Glen of the High North | Page 5

tall or short. But he could remember nothing except the face which
alone stood out clear and distinct. Several times during the day he had
been on the point of transferring his impressions to paper, but he
always deferred action, preferring to muse upon the beautiful vision he
had seen and to dream of meeting her again. She must still be in the
city, he reasoned, and should he go away now his chance of finding her
would be lost forever. That he would find her he had not the slightest
doubt, for among the crowds that passed daily along the streets he
would surely see her, and when he did--well, he was not certain what
would happen. Anyway, he would know more about her than at present.
He was standing watching an old man with a long gray beard and wavy
hair falling below a broad-brimmed slouch hat. He was evidently a
prospector, for he bore a good-sized pack across his right shoulder, and

was dressed as if for the trail, with a pair of coarse boots upon his feet.
His figure was commanding, almost patriarchal, and Reynolds watched
him with much interest as he walked stately and deliberately up the
gangway.
As Reynolds turned from his observation of the old man, he gave a
great start, and his heart beat wildly, for there but a few feet from him
was the very girl he had seen at the street crossing. She had just
alighted from an hotel auto, and was pointing out her baggage to one of
the cabin boys when Reynolds noticed her. He leaned eagerly forward
to catch the sound of her voice, but the noise around him made this
impossible. But he had a chance to feast his eyes upon her face, and to
note her neat dark-brown travelling suit which fitted so perfectly her
well-built erect figure. She was of medium height, and carried herself
with complete assurance as one well accustomed to travel. She was
apparently alone, for no one accompanied her as she presently went on
board the steamer.
Reynolds was all alert now, and his old-time enthusiasm returned. She
was going north, and why should not he go too? Once more thought
and action became welded, and finding that it would be three-quarters
of an hour before the steamer's departure, he hurried back to his
boarding house, gathered together his few belongings, including his
artist's outfit, thrust them into a grip, settled his board bill, and almost
raced to the Telegram and Evening News building, where he found the
editor who had just arrived for his nightly duties.
"I am off at once," he announced. "How will that suit you?"
"Good for you!" was the pleased reply. "Decided upon the Great Quest,
eh?"
"Yes, all settled, and away in twenty minutes."
"Where to?"
"Up north, to the edge of nowhere. How will that do?"

"Found a clue?" The editor was quite excited now.
"All the clue I need," was the evasive reply. "I shall write as soon as
possible, telling of my wanderings. So, good-by; I must be away."
"Have you enough money?" The editor was on his feet now, grasping
the young man's hand in a firm grip.
"Yes, all that's necessary for the present. If I need more I shall let you
know."
An hour later the Northern Light was steaming steadily on her way.
Reynolds had been fortunate enough to obtain an upper berth, his
roommate being a young clerk destined for a branch bank in a northern
mining town. Reynolds strolled about the boat hoping to catch a
glimpse of her who was much in his mind, but all in vain. It rained hard
most of the next day, and the outside decks were uncomfortable. It was
toward evening that he saw her, walking slowly up and down the
hurricane deck abaft the funnel. She was with the captain, a fine
looking, middle-aged man, and they seemed to be on very friendly
terms, for the girl was smiling at something her companion was saying.
Reynolds lighted a cigar and began to pace up and down on the
opposite side of the deck. Others were doing the same, so no one paid
any heed to his presence. A casual observer might have thought that the
silent young man took no interest in anything around him. But
Reynolds missed hardly a movement of the girl but a few feet away. He
always kept a short distance behind and was thus able to study her
closely without attracting attention. She wore a raincoat, of a soft light
material, and her head was bare. The wind played with her dark-brown
hair, and occasionally she lifted her hand and brushed back a wayward
tress that had drifted over her forehead. At times he caught