The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-08-15
w
New Call
~
is,s. By the Mcclure Sevsp
Per 6yndicate-)
Hy r. RAY BAKER

81
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lCopyright, Dfs. By the Mcclure Sevsps-
Per syndicase)
Earl Worden was not a gypsy. His
hair was too near the shade OF hemp
and the color of his eyes too closely
resembIed that Of the ocean. Again. he
had three freckles. one on the left side
Of his neck, one on his chin and the
other near the tip OF his nose. They
were faint freckles. but they and the
hair end the eyes would belle any as
sumption that he belonged TO the tribes
Of swarthy nomads-
Nevertheless. Earl and gypsies had
one pronounced trait In common. II
was the wanderlust- He had Travelled
on 1--WE OF the seven seas: he had
killed crocodiles on the Amazon kan
garoos in Australia and mosquitoes In
New Jersey. He had eaten salmon In
Portland. Ore. rice In Tokyo. and
prrnes In France, as well as In Brook
iyn. He was q nomad.
After seeing all the sights offered
BY II countries some strange whim
Of fate guided him to Gemport,
town In the state Of Washington
that the map makers forgot. and he
took Job In the First. Second. Third.
and only national or any other kind
Of bank to be found there. A whole
year he spent at the desk. and he ac-
tually had begun to have that settled
sensation, when along came a letter
from Edward Stevens. The letter was
pcstmarked wawason. Alaska, and 1t
had to do with nuggets and sure-pay
venture. II II had been from anyone
else, Earl would have been exceeding
y skepticsl. but Stevens had been
his companion In several adventurous
rambles into strange cIimes. and his
good Intentions and veracity were not
10 he questioned.
The letter revived the longing to
roam. II caused the old call Of adven-
ture to echo and re-echo through
Eari's mind. II was an irresistible
call. which had only been lying dor
mant during the last year and was
not silenced forever as he had come
to suppose. So he prepared to re-
spond.
There was only one drawback. The
drawback was Elsie Webb. diminu-
tive, dark-eyed. attractive piece Of
humanity employed In the bank. Until
the receipt Of the letter Earl had con-
sidered her an inspiration; but now
she was In the way to his answering
the call Of adventure. He was fond Of
her to such an extent that he had
asked her to marry him only two
weeks previously-and she had con-
sented: but that was before this letter
came Offering him riches and red-blood'
ed life In Alaska. II suddenly dawned
on him that he had made a mistake
He could see now that he was In nc
financial condition to be married. The
money he had saved was scarcely
enough for the proverbial rainy day
while this. letter from Stevens offered
an opportunity to obtain fortune and
pave the way to luxury.
So he told her his Intentions the
night nfter he received the summons
from the north. He broached the SUD
ject as carefully as possible and witt
as much consideration for her feelings
as he could muster--which wasn't say
ing much. She merely bit her lip and
filckered her eyelashes and said:
"All right, Earl. You know best.
would not stand In the way Of youl
success for the world. We will con
slider the engagement at an end"
He left her home In a rather dnzet
condition. She had taken the matter
very sensibly. he told himself. and ye
he felt sure that she cared more thar
she showed. He could have felt pretty
downcast himself. only he dared no
permit II. The old call was sounding
and he must answer.
II was early in the evening and som'
late workers were Just journeyini
homsward. One Of them, a sturd!
yoIpa man with a healthy face ant
steadfast eye. carrying dinner'paii
stopped Earl and asked for match t.
light his briar pipe.
'Thanks," said the laborer. as III
puffed contentedly after Earl had fur
nlshcd the article sought. "Nlce eve
ming"
The laborer walked of briskly.
"Hurrying home to his family
mused Earl. ut must seem rathel
nice"
But he must not let such thoughts
intrude. They might deter him from
his chosen course. SO he thrust then
aside and the next day drew all hi,
savings from the bank and resigned
his job.
Two weeks later he stepped OF Z
boat Mt Sitka and clasped the hand Of
his old pal. a robust, wcather-beatef
man Of thirty. clad In fur-fringet
clothes. Earl was escorted to . hotel
where he was outftted In apparel ap
propriate to q journey inland.
'Tts regular bonanza sur
thing" said Stevens. as they sat II
the lobby discussing the proposed ven
ttrro Gan xva 0ofta do "a IN uaf IN