain
looking at 1t. A sheet of plain
white paper, marked with dots
and names and crooked lines that
stood for rivers, with shaded
patches that means mountain
ranges she had seen--Bill Wag-
staff's map.
She stared at 1t a long time.
Then she found her time table,
and ran along the interminable
string of station names till she
found Ashcroft. from whence
northward ran the Appian Way Of
British Columbia, the Cariboo
Road, over which she had Journey
ed by stage. She noted the dis
lance and the Limited's hour Of
arrival. and looked at her watch.
Then a feverish activity took hold
of her. She dressed, got her suit
case from under the berth, and
stuffed articles into it, regard
less of order. Her hat was In a
paper bag suspended from a hook
above the upper berth. Wherefore
she tied silk scarf over her head.
That done. she set her suit case
In the aisle, and curled herself in
the berth, with her face pressed
close against the window. A whim-
steal smile played about her
mouth, and her fingers tap-tap-
ped steadily on the purse, where
in was folded Bill Wagstaff's map.
And then out of the dark ahead
a cluster of lights winked briefly,
the shrek of the Limited's whis-
tie echoed up and down the wide
reaches and the coaches came to
a stop. Hazel took one look to
make sure. Then she got softly
into the aisle, took up her suit
case and left the car. At the
steps she turned to give the car
porter a message.
TELL Mrs. Marsh---the lady in
lower five" she said, with a dol.