The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-07-19
The Trail of '98

DuI II there's anything i can 90 Tor
you. any way | can prove myself a
true friend. tell me, won't you?"
She did not speak ar once. Indeed
she was quiet for long time. so that
Ii seemed as If she must be stricken
dumb, or as if some feelings were con-
fiicting within Der. Then al last
very gently, very quietly. very sweet.
Iy. as if weighing her words. she
spoke.
mo. there's nothing you can do
You've been kindness itself TO grand
father and me- and / never can thank
you enough
Nonsense! Don't talk OF thanks
Berna. You don't know whar q hap
piness it's been 10 help you I'm sor-
~ I've done so little Can't ! be real
~ and truly your friend. Berna: youI
friend thar would do much for you:
Let me do something. anything, 70
show how earnestly | mean ii?"
''Yes, I know Well. then. you are
my dear. true friend-there, now"
'Yes-bur. Bernal Tomorrow
you'll go and we'll likely never SEE
each other again What's the good
of il all:"
We'll. what do you want? We will
both have memory, d very sweet,
nice memory, won't We? Believe me
it's better so You don't want To have
snyfhing 10 do with a girl like me.
You don't know anything about NE,
and you see the kind of people I'm 90
ing with. Perhaps | am just as bad
as they"
don't say that, Berna," interposeo
sternly; you're ali that's good AMI
pure and sweet"
NO. rm not, either. We're all OF
US pretty mixed. But I'm mol 50 bad
and it's nice of you 10 think those
things on! II ! had never
come On this terrible tripi ! don't
even know where we are going. and
Pu afraid. afraid"
We'll. Berna. if IRIS like that. why
don't you ana your grandfather turn
backi Why 90 on?"
He will never turn back. He'll go
ON nil he dies. He only knows one
word of English and that's Klondike.
Klondike. He murters il a Thousand
times q day. He's like man that's
crazy. He thinks ne has been chosen.
and that 10 him will a great treasure
be revealed You might as well rea.
son with a stone. All can do is 10
follow him. is 10 take care NJ him"
"WhaI about the Winklesieins.
Berna:"
"Oh. they're at the bottom OF il all
II is they who have infiamed his mind.
He has a little mnney, the savings of
a Lifetime. about two fhnnsand dollars;
and ever since he came TO this coun-
try. they've heep trying to ger it
They'll rob and Kill him in the end,
and the cruel part is-he's not greedy,
he doesn't want il for himself-but
for me. That's what breaks my heart
Surely you're mistaken, Berna ; they
can't be so bad as that"
"Badl tel you they're vile. /
should know it, lived with them for
three years"
~Where?"
in New York. came from the
old country 10 them They worked me
in the restaurant al first Then, after
a Bit. | got employment in a shirt
waist factory. | was quick and handy.
and | worked early and late. ! at
tended night school. | read till my
eyes ached. They said ! was clever.
The teacher wanted me 10 train ana
be a teacher, too But what was the
good of thinking of II? ! had my
living 10 get. so stayed al the fac
tory and worked and worked. Then
when ! saved few dollars. sent for
grandfather. and he came and we lived
in the fenemenr and were very happy
for a while. But the Winklesteins
aever gave Us any peace. They knew
ne had a little money laid away. and
they itched 10 get their hands on il
| wasn't afraid in New York Up here
it's different It's all so shadowy and
sinister
Il didn't mean TO tell you all this.
but now if you want 10 be true
friend. just go away and forget me.
You don't want 10 have anything 10
do with me- WaitI I'll tell you some
hing more I'm called Berna WHO
rich- That's ay grandfather's name
years laier she came back-with me
Soon after she died of consumption
She would never tell my fathers name
bur said he was a Christian. and of
good family. Ny grandfather tried TO
find out He would have killed the
man. So. you see. ! am nameless. q
child of shame and sorrow And you
are a gentleman. and proud of your
family. Now. see the kind of friend
| you've made. You don't want to make
| friends with such as l."
Il want 70 make friends with such
as need my friendship What is going
TO happen 10 you. BernaT"
"Happeni God knowsi II doesn't
matter Oh, I've always been in
trouble. I'm used 10 il IRIS what
was made for. suppose"
What she had told me had somehow
stricken me dumb. There seemed q
stark sorlidness in the situation thai
repealed me. She had arisen when
aroused myself.
| sBerna." said, what you have told
me wrings my heart ] can't tell you
bow terribly sorry feel Oh. ] hate
to leI you 90 like this"
Her voice was full of pathetic resig
nation.
what can you dot II we were go
ing in together il might be different
When 1 met you al first I hoped oh