Show 7 the 01 he TRAIL t w AIL OF ar 1 JL ur 6 da A northland lomance by ROBERT W SERVICE ww service illustrations by irwin myers STORY FROM arof THE START athol A thol meldrum young m man v I 1 who I 1 tells tile the tory story leaves denven hl hla 0 mother and brother garry carry to seek hl hla s furtune at san francisco practical 4 ly pe iller he be takes a labo ir kolo and me meats s to a fellow ellow adventurer whom tie he dubs dub the prodigal the prod iroda gat gal Is to join the rush ruh of gold bold seekers into Al altinia tinka orin ana At eldrum agrees agree to go with him after he the prodigal Irod leal comei come back from a visit to hi his wealthy wealth vo fal father ther in the east CHAPTER 11 II continued 2 hull I 1 he fie ejaculated when I 1 had finished im glad ly fly tile the grace of god ive been tile the means of you a ha band nd up better come to my mv room un an stop with will me ine till turns burns up DI im coln north in three days im coln to join this flits crazy rush to the klondike le ive hew been for twenty yours arizona Arl zono colorado till nil over ever nn an now I 1 arn am a coill to see sec it if the north casull got et a stiche for tile me in his room he be told my mel of 0 his life ito im saved hy by the grace of bill ive boena been a had bad man alan ive been ev erv thing from frolli a pity marshal to boss gambler ea I 1 have yone gone heeled two years thinking to get my pass to hell fit at any moment its nil all over now on an ive seen the evil of my ways hut but ive got to 10 talk once la in a while im jim hubbard known as salvation jim iw an I 1 know from to ric revolution elation bouce I 1 used to gutu blo ble on nn drink lite lie limit one morning I 1 got up from tile the card table after sitting there thirty six hours id lost JOB ova ivo thousand dollars I 1 lon knew ew hooded handed rue me out cold turkey but I 1 took my inie dicine inight then I 1 sold said id be a crook too I 1 lear learned lied to play with market marked cards I 1 could tell jell every curd card in the deck I 1 went after the suckers 71 there sere was never a nion inan did tile ine dirt but I 1 paid film with interest of course its different now the bood book says do good unto them that imra you I 1 guess I 1 would but I 1 recommend no one to I 1 try ry and harm wo me I 1 might ri aget 1 the heavy aggressive jaw shot forward tile the eyes glenniev glen ined nied with a 0 fens less leaa ferocity und and for a mou moment tile man inan took on on an air that wits almost I 1 could believe 1113 eight yet tile the next nett instant it was the file same cheerful benevolent heney face nee anti I 1 thought my oca eyes must love have played mo me some borne trick perhaps it was vint sedate strain in tile me that up pealed to hlin him but lu we because great rent friends lie ile told ne line of the girl ties he married marr ltd and still ped und and of the man who broke up lite house once more I 1 saw that III flirting tiger took look on tits face ono vanish immediately ue told me die of his wild dilys 1 I was always a fighter on nn I 1 nevell enow what fear ear meant I 1 never saw tile the man that could heat beat me in a rough absil nn tumble scrap I 1 was tin co common lamon busky busily nit an as quick as a cut but it was my that flint won out for or we me ive none gone up to a man I 1 knew was heeled to shunt me in va tin tin till ive dured dared him to to da it just by the power of the eye le ive enado anke water then as the drink got huld ot of me mea I 1 got cot worse arid worse glory to godl god I 1 ive seen the evil of my ways I 1 I 1 could point paint or act the in man tin for or you words cannot express till his curious character I 1 cuine came to have flarea a great fondness tot fot him uti ishii cerial nav owed a huge debt of gratitude one tiny day I 1 was paying iny usual via it to tile post ottlee when sonje one gripped me lite hy by the arin hullo lullo I hi BY ill fill won wm darful I 1 was A as just going to mall you a H letter it nus the very well dressed und spruce looking guv im ill au 60 tickled I 1 got you were aure going to start blurt in two days where I 1 asked why for the golden fourth rot foi the lund limit of the sun fur for tnt me troea ot of tile the klondike val tey ami may he be I 1 suld soberly but I 1 uti till U t Ls t you can and you are wit old boort I 1 llred nil all that culm come on I 1 you I 1 went hump home wid did the returned ligal stunt 4 lite lie old tona was mighty levent decent when I 1 told olit won it wua woe no good I 1 plo H into file tie glue factory yet aw artille tille lie ile tile me und and gave me s II 11 beav 0 o make good so liere liera I 1 rill niu in with rue me I 1 im atif goina I 1 rn grub yuu you its a business bu ive got to have souse title me und when vian you ninke male the big strike youve got to divvy up tip of course it if youre afraid of the lie hard shara S land go BO ou no I 1 said quickly ill ga go llna till I 1 he laughed youre too much ot at a enward to be afraid well weve elve got to get busy over out our out bilto ive a got any loo too much ume time me of sal vat ion jam and told the elie prodigal of iny new friend ai S rf t said tae elie just tile lie linin we want well ask him to join us ui I 1 tile the two together and it was arnin ged ko 80 jt it nine clime about that WO e three lerf left gol sun francesco ran deco on tle me fourth fourt at day of march to seek our for or tu the frozen north CHAPTER III joure youre looking mighty blue ts lue ilire up darn youl you I 1 tile the matter file prodigal affectionately and indeed thero there was matter enough for or bad I 1 not just ret received alved letters from home one from dorr and une one from mother larrys lur rys was wu gravely censorious almost remon lie ile pointed out that I 1 was in a fair way of being a rolling roll liin stone and hoped lint I 1 would at one rive give tit up my trind notion of the south seni tind and so soberly lierly proceed to elie north st mothers letter was reproachful in ports parts almost distressful site she was failing she said and she begged me to bu a 11 good son give up tip my won demings der trigs and join my cousin nt at once also she enclosed post office orders for forty pounds tier her letter written in a fine faltering hand and so full of gentle affection brought the tear to my eyes so E that thai it was very bleakly I 1 leaned against the ships rail mil and d watched the bustle or of departure ive just heard from tile the folks I 1 said und and I 1 feel like going brick back on you oil beat tt it he cried you cant keuls now youve got to see the thing elilu through what you want to do ts Is to get busy and make yourself ne ted say I 1 of ull all the locked outfits this here aggregation has fins got cot everything else skinned to a boiled thiloh got a notion just gut got to get up tip there and pick ack big nuggets out of tile the water like cherries out of a cocktail its the limit our eyes roved round from group to group picking out characteristic salvation jim was talking fig to two men dien theres a pair of winners I 1 put my woney on them native burn americans all grit and getup get up see tho tall one ona smoking siv okIng a cigar and looking nt at elie women ties iles an athlete names mervin see the other his name solid ns as V ia tower muscled like a bear bean built from frill tile the ga gionna I 1 up you cant down a ninn man like dial ue a indicated another group now theres three birds of prey minks and Ai mustier usher the bla big plis pig eyed one Is hull bull li hummer amnier lies iles in the saloon business the sized one to in the plug lia ita Is lidja himself a tir broker oker tin the gilds lil ds jake mosher iles allu s nt all dijt lit gambler tu m sure innon uni anve e its IB a parson A bull bad bil hunch liell I 1 said yes t I 1 wre s linds like then them on board lual H get nyi next to those two jews jew mike anil and gling g ling to open olien up a sporty illan wils is so a saintil nandy bandy leggia creature ci ril til 10 wilh fun that squinted u allf jilin fill fat aull waxed haq lint ill it wits was the aomar won lill will who ai la d in iii sil lention neer hit 1111 I 1 see such n 1149 amazon six foot it if an all amli II 11 inal ip it pr jq o portion 10 lowits fiat nilson ie too in a tIlY ni neur near tit nt hand tier her fine wits straining Stia sen ining and holl tun fins go genius irous haid n nd cruel I 1 thmia haj a omi n a shrew n ll 11 I 1 but I 1 WOH kawing weary tit ft the crowd und longed to 11 no go below I 1 wilt war tit ID hileri sled yet jet tile hie voice vice ol 01 tile hie prodigal drilled in my ent theres an all olit old man and tits his daughter rei of the flit winkle st eltis I 1 hellove I 1 think the itie oli id ra lows got ot it a avle schew enose onn walka or flume lite sut geitt 1 jargon Juri in only alv kiellah tn fie knos j Is the kirl lili little beggar fourr not listening tu to what tm im saying look amk why dont youl so to please pit use him I 1 turned ful round mul and looked an old man inan pairl aretini in aspect ti crouched iiii til deck greet by his side with het hei liand hand on his hi shoulder stood it figure in black the figure or of a girl l indifferently nty my eyes traveled from froin tier her feet to her face there thel the rested I 1 drew a deep breath I 1 for pot got everything else then tot fo tb first lime hine I 1 saw berna I 1 will vw v W bif no try tn ti depict the girl pen aare a are so futile I 1 will only suy say tier lier face was very pule pale and flint she hud bull lurge laige pathetic arny riby eyes twits the lite race 1 I thought thou slit of it a vir kin gin martyr with a fear counted took look hard to forget poor ioor ahle bege begg orl larl I 1 cursed myself for a gentl mental impressionist and I 1 went tie he low stateroom forty seven was mine ve e abr three had been separated in the lisp shuf shuffle flo ind anti I 1 knew not who who to be my room binte ninte feeling very down hearted tie arteil I 1 myself on an the up per herth and yielded to a mobil ol of penitential sadness As I 1 lay iny there edme tea to my iligir 1 mr cultural tones blended with liquid ones aurs lastly a timid knock quickly I 1 answered naw nsw e red it Is this room number forty seven a soft voice asked even ere she spoke I 1 divined it was tile the jewish girl of tile the gray eyes eye yes I 1 answered tier her she led forward the old man this li Is my grandfather the steward told us this was his room oil oh all right hed better take the lowet lower berth 11 thank you yon indeed hes hea an old man mail and not very strong tier her voice was clear anti and sweet and there wits an infinite tenderness in li tile hie tune tone I 1 you vou must corne come in I 1 said ill acae ill ve you with will him harn for 0 it while so BO that you can make him comfortable thank you agnia site she responded so 1 I 1 withdrew land and when I 1 returned she was gone but the old man slept pence peacefully fully it was aros late before I 1 turned in ev ery one had gone below I 1 thought tind the loneliness pleased easell pl mr mc suddenly I 1 heard a sound of sub hing the iner merciless elless sobbing of a worn wom tins breast wonderingly I 1 looked ground then in a shadow of the upper leek deck I 1 made out a slight girl figure crouching nit nil alone it wa wai grey arev eyes crying qt fit to break her heart poor little beggar I 1 I 1 muttered or gr r r you yon little brat I 1 it if you open your face to him ill kill you aee I 1 the voice was madam winkle stel ns and the lie words hissed in a whisper of fit incredible malignity nr rested me as if I 1 had been struck by a live wire I 1 listened see here herna berna were n next ext to yo you u two were onto your curves W we e know the old mans got tile the stun stuff in tits his kold gold belt two thousand in bills now my iny dear my sweet little angel we need the he mon seel knock knock and were goin to have it seel see I 1 knock knock where you come coma tn in honey youre goin IW to get it for us ua aint you now knock knock knock faintly very faintly I 1 beard a volve vole no it if it bo be possible to scream in sis whisper the woman did it you vou will I 1 you ou will I 1 ohl on ohl ohl cheres the cursed little spirit of your mother to lu you shed never tell ua ab the nanie of tile the man that wits nas the ile ruin of er blast er speak of my fu mother other you vile woman I 1 tile the voke voice of the virago contracted to tin intensity of benum I 1 have er hear the equal of vile woman t vile woman I 1 you you to call tile me a vile domun me been three times juned in holy wedlock oil you DU brat beitl I 1 you vou whelp of aln sant I 1 you misbegotten scum oh ill Is fix you fur for that if ive got to swing for it tier her scalding words were capped with tin an anth too roul foul to repents repeat and then come a like a hend hem striking tile un to lipar hear it tiny longer I 1 rapped popped on oil the silence a long In punting inting silence then the sound ot of a fulling body then tile hie buor owned opened I 1 a little anti and thi twitching fave fae tot of audam appeared Is there sick 7 I 1 asked im hil sorry to tr onile voll mi bt bin 1 I wn thinking I 1 heird heard gumns and I 1 might be able tn in to do som thing she im aked of at me AN why hy not nol my niece in holes heres kilt got it tooth ditello bill I 1 we can th IN it bc tween us we e dont need no help belp thanks young fellar I 1 oli oil hints nil fill right rl lit I 1 if you slin should uld you jim know ann ill ll 11 ile be Fi nt arleiv tarby then I 1 moved dwity conse folls jlia 1110 tier iff ful rol limed ine file tile the business tul ness worried me ine rhe file poor gill wits being woe woefully full that wasl va daniti I 1 relf felt ladle indig datil gingry and lust list of nil all it mingled with will mv feelings wits wai a 11 sense sells of irritation that I 1 should have been elected to overhear the affair I 1 had bad no desire just then to champion distressed damsels least of 0 all to get mixed up in the family brawls of unknown Jew esses confound her anyway I 1 I 1 also almost jt hated her yet I 1 felt constrained to watch and wait and even at the cost of my tiby own ease and comfort to prevent further violence var for that matter there were ware alt all kinds of strange doings on board drinking gambling nightly orgies end and hourly brawls it seemed na its it if we had shipped all tile the human a dregs of the sari san Frati francisco elseo dead lire lice As I 1 sat in silent thought tiler there 0 clime came to tile me salvation jim 11 ills Is f face ace was grins grim tits his awes ees brooding 1 I dont 11 like k e alie le way 0 of th things 1 n S a beli ado lf bit he sald 1 1 I 1 dont nt like it T theres enough enouf li evil ell on tills this boat to stake a subsection sub section lii in hell sooner or laer theres goin coin to be a rec reckoning konin theres ninny a one shout sh ln au an singing to night nightly ll leave his hones to bleach up in that blenk bleak will wild lurid land 1 no jim A 1 protested they wilt will be all right once they get ashore 1118 Ill allt glit othlia Oth lIl YOU toil mark my words young feller for ru 11 II never live to see them fulfill fulfil fulfilled lea theres ninety in a hundred of all them thein letters fellers gnirs coln to tills this here klondike will never make good nit an of the oilier ten nine wont do no good As for me I 1 feel ns as sure as gods above us guldin us its through tile the mazes of the night ill never live to make the trip buck back av ive got tk a hunch old jims on his last stampede fie sighed then said sharply dirt did you jou see that fetter feller that passed us it was Mo bl slier osher the gambler ea and ex preacher eliat euans a skunk a renegade sky pilot im fin keepin tabs on that man aloyse him an ines got a score to settle one of them days maybe lie went off abruptly leaving me to ponder long |