The Lamar register., 1918-05-08
Copyright by Little, Brown . oeJ
CHAPTER XIV.
A Business Journey.

81 have to go TO the hlappan, blil
apprised his wife one evening. Want
to come alongT
Hazel hesitated. Her first instinc-
tive feeling was one of reluctance TO
retrace the nerve-trying trail. But
neither did she wish to be separated
from him.
II see you don't" he observed dry
ly. "Well. l can't say that 1 blame
you. It's stiff trip"
I'm sorry I can't feel any enthusi-
asm for such Journey" she remarked
candidly. II could go as far as the
coast with you, and meet you there
when you come out. How long do you
expect to be In there?"
II don't know exactly" he replied.
''Im not going in from the coast.
though. I'm taking the Ashcroft-Fort
George Trail. have TO take in pack
train and more men and get work
started on u decent scale"
But you won't have to stay there
all summer and oversee the work, Will
your" she inquired anxiously.
II should" he said.
For a second or two he drummed
on the table top.
But is there any real necessity for
you to stay on the groundf She pur-
sued her own line of thought. Il
should think an undertaking Of this
size would Justify hiring an expert to
take charge OF the actual mining oper-
ations. Won't you have this end OF 1t
to look afterf'
"Lorimer and Brooks are eminently
capable of upholding the dignity and
importance of that sign they've got
smeared across the windows down
town" he observed curtly. THE chief
labor of the office they've set up will
be to divide the proceeds. The work
will be done and the money made In
the Klappan Range. You sabe that,
don't your
I'm not stupid" she pouted.
I'm going tomorrow" he said Il
think. on the whole. it'll be just as
well II you don't go. Stay here and
enjoy yourself. I'll transfer some
more money to your account. 1 think
I'll drop down to the club"
She followed him out into the hall,
and. as he wriggled into his coat. she
had an Impulse to throw her arms
around his neck and declare, In all
sincerity. that she would go to the
Klappan or to the north pole or any
place on earth with him, II he wanted
her. But by some peculiar feminine
reasoning she reflected In the same In
slant that II Bill were away from her
In u few weeks he would be all the
more glad to get back. That closed
her mouth. 1t was not wise TO be too
meek or obedient where a husband
was concerned. That was another mite
of wisdom she had garnered from the
wives Of her circle.
So she kissed Bill good-by at the
station next day with perfect good hu-
NOR and no parting emotion of any
particular keenness. And IL he were
a trIfe sober he showed no sign of
resentment. nor uttered any futile
wishes that she could accompany him.
so long" he said from the car
steps. I'll keep in touch-al can
Then he was gone.
Somehow, his absence made less diff
ference than Hazel had anticipated.
She had secretly expected to be very
lonely at first. And she was not Even
when in her hand she held telegram
dated at a point five hundred or a
thousand miles or double that distance
away she did not experience the feel
ing of complete bodily absence. She
always felt as II he were near. Only
at night, when there was no long arm
to pillow her head, no goodnight kiss
as she dozed Into slumber, she missed
him, realized that he was far away.
Early In June came brief wire
from Station Six. Three weeks later
the Free Gold Mining company set
up. a mild ripple of excitement along
Broad street by exhibiting in their
office window forty-pound heap OF
coarse gold raw, yellow gold. just as
IL had come from the sluice. Every
day knots OF men stood gazing at the
treasure. Bill had forwarded the first
cleanup.
And close on the heels of this-ten
days later, to be e1act-he came home.
"You great bear" Hazel laughed. In
the shelter of his encircling arms.
my, It's good to see you again"