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〃Here；〃 he said； thrusting the scrawled letter into his partner's
hand。 〃You just deliver that and everything'll be all right。〃
Hutchinson ran his eye over it and laid it down。
〃How do you know the brother will be willing to make that beastly
trip in here？〃 he demanded。
〃Oh； he'll do it for meand for his sister；〃 Pentfield replied。
〃You see； he's tenderfoot； and I wouldn't trust her with him alone。
But with you along it will be an easy trip and a safe one。 As soon
as you get out； you'll go to her and prepare her。 Then you can
take your run east to your own people； and in the spring she and
her brother'll be ready to start with you。 You'll like her； I
know； right from the jump； and from that； you'll know her as soon
as you lay eyes on her。〃
So saying he opened the back of his watch and exposed a girl's
photograph pasted on the inside of the case。 Corry Hutchinson
gazed at it with admiration welling up in his eyes。
〃Mabel is her name；〃 Pentfield went on。 〃And it's just as well you
should know how to find the house。 Soon as you strike 'Frisco；
take a cab； and just say； 'Holmes's place； Myrdon Avenue'I doubt
if the Myrdon Avenue is necessary。 The cabby'll know where Judge
Holmes lives。
〃And say；〃 Pentfield continued； after a pause； 〃it won't be a bad
idea for you to get me a few little things which aer〃
〃A married man should have in his business；〃 Hutchinson blurted out
with a grin。
Pentfield grinned back。
〃Sure； napkins and tablecloths and sheets and pillowslips； and such
things。 And you might get a good set of china。 You know it'll
come hard for her to settle down to this sort of thing。 You can
freight them in by steamer around by Bering Sea。 And； I say；
what's the matter with a piano？〃
Hutchinson seconded the idea heartily。 His reluctance had
vanished； and he was warming up to his mission。
〃By Jove！ Lawrence；〃 he said at the conclusion of the council； as
they both rose to their feet； 〃I'll bring back that girl of yours
in style。 I'll do the cooking and take care of the dogs； and all
that brother'll have to do will be to see to her comfort and do for
her whatever I've forgotten。 And I'll forget damn little； I can
tell you。〃
The next day Lawrence Pentfield shook hands with him for the last
time and watched him； running with his dogs； disappear up the
frozen Yukon on his way to salt water and the world。 Pentfield
went back to his Bonanza mine； which was many times more dreary
than before； and faced resolutely into the long winter。 There was
work to be done； men to superintend； and operations to direct in
burrowing after the erratic pay streak； but his heart was not in
the work。 Nor was his heart in any work till the tiered logs of a
new cabin began to rise on the hill behind the mine。 It was a
grand cabin； warmly built and divided into three comfortable rooms。
Each log was hand…hewed and squaredan expensive whim when the
axemen received a daily wage of fifteen dollars； but to him nothing
could be too costly for the home in which Mabel Holmes was to live。
So he went about with the building of the cabin； singing； 〃And oh；
my fair； would I somewhere might house my heart with thee！〃 Also；
he had a calendar pinned on the wall above the table； and his first
act each morning was to check off the day and to count the days
that were left ere his partner would come booming down the Yukon
ice in the spring。 Another whim of his was to permit no one to
sleep in the new cabin on the hill。 It must be as fresh for her
occupancy as the square…hewed wood was fresh； and when it stood
complete； he put a padlock on the door。 No one entered save
himself； and he was wont to spend long hours there； and to come
forth with his face strangely radiant and in his eyes a glad； warm
light。
In December he received a letter from Corry Hutchinson。 He had
just seen Mabel Holmes。 She was all she ought to be； to be
Lawrence Pentfield's wife； he wrote。 He was enthusiastic； and his
letter sent the blood tingling through Pentfield's veins。 Other
letters followed； one on the heels of another； and sometimes two or
three together when the mail lumped up。 And they were all in the
same tenor。 Corry had just come from Myrdon Avenue； Corry was just
going to Myrdon Avenue； or Corry was at Myrdon Avenue。 And he
lingered on and on in San Francisco； nor even mentioned his trip to
Detroit。
Lawrence Pentfield began to think that his partner was a great deal
in the company of Mabel Holmes for a fellow who was going east to
see his people。 He even caught himself worrying about it at times；
though he would have worried more had he not known Mabel and Corry
so well。 Mabel's letters； on the other hand； had a great deal to
say about Corry。 Also； a thread of timidity that was near to
disinclination ran through them concerning the trip in over the ice
and the Dawson marriage。 Pentfield wrote back heartily； laughing
at her fears； which he took to be the mere physical ones of danger
and hardship rather than those bred of maidenly reserve。
But the long winter and tedious wait； following upon the two
previous long winters； were telling upon him。 The superintendence
of the men and the pursuit of the pay streak could not break the
irk of the daily round； and the end of January found him making
occasional trips to Dawson； where he could forget his identity for
a space at the gambling tables。 Because he could afford to lose；
he won； and 〃Pentfield's luck〃 became a stock phrase among the faro
players。
His luck ran with him till the second week in February。 How much
farther it might have run is conjectural； for； after one big game；
he never played again。
It was in the Opera House that it occurred； and for an hour it had
seemed that he could not place his money on a card without making
the card a winner。 In the lull at the end of a deal； while the
game…keeper was shuffling the deck； Nick Inwood the owner of the
game； remarked； apropos of nothing：…
〃I say； Pentfield； I see that partner of yours has been cutting up
monkey…shines on the outside。〃
〃Trust Corry to have a good time；〃 Pentfield had answered；
〃especially when he has earned it。〃
〃Every man to his taste；〃 Nick Inwood laughed； 〃but I should
scarcely call getting married a good time。〃
〃Corry married！〃 Pentfield cried； incredulous and yet surprised out
of himself for the moment。
'Sure；〃 Inwood said。 〃I saw it in the 'Frisco paper that came in
over the ice this morning。〃
〃Well； and who's the girl？〃 Pentfield demanded； somewhat with the
air of patient fortitude with which one takes the bait of a catch
and is aware at the time of the large laugh bound to follow at his
expense。
Nick Inwood pulled the newspaper from his pocket and began looking
it over； saying：…
〃I haven't a remarkable memory for names； but it seems to me it's
something like MabelMabeloh yes； here it'Mabel Holmes；
daughter of Judge Holmes；'whoever he is。〃
Lawrence Pentfield never turned a hair； though he wondered how any
man in the North could know her name。 He glanced coolly from face
to face to note any vagrant signs of the game that was being played
upon him； but beyond a healthy curiosity the faces betrayed
nothing。 Then he turned to the gambler and said in cold； even
tones：…
〃Inwood； I've got an even five hundred here that says the print of
what you have just said is not in that paper。〃
The gambler looked at him in quizzical surprise。 〃Go 'way； child。
I don't want your money。〃
〃I thought so；〃 Pentfield sneered； returning to the game and laying
a couple of bets。
Nick Inwood's face flushed； and； as though doubting his senses； he
ran careful eyes over the print of a quarter of a column。 Then be
turned on Lawrence Pentfield。
〃Look here； Pentfield；〃 he said； in a quiet； nervous manner； 〃I
can't allow that； you know。〃