~ To CARIBOO AND BACK }--

one of which had been allotted to the new cook
and the little girl with her. So she took the first
opportunity of making inquiries. But the news
she obtained from Hunkydory was not at all
to her liking.

Indeed yes, he said, he knew the man well.
He went by the name of Gentleman Fred, be-
cause he wasn’t tough, like the rest of the
mining men.

“A nice sort of chap,” said the rolypoly
innkeeper in his squeaky voice, “but he never
had no luck to speak of. Ain’t seen him since
the summer. He used to wash dirt on a claim
he had down there on the bank,” he waved a
pudgy hand toward the river, “and he took out
enough to pay his way as long as he stuck to it.
Nor that’s so bad neither, when you reckon
what the prices are: fifty dollars for a pair 0’
boots, and food—well, ma’am, you know some-
thing about the food already. Bacon worth a
slab of gold, and potatoes like nuggets o’ the
same—”

“What happened to him?’ interrupted Mary,
her gray eyes shining strangely in her almost
colorless face. Hunkydory inspired misgivings
and she felt her heart sink like lead at the

[191]

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