Show I Continued from yesterday Toward the close cloe of the show Laura Laure Lure found fouM found his braced against the bar the tle face lace he turned upon her her was cold r repellent When she urged him hint to take her fo to supper he shook his Is head Vats the matter mater she In In- In Big Lars neVer never told you Hunker was low grade he declared The girl girl flushed she tossed her dark dalk head defiantly Well Vell what of it Simply this Tom this Tom and Jerry Jerr and the McCaskey's have struck rich pay pay Indeed You lied ed to me me Laures Laure's lips parted slowly in a smile smie What WI did you OU expect What would any girl do She laid laida a caressing hand upon pon his hl arm I 1 dont don't care how much they make or 01 how poor you are are are- Pierce disengaged her grasp grap I Icare Icare Icare Ive lost care he cried roughly Ive my big chance They've made made their piles pIes and Im I'm well Im well Im-well well look at me me You blame me He stared at her her for a moment the difference whether I blame you or myself Im I'm Im through e 1 Ive I've been through for some time but but th's this Is curtain curtain Pierce Impatiently he flung ung her off of and strode out of ot the Hie theatre Laure was was' staring blindly after him hi when Joe McCaskey spoke to her hel Have oe a dance he Inquired She undertook t to answer but bu h her r lips refused to frame any an words silently she shook her head the idea A lovers' lovers id i'd reI el McCaskey eyed her curiously then hen he chuckled mirthlessly mirthlessly You Youcan Youcan can an come cle clean n with wih me I dont don't dont don't like ike him any better than you do do Mind your own business termed stormed the girl In a and what Im I'm Im doing minding It s-fori s lor Ive I've got a lot ot of with business business wih with that rat Joes Joe's s slater s' s later ster black ey eyes s heid held Laures Laure's In spite spie of her effort to avoid them it I was plain that he wished to say sy more but ut hesitated Maybe it it- would pa pay us to o get acquainted he finally suggested Frank and me and the tle Count are having a bottle of at wine upstairs Better Belfer Join us I will said aid Laure us after atter a a mo a-mo- mo mo ment merit Together they mounted the stairs to the gallery galer above CHAPTER Wal wat at I tol J you u Pol eon Doret cheerfully Me Im I'm Im cut off ott for poor man mal I If f fone one dose El Dorado millionaire give me e his hs py pay dump all al de gold disappear I get him in de ox Some people Is born Jonah Jonah Despite Despie this melancholy announcement announcement was far from tom depressed On the contrary he beamed like ke a boy and his eyes were I sparkling with wih the Joy joy of again beholding his sister sister I He had returned from the hills late ate this evening and now he had come to fetch Rouletta from h her work work This was his first opportunity opportunity opportunity for tor a word with her alone The girl was not unmoved by his tale ale tal- tal of bl blighted she refused nevertheless to accept i It as conclusive Nonsense nse J she said briskly You know v very very well wel wel you haven't prospected claim I for what Its It's Is worth You haven't had time I dont don't got Jo to him asserted flats Dats good ting bout dat claim Some Same Swede fellers fellers felles fel fel- fel- fel les lers ab abo above v me me crosscut de whole dam darn creek an don fin so much much as a one color Dt's flats Dat's f fonny creek She aint git gt n no gravel The speaker threw back his head and laughed heartily herty Its Is fac I scover de only l l reek creek ott oh on all al de Yukon Yukon Yu Yu- kon hen gravel l Mu Muck k Twenty ty y feet of solid frozen muck Its It's Is I's lucky I stake on soch bum burn place eh Spose Spose all al Inter winter I dig an don fin fn Im out t 7 0 For a moment Rouletta remained silent then she s said id wearily Everything Everything s 's Is' Is all al wrong wong all aU up upside upside upside up- up side down n. isn't It The keys keys' struck nay Dav so did Tom and Jerry But you you why why in all your your I years ears in this countr youve you've never found anything Wheres Where's the Jus lus- tice tice- tice No so 10 no I tin fin more better as as dem dern feller feler I fin a sister I fin you By Bv Gar Gr I dont don't trade you you for pay streak Lowering Lowering Low Low- ering eing his voice said earnestly earnestly earn earn- estly esty I dont know how much I IlOVe IloVe IloVe loVe yot ma soeur until I go way and fink tink bout it R Rouletta lett smiled d mistily and touched the big fellows fellow's hand whereupon he continued All An dese clese year I 1 look in de mos' mos likely spot sot for for gold an don fin him Wal Val I mak change I dont don't look ire in- Il inno no more more creek ek bottom Im I'm Im goin hit de high spot Reproachfully the girl Irl exclaimed You promised me to cut th that t out out With a grin gIn the woodsman reassured reassured reassured reas reas- i her No no I mean men Im I'm Im goin dig on top ton de mountains mountains Not really Not Not realy really Why gold goldis I is heavy hevy It I sinks Its It's Is deep down downIn I In iii 1 the creek beds It I sink sure nough he nodded but where whee It sink from eh I 1 don donl l lak k livin In low place anyhow anyhow- you OU don see Me Me I mus' mus have hava good view vIew What Vat are yon you driving at I tell tel you long tarn tam ago I know old miner Hes He's forever talk bout high bars old reever bed an soch ting We Ve call him High Bar ar He lie Hemak Hemak mak fonny story bout rever reve reve dat used to was on top de mountain By golly goly I laugh at him But wat you ou tInk fink Im I'm Im crossin dose hill bill bove El EI Dorado an I s see place where d dose se miner Is shoot dry dr timber timber timber tim tim- ber down dawn Into de gulch Dose Dos log i have dug up de snow sow an I fin fin what Impressively the speaker one word wor Gravel Much to his disappointment Rouletta Rouletta Rou Rou- letta leta remained Impassive in the face of this startling announcement Vaguely she Inquired Wh What t of ot It Theres There's gravel everywhere What you OU want Is gold goldMon gold gold- Mon DIeu lifted his hs hands In despair Youre worse as a Where gravel is dare dere dee you fin tin gold aint you ou Why WhY not not always With Wit a shrug the woodsman agee agreed Of Ot course couse not always but but but- 4 On too tOD of ot a hill hi De Do tip tp top toO top absurd How How perfectly ty low 1 could gold run uphill I don know the other co cop con te essed ed But Dut for tor dat matter flatter how hows s she e run downhill She aint got no legs 1 I spose de do book it som somehow how Wal Wal I stake two claim one one for you one for me Its It's Is I's dandy place for cabin You look forty orty mile mUe from dat spot Mak you feel eel Jus' Jus lak bird on top of high tree ree Deres Dere's plenty dry wood tooan too an an down below is II de Forks nice Forks nice town own wit saloon an place You can hear de do cho chopin an de I smell de creak In and smoke Its It's Is I's fine fine- place f for r songs sonis up dere Rouletta tried to look her sternest Youre a geat great ov overgrown over over- r- r grown sown boy You cant can't stick sUck to any- any thing Youre You're merely lonesome and you want to get in where the people peo- peo pie ile are are Lonesome Don I live lak bear when Im I'm Im Some winter I don see In ta de least least Probably I made a mistake in bringing wringing you ou down here to Dawson the girl continued meditatively You were doing well wel up the river and you were happy Here you OU spend your your money money you gamble you drink the drink the town is spoiling you justas Justas Just justas as as It Is spoiling others other Um Urn so the man man confessed Never so I felt lak 1 I do da lately If I I don come in town today toda toda I swell up an al' al bus' bus Im I'm Im full tuU of or ting I cant can't say Go to wor work somewhere somewhere For wages Me Doret snook his head positively I try him once cookin for gang of roughneck but I I malt mak Joke an Im I'm Im fire Dem feller teler kick bout my grub an It mak me mad so one day I sharpen all al de table knife I 1 put keen edge on 01 dem dem jak lak razor razor The speaker showed showe his bis white teeth In o a flashIng flash- flash Ing smile Dats meanes' meanes trick ever everI I play Dem feller feler cut deir mouth so fast dey mos' mos die of ot bleed- bleed In In No I aint hired man for nobodY nobody nobody no no- body I mus' mus be free free Yer Very well wel Rouletta sighed re re- re I wont won't scold you for forIm forIm forIm for for- Im I'm Im too glad to see you you Affectionately Affectionately Affection Affection- she squeezed his arm whereupon whereupon where whereupOn upon he beamed again in the frankest frankest frankest frank frank- est delight Now then well we'll wel have lave su sunner and vou you can take m me home Th The Rialto was va-s va crowded with wih its usual midnight throng there was the tle hubbub of loud voices yoles and the ebb and flow now of laughter Front From midway of ot the gambling hall haU rose iose the noisy exhortations of s some me amateur ama am amateur ama ama- gamester was breathing upon his his' dice and pleading earnestly earnest earnest- enest- enest ly feelingly wih with Little Joe from the theatre issued the strains of a I sentimental ballad As Rouletta and her companion edged their way toward the lunch counter in the then next n room they were Intercepted by the Snowbird whose nightly la labors labors la- la bors also had ended All AU aboard abord for lor the the- the big big eats eats the latter announced announce announced Mochas lochas but hut t toned ned up In a stud game Where here he turn his head to spit rie's ries es good for all night but Im I'm Im on the Job job Im having P supper with wih leon Rouletta Rouletta told him The Snowbird paused in dismay Say You cant can't run run out on a apal pali he lie le protested You got to O. O K my roy vittles vite or they wont won't harmon harmon- ize Ize I But Just came in from the creek and weve we've a a lot to talk about about Wont Vor It keep I never seen talk spoil over night When Rouletta smilingly shook her head Mr 11 Ryan dangled a tempting bait bat before herI herI herI her I got a swell fairy story for you OU I bet you'd roud eat eat it up Its It's like this Once upon a time there was a beautiful beautiful beau beau- beu- beu Princess named Rouletta and she lived in an old castle caste all al covered covered cov coy ered with wih Ivy It I was smothered up in IT tilt fill tl n l i h. h n J p U by and never see it 1 it Along cane came canea a busted Prince who had been spendin his vacation and some perfectly perfectly per per- good ten-dollar ten bills bis in the next county that you OU could scarcely tell tel from fram the real thing He was It afoot on account of ot the Jailers Jailer's alers aler's daughter who had slipped him a file fIe along with his laundry but she hadn't thought to put in any lunch See Well VeI its it's Is a story tory of how how hov this here hungry Prince et the gre greens ns off or of the castle and discovered discovered dis dis- dis covered the Princess Its It's Is I's Isa a kno knock out ou k I bet you'd like le that Tm Im Im sure I would would Rouletta that agreed Save It I for tomorrow night The rhe Snowbird was reluctant in yielding he eyed darkly and th thare was both resentment and ana suspicion in m his somber glance when he finaly finally turned away Not until Rouletta and her companion com corn panion were perched erched upon their high at the oilcloth covered lunch counter did the latter latter- speak then he inquired with wih a frown Tell Tel m me is any dese feller eler mak love on you ma I Vh Why r- r rno no They're perfectly I splendid like you Why the terri tern I terr- terr ble black look I I Gamblers Sure ting guys Boosters Bah Bet Better r dey Ie lef you alone lone dats dat's all al Youre You're a nice gal too nice for dem feller feler Rouletta smiled mirthlessly there was an expression In her eyes that the woodsman had never neer seen Too oo nice That almost funny when you vou think about it f. f What sort of ot men would make love to me me If It not gamblers gam gam- blera and fellows like ke Ryan 1 breathed an exclamation of ot astonishment at this assertion Wat you he cried If dat loafer mak fresh talk wit wi I you I pull pul pull him in two piece wIt dese fingers Deres Dere's plenty good man I you you ou He paused uncertainly then his tone changed to one of ot appeal appel You wont won't marry wit no body eh Promise me dat hats That's an easy promise under the circumstances Bien Blen I never tink fink bout you get married By gosh dats dat's fierce for sure Vat Wat Ill I'll Il do If If- If Pole on shook his massive shoulders as If I to rid himself of ot such unwelcome unwelcome unwelcome come speculations No danger Rouletta's crooked smile smie did not go unnoticed studied her herr lace r ce intently then thea the he inquired 4 Wat au all al you lil 11 sister Why nothing Wh Why nothing Oh yes I got eye lak Ink fox You The he Idea Miss Kirby pulled herself together but there was such genuine concern In her companions companion's face tace that her chin quivered She felt the need of ot saying something divertIng diverting diverting divert divert- ing then abruptly she turned aw away y big hand closed cosed over i I hers In a I voice too low for any but buthe buther buther her he ears he said sald ald Som Is kill kl de song In your heart ma cia Ia petite pette I give my life Ufe for mak you happy happy- I you care for fOl tell me meb meb- be I can hep hop Hl lil 11 bit The girl suddenly bowed her head her struggling tears overflowed overflowed over over- flowed reluctantly In a a wear weary heartsick murmur she confessed Ira Im the most miserable girl Inthe Inthe in inthe the world Im I'm Im so so so unhappy prompted prompt prompt- Some Instinct of delicacy ed the woodsman to refrain from speaking In the same listless monotone Rouletta continued Ive always been a lucky gambler gam gam- bler Ncr but the but the cards have turned against me Ive I've Ive been playing my myown myown myown own stakes and Ive I've lost lost Lou been playing de bank he queried In s some me bewilderment plays his No Ko a a gambler never own game He always alwa's bucks the theother theother theother other fellows Ive I've been playing playing- hearts hearts grasp rasp upon her hand tightened I see he said Vial Val bad luck Is b boun to change change when she In Rouletta's eyes looked up was a a vision of ot some glory far beyond the woodsman's sight Her lips had parted her tears had dried Fathers luck luc al always always always always' al- al ways ways' turned Dont weaken be a aj j thoroughbred That's what he used to tell tel me Hed He'd be ashamed of ot me now wouldn't he Ive I've Ive told you ou my troubles because youre you're all aU I have left lef Forgive me please big brother brother Forgive Mon DIeu said he Their midnight meal was set out to them It was tasteless and neither neith er one made more than a silent pretense pretense pretense pre pre- tense of eating It I. I They were ab absorbed absorbed ah- ah in their own thoughts wh when n the he sound of high voices a commotion commo- commo Ion tion of ot some sort of the front of ton the he saloon attracted their attention ears were the first to catch It she turned then uttered a breathless exclamation The next instant she l had ad slid down from her and was va away Pol e son eon t strode nc e d-e after ir h her he was as asat at her herback herback herback back when she paused on the outskirts outskirts outskirts out out- out out- skirts of a I group which had as assembled assembled assembled as- as near the cashiers cashier's cage Pierce Phillips had left lef his post behind the scales the Count Courteau Courteau Courteau Cour- Cour |