Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-04-24


 sack of gold perched carelessly on one shoulder.
 Say, their enterprise has gone the length of establishing a branch bank here, I sec"
 He called her attention to a square footed edifice, its new-boarded walls as yet guiltless of paint except where a row of black letters set forth that 1t was the Bank of British North America.
 That's a good place to stow this bullion," he remarked. "I want to get it off my hands,"
 So to the bank they bent their steps. A solemn, horse-faced Englishman weighed the gold, and issued Bill re- ceipt, expressing a polite regret that lack of facility to determine its fine ness prevented him from converting 1t into cash.
 That means a trip to Vancouver" Bill remarked outside. "Well, we can stand that"
 From the bank they went to the hotel, registered, and were shown to a room. For the first time since the summit of the Klappan Range, where her tiny hand glass had suffered dis aster, Hazel was permitted a clear view of herself In mirror.
 I'm perfect fright p she mourned.
 "Huh" Bill grunted. You're all right. Look at me-"
 The trail had dealt hardly with both, in the matter of their personal appear ance. Tanned to an abiding brown, they were, and Hazel's one-time smooth face was spotted with fly bites and marked with certain scratches suffered in the brush as they skirted the Kispiox. Her hair had lost It's sleek, glossy smoothness of arrange ment. Her hands were reddened and rough. But chiefly she was concerned with the sad state of her apparel. She had come a matter of four hundred miles in the clothes on her back-and they bore unequivocal evidence of the journey.
 "Im a perfect fright" she repeated pettishly. "One's manners, morals, clothing, and complexion all suffer from too close contact with your be- loved North. Bill"
 "Thanks! p he returned shortly. 'T suppose I'm perfect fright, too. Long hair, whiskers, grimy, calloused hands, and all the rest of it. A shave and a hair cut, bath and new suit of clothes will remedy that. But I'll be the same personality in every essential quality that l was when I sweated over the Klappan with a hundred pounds on my back"
 'I hope so," she retorted. T don't require the shave, thank goodness, but l certainly need a bath-and clothes. 1 wish had the gray suit that's prob ably getting all moldy and moth-eaten at the Pine River cabin. I wonder if l can get anything fit to wear heref"
 "Women live here," Bill returned quietly, "and suppose the stores SUD- ply 'em with duds. Unlimber that bank roll of yours, and do some shop ping"
 She sat on the edge of the bed, re- garding her reflection in the mirror with extreme disfavor. Bill fingered his thick stubble of a beard for thoughtful minute. Then he sat down beside her.
 What's a mollah, hon?" he wheed- led. "What makes you such a crosser patch all at once?'
 "Oh, don't know" she answered dolefully. "Tm tired and hungry, and I look a fright-and-oh, just every thing" ,
 'Tut, tut" he demonstrated good naturedly. "That's just mood again. We're out of the woods, literally and hguratively. If you're hungry, let's go and see what we can make this hotel produce in the way of grub, before we do anything else."
 T wouldn't go into their dining room looking like this for the world" she said decisively.
 "All right; you go shopping, then" he proposed, while take these furs up to old Hacks place and turn them into money. Then we'll dress, and make this hotel feed us the best they've got. Cheer up. Maybe 1t was tough on you to slice year out of your life and leave 1t in a country where there's nothing but woods and eternal silence-but we've got around twenty thousand dollars to show for 1t. Hazel. And one can't get some thing for nothing. There's a price mark on it somewhere, always. Be my good little pal-and see if you can't make one of these stores dig up a white waist and black skirt, like you had on the first time saw you"
 He kissed her, and went quickly out.