Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-17
Read This Story
Every Day In
The Journal

ana PAID rat price for the lot. Also
the ranch deal has g,Jne through. He's
prince, old Hack. Sent up man
and had it surveyed and classified
and the deed waiting for me. and
oh. say, here's letter for you
For me? Oh, YES" as she looked
at the handwriting and postmark. 81
wrote to Lorraine Marsh when we were
going north. Good heavens, look at
the date--its been here since last Sep
temberl"
''Hackaberry knew where we were,r
Bill explained. Sometimes In camps
like this they hold mail two or three
years for men that have gone intosthe
Interior"
She put aside the letter, and dressed
while Bill had his bath. Then, with
the smoke and CRIME OF a hard trail
obliterated, and with decent clothes
upon them, they sought the dining
room. There, while they waited to be
served, Hazel read Lorraine Marsh's
letter, and passed it TO Bill with a
~self-conscious little laugh.
There's an invitation there we
might accept" she said casually.
He returned the letter as the wait
ress brought their food.
Wouldn't 1t be nice to take trip
home?" Hazel suggested thoughtfuliy.
I'D love to-
eve are going home,y Bill reminded
gently. ~
'r'Oh, Of course,s she smiled. "But
I mean to Granville I'd like to go
back there with you for a while, just
to--Just to-"
ITO show EN-" he supplied laccn-
ically. .,,.l
"Oh. Bill ~ she pouted. Il
Nevertheless, she could not deny
that there was measure Of truth in
his brief remark. She did want to
show 'em."
She looked acros the table at her
husband, and thought to herself with
proud satisfaction that she had done
wen. Viewed from any angle whatso-
ever, Bill Wagstaff stood head and
shoulders above all the men she had
ever known. Big. physically and mem
tally, clean-minded and capable-in-
dubitably she had captured a lion,
and, though she might have denied
stoutly the imputation, she wanted
Granville to see her lion and hear him
roar.
"Still thinking Granvillef' Bill
queried, when they had finished an
,Incommonly silent meal.
Hazel flushed slightly. She was.
and momentarily she felt that she
should have been thinking of their lit
lie nest up by Pine River Pass instead.
She knew that Bill was homing to the
cabin. She herself regarded II with
affection. but Of different degree from
his Her mind was more occupted
with another, more palpitatings circle
ut life than was possible ut the cabin,
much as she appreciated its green and
peaceful beauty. The sack of gold
lying in the bank had somehow opened
UP far-fiung possibilities. She skipped
the interval of affairs which she knew
must be attended to, and betook her
self and Bill to Granville. thence to
the bigger. older cities, where money
shouted in the voice Of command,
where all things were possible to those
who had the price.
But she was beginning to know
this husband of hers too well to pro-,
nose anything of the sort abruptly,
Behind his tenderness and patience
she had sometimes glimpsed some-i
thing inflexible, unyielding MS the wiz
derness he loved. So she merely ans
swered:
in Il way, yes"
Lets go outside where I can smoke
d decent cigar on top Of this fairly
decent meal" he suggested. Then
wen figure Oh the next move. think
about twenty-fonr hours In Hazelton
will do me. There's q steamer goes
down-river tomorrow.y
-Four days later they stood on the
deck of grimy little steamer breast
Ing the outgoing tide that sursed
through the First Narrows. Presently
they swung around Brockton Point,
and Vancouver spread its peninsular
clutter before them. Tugs and
launches puffed by, about their harbor
traffic. A ferry clustered black with
people hurried across the inlet. But
even above the harbor noises. across
the intervening distance they couid
hear the vibrant hum Of the indus.
trial hive.
She had no regrets when Bill con-
fined their stay to the time necessary
TO turn his gold into bank account.
aud allow her to buy trunkful. mora
or less, Of pretty clothes. Then they
bore on eastward and halted at Ash
croft. Bill had refused to commit
himself positively to date for the
eastern pilgrimage. He wanted to see
the cabin again. For that matter she
did, too--so that their sojourn there
did not carry them over another WIN
, ter.
From Ashcroft an auto stage whiried
4. them swiftly into the heart Of the
Carjboo country--to Quesnelle, where