The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-09-14
By IzoLA |. FORESTER
Cop5right, i0oi, by AS Rlcharison


 60 the people down at SC. Michel sald when a stranger would ask where he had come from. Even before the gov ernmcnt had built the lighthouse on Prcsoue Isle Pcte's fishing hut had been there. aud every night ho had hung out his lantern on the end or polc sp that the boats rounding the point milo or two below would see its flicker and steer clear of the long sand bar that run out like an ant eaters nose nom thc northern corner of Prcsqur Isle
 Everybody along thc strait knew the quaint old Hgugc but no one knew Of Rabcttc until they saw her one morn ins tmttcr.ug along behind Pete, her rr,l calico dress Che one bright spot ot color among Che grays aud browns ot PrcSpic Isle The day bcforc Pete had been seen rowing over Co thc Mackiuae shorc but no one knew of his return cNccpt Mere Mrlc. and she was SO old and deaf that an she could do was cook Pcte's ash and slt out ln the sun shine an day smoking In the Kitchen doorway.
 When Landry Dubois from Algonac island asked the question direct Pete smiled and shook hts head, his dark eyes. deep set in the small brown face. watching Babcttc build houses with th, rcd bark chips around the light huuso steps.
 "Shc has DO one but me" he said, with a dubious shrug of hts thin. stopped shoulders. "Babctte, who art thou pctitct'
 Rlbcttc stopped playing long enough Co dash % merry glance at him under th. shelter of her thick brown hair.
 "Pctc's Eabcttc." she laughed
 And ,o. al through the Isles Of The strait as far 0s s. lgnacc and even down Co Mgckinaw. she was known as Pec's Eubcttc Pete taught her all manner of wonderful things tn fish lore and ,bIpcraft and before long she knew au Che boats that passed by Pry~guc Isle from the great Iron kinss and grain boats bound for Bunalo Co the gay little yachts that duttercd Ike white butterflies here and there. But. best of alI. she loved Che schooucrs, the oII mouarchs uf the ake. when they came Sail.ug up Che strait on stIll summers eve. likc wondrous phantom ships. with Che glory of the sunset De- hind. and she called them Babctic's bir,ls
 And Che years passed by, ten of them. slow and sure and steady one lv one. os thc wild geese hy Co Inc southland. and each one lcft Pete l,lWuer and more wrinklcd and small cr while Babcttc grew up tail and slender and strong us a young pine tree. with hair and eyes brown os dry oak leaves. Then came the terrible winter of 20. when boat after boat went out on thc hikes and no more was heard from them until spring waves brought In Che wrcckagc. lt was cold at the little low house back of Che lighthouse on Prcsquc Isle, colder than even Pete could remember. and every week lt was harder for him to row down Co St. Michel for provisions
 One night he came home holt frozen md with a dreadful cough. Babcttc sent him Co bed and said he should go no more. They must make what food they had last until warmer weather. But Instead ot sunshine and fair seas the clouds swept low and gray like gulls before a storm. and the waves came rolling in, with deep, heavy swell that sent a dull threatening roar as they broke. up to the light house. And hero and there in the dark green waters could be seen something else. a clumsy. swaying mass that gllnted blue white.
 "The Ice has come" Babette thought when she saw it from the lighthouse window one morning after she had trimmed the lamp. aud there was a 0ucer ache ln her heart as she looked on down the strait and thought of how her birds would have to battle with it. but she dll not tell Pete.
 It was three dnys later when Mere Mric showed her the empty meal bag She smiled. There were stlll bacon and rice and Cried fish. They were rich. At the end of the week there was no ba- con. and they had saved the last of the rice for Pete. who lay on the old lounge near the stove coughing. cough ing an the time
 The following day Pete was deliri- ous Babctte stood In the old kitchen, looking from the flushed. wrlnkled face on the pillow to where Mere Mrle knelt over by the stove praying. The provisions were gone. There was no medicine.
 Babette took the fur jacket from its nan. Before she went out of the kitch- on she leaned over the old halfbreed woman's bent form. "ro St. Niche" she said slowly, pointing eastward and then at the empty meal sack and -four bag thrown in a corner. Mere M'rie understood and stopped her praying long enough to watch the strong. erect young figure pass down to the shore, the wind blowing the ends of her scarf backward over her shoulders Ike rcd wings.
 Her hands worked quickly over the .A. IA .vN fohfnU ndvn n-