Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-16

nuisance, but he's rather amusing
at times"
II certainly am" agreed that cheer
full person, now fully at his ease. "I've
a bad memory for names!"-h looked
queerly at his hostess but I'm very
amusing, very!"
Not very" corrected Emerson.
Then they talked of the trail, the
possibilities of securing supplies, and
of hiring guide. BY and by tho girl
rose, and after showing them to q
room, she excused herself on the score
of having to see to the dinner. When
she had withdrawn, "Fingerless,"
Fraser pursed his thin lips into a
noiseless whistle, then observed:
We'll, I'll-be-cussed!"
"Who is she?" asked Emerson, in
low, eager tone. DO you know"
"You heard, didn't you? She's Miss
Malotte. and she's certainly some con-
siderable lady"
1 The same look that Emerson had
noted when their hostess introduced
herself to them fitted again into the
crooks unsteady eyes.
Eyes, but who is she? What does
this mean Emerson pointed to the
provisions and fittings about them.
What is she doing here alone?"
Maybe you'd better ask her your
SELF" said Fraser
For the first time in their brief ac-
Quaintance, Emerson detected a.
strange note in the rogne's voice, but
it was too slight to provoke reply, SO
he brushed 1t aside and prepared him
self for dinner.
The Indian girl summoned them.
and they followed her through the
long passageway into the other house.
where, to their utter establishment.
they seemed to step out of the frontier
and into the heart of civilization. They
found tiny dining room, perfectly ap-
pointed, in the center of which, won
der of wonders, was a round table
cleaning like deep mahogany pool,
upon the surface of which floated
gauzy hand worked napery, glinting
silver, and sparkling crystal, tho
dark polish of the wood rejecting the
light from shaded candles. It held a
delicately figured service of blue and
gold, while the selection Of thin stem
med glasses all in rows indicated the
character Of the entertainment that
awaited them. The mems eyes were
too busy with the unaccustomed sight
to note details carefully, but they felt
soft carpet beneath their feet and OBJ
served that the walls were smooth
and harmoniously papered.
When one has lived long In the
rough where things come with the
husk en-. he fancies himself Weaned
away from the dainty, the beautiful,
and the artistic; after years OF 2
Observation-Disclosures existence he
grows to feel a scorn for the finer,
softer, inconsequent trifes of the past,
only to find, OLA sudden, that, UNI
known to him perhaps, his soul mas
been hungering for them all the while,
The feel of cool linen comes like the
caress of a forgotten sweetheart, the
tinkle OF glass and silver are SO
many Ginning fairy bells inviting mini
back into the foretime days. And SO
these two unkempt men, toughened
and Drowned to the texture of leather
by wind and snow, brought by trail
and camp fire to disregard ceremony
and look upon meal time as an I'M
satisfying, irksome period, stood
speechless affording the girl the fem
mine pleasure of enjoying their dis
comfiture.
"This is m-marvelous," muir
INJURED Emerson, suddenly conscious Of
his rough clothing, his fur boots, and
his hands cracked by frost Gl
afraid we're not in keeping.
Indeed you are" said the girl,
"and / am delighted to have some
body to talk to-. It's very lonesome
here, month after month"
"This is certainly swell tepee"
Fraser remarked, staring about IN
open admiration. "How did you
do it,"
Il brought my things with me from
"Nome!" CALCULATED Emerson
quickly.
Eyes"
"Why, I'VE been in Nome ever since
the camp was discovered. It's strange
we never met"
az didn't stay there very long; l
went back to Dawson"
Again he fancied the girls eyes
held a vague challenge, but he could
not be sure; for she seated him, and
then gave some instructions to the
Aleut girl, who had entered noise-
lessly. It was the strngest meal Boyd
Emerson had ever eaten, for here, IN
a forgotten corner of an unknown
land. hidden behind high banked log
walls. he partook Of perfect dinner,
we'll served, and presided over by a
gracious, richly gowned young woman
who talked interestingly on many sub.
iects For second time he lost him.
SELF in a maze CT conjecture. Who
was she? What was her mission hero!
WHY was she alone? But not for
long: he was too heavily burdened oy
The responsibility and care of his own
affairs to waste much time by the way
on those of other people; and beco.n'
ing absorbed in his own thoughts, he
grew more silent as the signs Of re-
finement and civilization about him
revived memories long stifed. Fraser,
on the contrary, warmed by the wine.
blessomed like the rose, and talked
garrulously, recounting marvellous
stories. as improbable as they were
egotistical. He monopolized MS
hostess attention, the while his COM
i H ,<1