The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 11, 1906, Page 1

Call has secured the merisl rights of Geraldine Bonner's t novel, “The Pio- & presents to tall- deals with the ory of 3 lifor enlls them — b4 an engros 2 sionate tale of % Pursish, and bow pald a ¥ Gebt of love T Pioneer” will be completed i ve issues 3 The Sunday 7 d 3 oty & nd moved from ck on the pil- ght You e gas out open ppeared, yes to the faint showed the sep- ns. She was wide-eyed and motion- ler, whiter and then r ew day. She had spoken the truth when she said ehe did not believe the ugly story. There meny women who bave the faculty ¥ quietly shutting the door on obvious facts and refusing them admittance into the prim sanctuary of their acceptance. How much more might a young girl, lov ing, inexperienced and tender, refuse to believe a blasting rumor that had touched & figure already shrined in her heart! But the shock she suffered was severe. That such & story should be coupled with his name was revolting to her. And far down in the inner places of her belng, where nature has placed in women a chord that thrills to danger, a creeping sense of dread and fear stirred. But she smothered its warning vibration and, with her eyes fixed on the crack of light, re- CHAPTER IIL One of Eve’s Family. It was a few weeks after the ball that the colonel heard of the expected ar- rival in town of Rion Gracey and Bhrney Sulliven en route to Virginia City. From the great camp across the moun- tain wall In the Nevada desert, an elec- tric current had begun to thrill and ex- tend its vibrations wherever meén congre- gated. The autumn rumors that Virginia was not dead persist The mutterings of the sllver volcano had grown louder v~ o - and caught the ear of the hurrying throng. The reports of a strike in Crown Point rose and fell llke an upeasy tide. The price of the stock that in the spring of '70 had sold for 75 cents had risen to $2, and then to $3. Men watched it dis- quieted, loth to be credulous wheré they had so often been the dupes of manager and manipulator, yet tempted by the oft- repeated prophecy that the great bonan- zas of Virginia were yet to be discovered. Throughout California and Nevada the miners that three years before had left the dying camp as rats leave a sinking ship began to bind up thelr packs and turn their faces that way. It was like the first concentrating movement of a stealthily gathering army. The call of money had gone thrilling along the lines of secret communications which connect man with man. The Graceys had large holdings in Virginia. The group of unprofitable claims consolidated under the name of Cresta Plata was theirs, and”Rion and his superintendent were going up “to take a look around.” This was what the colonel heard down town. It was a TS T RO - plece of Intelligence that was reported as of weig 5 bed the mevements s those r actions <pressed drawin below wh short, br to hdm to The d.ew and with recognized Jer At h of thelr w to the d. sight of into parks talked, son He was 1s betore they A mo- menta ssi e, gona almos Barcla g to speak with what are you your native was taken s ness. She ¢ but she obe and answere luctance: “Yes, the Nesbits. I was going there this afternoom. Theyre just a block beyond here. It was n a HMe, June thought, for 1y not appeared she would do Nesbits, wonderi bad happened to I appeared, as he al time and place he so scrupulously desi would not have se afternoon. Nesbits that a Httle pasear a Ne: ing as they are “And what are you dot she sald, her presence with it her natural gaye returning. You're native haunts as “I was calling, too.” the Barkers. Butld sufficlently Interest fulfilling my duties, the new house from the skylight to the coalbin.” “Never mind,” she sald consolingly, “you've met me. That's your reward for good conduct They had a of the plaza, of a street d green, tree-do walks and set fc B: clay, ratsing his and murmur: some conventional words of farewell, turned and left them the colonel and his companion strolled across the road and over the g a bench, behind which a clump of laurels grew shelteringly, a screen against the wind and fog. “This is the most comfortabls of all the benches” sald Junme artlessly as they sat down. “The laurels keep the wind oft lke a wall on ecold days, when the fog comes in, It's a warm little corner.” “You've been hers before” sald the colonel, looking at her out of the sides of his eyes. A telltale color came Into her cheeks, but the city and its ways were train- ing her, and she managed to exclude confusion apd consciousness from her face. “Qh, yes” she answered, “several times. I sometimes rest here after I've be-n taking a long walk.” “That must be dull” sald her com- panfon. “I can’t see anything cheerful in sitting on a park bench by yourself.”” He looked at her again. But his bung- ling masculine line of procedurs was not of the kind te entrap even so untried a besgtnuer. It made her smile a lttle, and then she looked down to hide the smile. “Wasn't it jolly t * she sald, stroking the satiny surf jacket and presenting to his glance a non-committal profile. The colonel knew her well enough b: ts time to realize 1pper corner breadth rom the with ss less Intrie: i “Who do you Tow 2" “A friend"