Show rHE TRAIL OF 98 if A Northland Romance I By ROBERT W. W SERVICE Spell Of the te Yukon and Ballads of a N N J t cr 0 f MW New York Croiset Crosset Dunlap Publishers Publisher Copyright Copyright 1910 by Dodd Mend Mead A Co i Yukon ev ever r rr 11 if J l It plain and feeble eble send 1 I r t ur foolish and your our sane Ilme trIg Of 01 battle sane I I. I the T ral C fer sore I rrY lot lor the combat men e the tho core i are ant to In trIumph fierce I ii aJ tt PAnther Ji In tU tear steeled In the tho ipg j till I at I buU oP tut 1 breeding lend cI C our of 01 your jour 11 t tot Jt wI t ibe ones Ci my bosom them themI to I tAke J f 1 my them I treasure with mY stu J I with m my meat at e In JOI thC th 1 allures s t Cf under my feet I J Son e of a sourdough PRELUDE Is keening overL over over- l tort north h wind of oC the howl or of ap n a 4 d fl me minds I rn L It 11 the arctic stars Sit Sit- p tr the gloW loW of oC the theto great bY It high up in tho thie hear an It Is the thc voice firs t white lAnd hand lAndu handI great the tho ot of u It It Wh Wily can can- hate It t. t I 1 I f hat to tor forget et 1 It Is jean I 1 Joined the er erf traveled tra I 1 have hn been blen I f IT I i thC uj shrines of or beAuty I 1 the phantom of oC happl- happl 4 td the ends of oC the earth 1 maw tO cannot I same In r K tho the m to should haold a man be be- beeer ever er shod shad V the vampire wing of oC his b by REM rl right ht to be he happy hAPP I not a 11 mine all are name rame 1 to the It tins tins an n open nesamo ReMmo In but I 1 beat beate e lr Others KO go portals with hands ham I i tt Iti flinty E. E t i 1 10 No 0 I 1 hf have no right to be beI beT of oC th the world aro I BT T Th Tho The ways trays i. i 14 J- J i tie te e banquet of or life lICe Is spread C tweder workers plan their page pago- ot t-fiuty t and Joy and yet there heart 1 I seen Ifs n I t have ha tried Ashes x a d bitterness are arc all my lt 1 I will try to no more It II is tho the I t o of the vampire wing the glow of or the great t peat tired fired and aM sad Fad beyond belief beller t God at least INUIt 1 I am home Is It M so little changed The the oak paneled hall ball the thee e ores gleam tho the eyes tt t. mounted deer heads shine rug of oC fur tur cover er the poli pol- pol i cool all Is comfort home an and atmosphere of or m my boy- boy Sometimes I 1 fancy it lies has been beena ethe a the great treAt white silence the h gold spell tho delirium of or a dream and I will t 11 to Is hear heM Garry calling me to tol l fter the moor to see sec dear litI lit lit- I iother with her meek neek sensitive I and nd her cheeks as delicately I I 5 u the le lees leaves es of ot a briar rose rOBe It The hall hail Is 18 silent Mother If IOU Ice cm to her long tong rest rest- Garry Garr under nader the snow Silence there uee I 1 am alone alone big oak ed carved chair forefathers before the great tt m. m a peak faced drooping fig fig- man with hair untimely gray ra Ich lie lies on the floor by m my side V comes cornea up quietly to tot It it t th the fire Her lIer rosy roBY wrinkled cheerfully but I can enn see fCC ly In her blue eyes She is isI I t ferae r rae me Maybe labe the doctor has ll let r I my days dars nr ar f numbered numb PO so POi i ln led to tell of oC it all of oC tho the big ete sit of or the treasure trail troll of or the tho horn born elt city of oC those who fol- fol oleI eI ti the gold lold lure lurf Into tho the great land lin of oC the evil 11 that befell 5 c Girry Gury and of or Berna PerIt Per- Per It wi comfort me to tell of or the these e ri p. i Tomorrow I 1 will be begin ln toe toI toJ to- to 1 J I m e me to m my memories l Q t I spoke of ot her last Sho She C Wore t fm me now with her spirit I fa flee and anti her great r 7 a little tragic figure md- md liT 1 aro are you OU now iea tl 71 have havo 1 the tho world I TW J. J I have Ve scanned canned a million I L. L Day D y and sad night have o I sought Illi 11 hoping always baffled for tor P mo 1110 n dear drar I byte 11 you OU tl that mad lusting horde hord you OU r g. g M weak so helpless yet ct so mci T for or love Jovo th the all aid alJ of oC m my crutch I tin un- un-I un 0 o. o of oC f Uj the long windows Endows an and st t onto th the terrace From Froni the dark th the tho snowflakes s sting sling like Yet let as I stand there once I U e ue a B of oC another land Ya of or a silent silent GI- GI lonely Jonely ii The They ley Rr are nil all around mo me s t teems with them l tay U ru brother other among them them they an t lade fade de and anil give I. e wa way to o tIny roll always nl Out of or the tho night I cr cry to you OU Berna th the thc theco cr cry co of or a broken heart henrt Is It your our little pitiful ghost that comes coms down downto L I to me Oh I nm am waiting waltin waiting H Hero r will 1 I wait walt Berna till we wc meet met once more For meet wo wn will beyond beyond be be- be- be yond ond the mists beyond the dreaming dream dream- Inc ing at last dear love at nt last CarL Can you ou recall dear comrade when wo we tramped Cods Cod's land JanI together And we 8 the old old earth song eonS for Cor or our was vel very sweet When we and fought ht and lusted as DS we mocked ell nt at tie und and Along th the road to Anywhere here the A Ar r wide world at o our feet J Along Iong tho the road to Anywhere when each day had Its etor story When hen time wa was yet et our vassal and lifes life's Jest was wa still un t le When peace pe unfathomed filled our ur hearts as bathed In amb amber r glor glory Along the road to An Anywhere where we watched the sunsets pale palo Alas the tho road to Anywhere Is with disaster Theres There's hunger huner want and weariness yet nt 0 O we loved it so po An As on we wo tramped exultantly and no noman noman noman man manAS AS as our master And no man guessed what dreams were ours ours as swinging ln heel and toe We e tramped the road to Anywhere the magic road roa to Any All where here The tr tragic lc road roid to Anywhere such euch lear dear dim years ears ars ago Songs 0 of aro a Sourdough h. h CHAPTER I I I- As far back as s I can rem remember I have faithfully followed the Ue banner of or Romance It ha has given Iven color to tomy tomy tomy my life ma made Je me a dreamer m r of ot dreams a player of ot parts Hut As a n boy roaming alone the wild heather hills I have ha heard the glad Iad shouts of the tho football players on tho the green yet et ne er to Join them Mine lIne was WM the richer rarer jO Joy Still can I see I myself in those days s 's a little shy I mannered la lad had in kilts Hilts bareheaded to tho the lull hill breezes with health bright checks and a soul happed happe up In dreams ms And Indeed I lived In an nn enchanted land a land of or griffins and of oC princesses an and gleaming knights From each black tarn I looked hooked to eee see seea a seal scaly reptile rise from every fearsome fear fear- some Borne cave cavo a corby emerge merge There Thera were green STeen spaces among amont the tho h heather ther whore the fairies danced and eVer every and linn lina had its own familiar spirit I peopled tho the good green wood oo with Ith tho the wild creatures of or my thought tho nymph and anti faun taun atm naiad and dryad and would have hav been in nowise surprised to meet in tho the leafy coolness coolness coolness cool cool- ness the great pod god od Pan himself It was at night however that my dreams were most compelling I strove e against as the tho tyranny of oC sheep Bleep Lying In m my small bed I reveled in delectable Imaginings Night after night I fought battles battU devised lse pageants pageants partitioned empires I gloried In details M My rugged war Jor lords s were Ver very ery real to me and my a adventures ventures sounded man many periods of oC f history history- I Iwas wo was a solitary caveman with an ax of or stone I was a Roman soldier ler of oC fortune I 1 was a n. Highland outlaw of ot the Rebellion Always Alwa's I fought for tor a lost cause nn and always alwa's m my sympathies were with tho ho rebel I 1 feasted with ith Robin Hood on tho the kings king's venison I fared forth with Dick Turpin on the gibbet haunted heath I followed Morgan or n the buccaneer buc buc- caneer canter Into strange and exotic lands of ot trial an and treasure It was a won won- des feil gift gilt of ot vIsioning that was mine In those da days It was as the bird life lire flight of ot the tho pure child mind to whom the tho unreal iu it yet yol the tho real Then suddenly I arrived at a II R see sec Cond C- C ond phase of my mental growth in which fancy fanc usurped tho the place of Im un- un The modern equivalents equi of or Romance attracted me mo an and with my 01 increasing grasp of or reality m my gift of or vision faded As I hat had hitherto hith hith- erto dreamed of or knight of or corsairs and of or outlaws outlaw I now dreamed reamed of ot cowboys of ot gol gold seekers of beach bElch combers Fan Fancy C painted scenes in which I too should 1 pIa play a rousing part I read avidly h aU all I could find tInd dealing denting with the f Far ar West Vest and ever m my wistful gaze Saz roved over o the tho gray sea The spirit of or Romance Roman co beckoned to rae me I too would a adVenture ad ad- ad v venture In the stranger strang-er lands an and taco face their perils and brave e their dan dan- aneu an- an gets gers eu The Tho Joy jor of or the thought exulted In my 01 veins an arid and scarce could I 1 hub I the day ilay when whon the ron roads s of chance and chan change e would woul be open to m my feet teet It H Is strange that In all nil these years I confided In no one Garry who wan my brother and m dearest my friend would woul have laughed at me In that affectionate W way was of or his You would never have taken us for broth broth- ers era Wo were so 80 different in temperament temper temper- nm ament nl and appearance almo almost t the that we were reverse re of or coach ich other lIe He was the tho han handsomest ho boy I have ever s seen eon cn frank fair skinned an arid and winninG winning win win- ninG while I was dark dour and none too well favored He Ho was as the best beat runner and swimmer In ln the parish and the idol of at the tho village care cared lads lada I be found nothing for tor games James and would somewhere the among heather hills always alwayn by my lone self an anti and nearl nearly always alwa's with a story book In my pocket He lie was wae clever practical practical his and ambitious excelling in all which studies whereas except In tn those appealed to fD ray Imagination I z wa was a dullard and a a. dreamer reamer Yet we loved each other as few tew brothers do o Oh how I admired him He lie was m ideal my and too often orten the hero of my romances Garr Garry would have p laughed at nt my hero worship wor wor- or ship ho he was waH HO so matter of or fact tact lye tive and practical Yet ho he un understood me my Celtic Ideality and that lib shy r reserve which is 18 the tho armor annor of a sensitive soul Garry Carry in his hIli fine clover wa way was knew me and shielded me and cheer cheered me Ho lie was so buoyant buoyant buoy buoy- ant and charming he ho heartened you like like- sunshine an and braced you like a 0 morning wind on the mountain top Yes not Hot excepting moth mother r Garr Jarry knew mo tao better than any anyone one has ever done tIone and I loved him for tor it It JL seems to Ba say eay this but ha he did l not havo have a fault tenderness humor enthusiasm sympathy th and tho the beauty of or a a. young god all god all that was manifestly en endearing was as ex ex- ex pr pressed In this brother of mine So we grew to manhood there In that west highland country countr and surely our oui lives hives Were wore pure and aim sim plo ph and sweet I had never been further fur fur- ther thor from home than the little town where we sold our sheep Mother Moth Moth- er or managed the estate till Garr Garry was wall old enough when he took hold with a vigor and grasp that delighted d l every fl one I think our little mother Continued 1 on page palie THE TRAIL OF 98 Continued from page 5 6 stOOl stood rathor In of ot m my keen capaNo capable capable capa capa- ble No energetic brother Thero was WI as li ii In wistful IdealIsm Ideal her a certain dreamy tern Ism that made her beautiful In m my eyes eyl'S and to look on she was as faias fal fai falas fair as any picture Specially do lo I ic re- re of he her member r tho delicate coloring faco taco and her eyes e es blue like dee deep corn flowers She was wa not over r strong and took much comfort from fron ron religion H Hor r lips which fin One and hOd sensitive had a particularly wish to record ro re re- re sweet expression and I cord corl of ot her that never once did I se seher lee ei her cross always alwn's sweet gentle emilIng smilIng smil emil ing Thus Ihus our home was aR Ideal l one Garry tall fair and amI winsome myself lark dark dreamy reticent and between us us linking all thren In a perfect bone bond gentle del delicate of ot lovo love and nd sympathy our mother CHAPTER II I So 80 In serenity and sunshine he h days of or m my youth went ent past I sill maintained my 01 character as a l drom dron and a n. dreamer I used uSel m my time tramping tromping the tho moorland with a gun un whipping the foam foamy pools of the burr for tor trout or reading voraciously It IV the library Mostly Mo t I t reid reut books ol ot travel and especially did rUd I relish tl the literature ture of I h hid had id come under the spell of ot Ste on His no mo spoiled spelled Romance to me and m my lanc fancy etch etched him In his lonely exile Forthright I determined I too would seek neck these ultimate islands and from rom that moment I was aS a n changed being I 1 nursed the thought with Joyous enthusiasm I would be bc bea ben a n frontiersman a trail breaker a treasure tre seek seeker The virgin prairies prairie called to me the susurrus of the giant pines ech echoed ed In m my heart but most of of all aU I felt the spell of ot those thoan gentle Islands where care caro Is astran r n stranger stran er and all Is sunshine song sane and the glowing bloom of ot eternal summer About this timo time mother mothr must have worried a good deal dE-al 0 o er er m my future Oon Garry was now th the young Il and andI 1 I was but bul an Idler a burden on the estate At last I told hc I wanted to go abroad and then I It seemed Doomed a aa 1 If a great grent difficulty WA wae solved We Ye remembered rEmember of a cousin who was sheep ranching In the Saskatchewan valley and had done lone well ell It was ar arran arranged arranged ar- ar ranged ran ell that I should Join him as a I I pupil then when shen I had learned larned enough bu buy a n place of or m my own It Itma ma may be he Imagined that while I apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap acquiesced in this arrangement arrange e ment mont I had already alread determined thata that land I a as a soon joon as I reached the new would take m my destiny Into m my own hands the clamp damp Journey journe Jour jour- I will ne never forget torget ne ney aey to Glasgow and the mist misty landscape landscape land land- viewed through the streaming win window ow pane of a railway carriage I I was In a wondrous state of oC elation Then en we reached the great smoky Ity I was as lost In amazement not unmixed un- un nixed mixed with fear Never Ne had T imag- imag ned ined such crowds crowd such erich houses such Bitch The three cf ct us Jo mother Carry Sarry and 1 I. I wandered and RIH won wondered ered for or three days Folks g gazed Ged at us curIously sometimes admiringly forur for our nir cheeks were bright with highland health and nd our eyes candid as the lune Tunc skies Garr Garry In particular till tall fair air and hand handsome ome seemed to call I forth orth glances of 01 Interest wherever r he lie vent Then as the hour of my m de- de de departure arture drew near a shadow fell |