d and waited all these cruel,
weary months. When at last, all red under his kisses, she released
herself from his embrace, he took her face in his hands and held it up
towards his. Tenderly, he said:

"I'm not much on the love-making business, Laura, but I never thought
I'd be as happy as I am now. I've been counting mile-posts ever since I
left Chicago, and it seemed like as if I had to go round the world
before I got here."

Following close behind, as she went into the sitting room, he gave an
exclamation of surprise as he took in the beautiful gilded furniture
and rich furnishings. His eye seemed to ask questions he found no words
for. She caught the look, and she trembled. Nervously waving him to a
seat, she said:

"You never told me about your good fortune. If you hadn't telegraphed,
I wouldn't even have known you were coming."

"I didn't want to," he replied, smiling. "I'd made up my mind to sort
of drop in here and give you a great big surprise--a happy one, I
knew--but the papers made such a fuss in Chicago that I thought you
might have read about it--did you?"

"No, tell me," she said eagerly.

He sat down and began the story of his wanderings. He told her of his
adventures in the search for gold, of his sufferings, and his narrow
escape from death. In those dark hours, he had only had one thought,
one hope--that he might be spared to see her once again.

"It's been pretty tough sledding out there in the mining country," he
said. "It did look as if I never would make a strike; but your spirit
was with me, and I knew if I could only hold out that something would
come my way. I had a pal--a fine fellow. We started out to find gold.
The first thing we knew we were lost--lost in the howling wilderness.
We nearly perished of cold and hunger. It was a close call, little
girl. I never thought I should see you again. But one day, when we were
about all in, we struck gold--quantities of it, nuggets as big as my
fist. We staked our claims in two weeks, and I went to Reno to raise
enough money for me to come East. Now, things are all fixed, and it's
just a matter of time."

He took the girl's delicate hand in his big brown ones, and looked
fondly into her eyes.

"So you're very, very rich, dear?" she murmured.

He released her hand, and leaned back carelessly in his chair.

"Oh, not rich; just heeled. I'm not going down to the Wall Street
bargain counter and buy the Union Pacific, or anything like that; but