VISIONS OF THE KLONDYKE.
"Much have I travelled in the realms of gold."—KEATS.
When Arnold reached home in the evening, from Broadstone, he felt anything but pleased on learning that visitors had arrived and were awaiting his return. Tired and disappointed, he would have preferred being left to his own thoughts; but this was a privilege which for the present, at least, he found he had to forego. The first greetings over, his little wife informed him that his cousins from Jersey had arrived about an hour before him.
"They are on their way to Liverpool, bound for the Klondyke," she added.
"Where are they staying?" asked Arnold.
"I have not asked them that," she replied, "as I wanted to hear what you thought about our trying to accommodate them here for three nights, so as to save them the expense of going to an hotel."
"But you know how very limited is the space at our disposal, my dear!"
"True," said Mrs. Arnold; "but it is not for long, and no doubt they will be much better pleased."
"Well, if you feel that you can manage it, and they are willing to accept what accommodation we have to offer, I shall be quite prepared to fall in with whatever arrangement you like to make."
"Very well; then I have no doubt we shall be able to settle matters to their satisfaction. And now, dear, you had better go and change your things, and make yourself look spruce, and then join us in the drawing-room, which will leave me at liberty to see to the supper."