ome back a manager! A longing
made itself felt in his heart, a longing to go back and redeem his
pledge; but he hesitated. He knew she was not married to Perry--Porter
was no longer in Hometon--but Evan felt unworthy of her after a silence
of over three years. He had often thought of writing her and asking
forgiveness, but had not been in a position to marry her--until the
syndicate came along. He had told himself all along that it was
poverty that kept him from renewing his love; but now that poverty no
longer stared him in the face, now that he could give her a home, he
hesitated. Why?--Because he was afraid! He knew he loved her and he
feared to run the risk of a rebuff by mail. Such is the cowardice of a
guilty lover's heart. He realized that he had hurt her very deeply;
hints from Lou had convinced him of that; and he felt that he would
have to go for her in person and in earnest to fully demonstrate his
all too mysterious affection. He had a strong impulse to stay on the
train, with fifteen thousand dollars in his wallet, and make a run for
Hometon; but he knew that would be rash. He wanted to go to Frankie
with more than money; he wanted to go in all contrition and to carry
news of his triumphs over the bank that had disgraced him.

"Where will we start in?" asked Henty, rousing.

For a moment Evan did not comprehend the question, then he smiled,
remembering how readily Henty usually thought things out. A. P. must
have been pondering very deeply to take so long a time in evolving that
simple question. It was to the point, however; they might as well work
from west to east, seeing that they were so near the Pacific and so far
from the Atlantic. That consideration had caused Evan to hesitate when
his impetuosity suggested Frankie at a single jump.

"Vancouver, I guess, A. P."

"That means," said Henty, grinning, "that I'll be a long time before I
meet that Hometon girl of yours--of mine."

"Not so very long."

"What did you say her name was, again?"

"Arling--Frankie Arling. I'm sure you'll fall in love with her."

A. P. stretched, yawned and replied:

"I'm sure I will, too."

They sold out their stock and effects at a good profit--Henty always
looked out for the profit. When the people of the village, fifteen
miles away, heard that the boys of Bachelors' Bungalow were leaving
they gave a dance, at which there were present lumberjacks as chief
masters of ceremony and hotel-maids as belles