~«f TO CARIBOO AND BACK }--

The latter wore a hopeful, beaming coun-
tenance. “I feel that at last my luck has turned,
Mrs. Mulligan. This time I’m going to strike
it rich, and my only sad thought is that my
dear wife will not be here to share my wealth.”

‘She'll rejoice to see you and Betty taking
pleasure in life,” Mary told him, wiping a
tear out of the corner of her eye for the
mistress and friend dead and gone. “That is,”
she added wearily, ‘‘if so be you do find gold.”

Presently Hunkydory came out and stood
beside her.

“There’s too many from here going away
like they are,” he grumbled. “If this keeps
on much longer the Quesnel mines will be as
dead as they say the mines on the Fraser are
already. It’s not like the good old days of
six months ago.”

“Well now,’ quoth Mary, “let’s hope for the
sake of the business ’twill not be so! sure,
things do be brisk yet, judging by the appe-
tites of the boys.”

“T’ll tell you, ma’am, before it comes to that,
Hunkydory will pull up stakes himself and move
out!”’

[221]