The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-07-26


walked up to the desk and asked the
clerk for n key. When he turned
around to mount the stairs his face
was In plain view. and Earl saw that
1t was salow, with u fixed expression
of cynicism and lines of dissipation.
We'll start for the mainland day
after tomorrow" announced Stevens,
discardlng his half-smoked cigar. "An'
we've got whole lot to attend to to-
morrow. so we'd better get to bed"
They climbed the stairs to their
room, which contained two beds.
Earl was tired and he lost no time
about getting under the covers. There
was little conversation, but before
settling himself for the night Earl In
CURED casually:
"Say, who was that prosperous,
sickly looking person that walked into
the hotel and got key from the clerk
while we were talking downstairs?"
Stevens pondered a moment before
replying:
"Oh, yes, I know who you mean. I
didn't recollect at first who it was you
referred to, but l remember seeing
Caldwell Hurst come in during our
palaver. Yep, that was Caldwell Hurst
an he's just as prosperous as he looks.
But he squanders his cash like 1t was
water, mostly for booze. He's got
| plenty of 1t, cause he struck 1t rich
three years ago; but they say he lost
his girl back in the States while he
was hunting gold In the Klondike, an
he's been tryln' to drown his sorrow
ever since. He hasn't any home 'cept
this hotel and the saloons"
Earl turned over and closed his eyes.
Into his mind flashed a picture Of a
contented laborer, putting placidly at
pipe, dinner-pail on his arm, hurry
Ing home to loving wife and cheerful
fireplace. Earl was drifting to sleep
when he heard Stevens remark philo-
sophically:
"He'd better have kept the girl and
enjoyed peace Of mind than to have all
the wealth of all the kingdoms Of the
earth. You can bet If l had regular
| girl who cared for me I wouldn't be
chasin' nuggets. Not me-"
"Good night |" said Earl.
Good night" Stevens responded.
hidden significance in his companions
expression.
Back in Gemport dark-eyed girl
tossed restlessly In bed, her brain
racked by fitful fever that would not
permit sleep to come. At last she got
out of bed and went to the window,
which faced the north. The aurora
borealls was ALTERING phantomlike
across the sky, presenting to her
minds eye picture of icebergs heav-
ing and tossing, surging back and
forth, as restless as her own soul.
A cool breeze swept In through the
, window and enveloped her In a draft,
but she did not notice it. Standing
there, with her eyes fixed on the arch
/. Of oscillating ghost-columns Of light
! she stretched out her arms to the north
and issued a silent, soul-inspired cal
n to the man she loved.
O Up where those phantom armie.
v moved, the man heard the call. Will,
=: he slept his lips formed the name
4 "Elsie," and smile wreathed his face
1 Her picture formed in his mind, but i
fingered only moment. Then hi
q thoughts ran rampant, and a dream
! fantasy caught him and whisked hin
about like a chip In a whirlpool. He
, gripped something, he knew not what
: and succeeded in steadying himself
He found that he was In a theater
watching screen play, in which a
laborer with dinner-pail and tall,
r expensively-garbed man, carrying a
cane on his arm and sardonic ex-
preston on his face, were the leading
characters. The play ended when the
, laborer saddled and bridled Caldwell
Hurst and rode the latter toward q
+ deep canyon, applying a whip merci-
, lessly. At the edge Of the precipice
, the laborer suddenly leaped from his
! mount and steadIed himself on the
, brink. while the spender galloped into
space and dropped into the abyss.
Early In the morning Earl and his
> friend dressed and went down to the
= lobby
, "What1l you smoker" Stevens sug-
| Besleu, us tlity StOOu UelOrc clSuI
, stand after eating substantial break
fast.
q Il want to buy briar pipe and some
: tobacco" said Earl.
Stevens took an expensive cigar and
both lighted from the same match
Earl drew slowly on the pipe, think.
!, ing hard.
r "Say, Ed" he finally remarked, as
that John Pierce where you can reach
9 him?"
, Stephens teeth wrenched some to-
1 bacco from the end Of a cigar, and he
9 spat in a cuspidor.
! "Why, yes,' he replied, arching his
eyebrows. "Why?"
q swell, It's this way" said Earl de-
: llberately, you'd better see him and
n take him with you. I thought the spirit
4 of adventure was still alive in me, but
l was mistaken. I've got enough
| IL. - wy.