Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1911-06-08

expectantly.
Il want the 'elp of a man as as
the nerve to do an ugly job before
daylight" he whispered sententiously.
Murder" | tried to smile.
"Mayhap!" he quietly replied. to my
amazement
THAT lets me out. Doc. I'm of
for my bunk"
mo it Doesn't" he Kissed, follow
ing my hesitant retreat. What brings
me ere late at night in a storm Is
more important to the company and
its hundred and Sixty-two hands In
camp, than to you and me. This Jobs
goin' for-ard tonight, come what may.
And you who are handy with gun
and | who have NO talent for talk
afterward-wels, it's we two for the
perfawmence. I'm dead serious. | am,
and you'll stand by--Im certain of
that. Come, the tides just a-turnin'.
Well have to be movin' with 1t. Every
moment we're nearer stampede and
panic In camp. Get your gun and
peep to them gents from Boston, nor
to any one else. We're going for
bear, understan, plain brown bear
tomorrow
That Alaskan night was of the foul
est! A fretful kamook bayed dismal
ly on the opposite shore where Haida
Indians sometimes dwell on their
canoe voyages among the Prince Of
Wales Islands. The Coplan Copper
company's smelter cast fitful patterns
of light and shadow upon the freezing
bay. The wild voice of the hills smote
the sea beyond with hiss and roar.
January was in angry mood in the
wilderness as | kicked the snow from
my boots before the Doctors cabin,
and his hound uttered long, low
growl within. 1t seemed but mo-
ment when our pipes we're loaded, the
Nwhuskey" on the rude table beside us.
and the fire roaring in the doctors lit
tie rusty stove.
Turning suddenly and bringing his
fist to the level of my face, the little
man unpacked himself brusquely:
Am correctly informed that
you're leaving camp for the east on
the next boat?"
That's my intention unless this
storm detains me-"
We'll, sir" continued the doctor. as
hs placed foot on the hounds thick
neck and recharged his glass, Il hope
nothing will interfere with your leav-
In; but | can't see the horizon Of a
little mess down near the Indian quar-
tiers behind the mill. You see, cant
say anything to those timid city direc-
tors about it, fearin' OF their indis-
erection and tangle with the health
officer, at the port o. entry. Them d.
rectors hate me! Now you've appealed
to me as a man of the woods. You've
been about some where mans got
10 be several times man. This
id Indian must be handled
nightly rough tonight. At least we
can't weep over him. He sneaked In
night before last without permission
and it'll explode any minute"
When the doctor rummaged for two
black shroud-like gowns and careless
ly threw them across the bed. | sus
Epected that we were either to lynch
somebody. commit corpse to the sea
or participate in some ghoulish cere
mony of pagan belief amongst the
Siwash across the bay. Finally
blurted: Doc, what are these black
kimonas for? Looks like hanging.
at might better be hangin'," he
retorted, paving amongst his apothe
cary stores, from which he occasion
ally set aside a package. TITS small
poxl That's what it is-in CAM
Of panicky miners ready to bolt on tht
first Whit. Smallpox-fourteen-
stage, and pest house harboring thu
id case. Do you understand
Smallpox"
Then with a toss Of the head AM
one of those sudden turns upon hi
auditor which characterized all his In
tense utterances, he growled: Com
along now, we've got to move tina
case out of camp before dawn or, vel
you'll see the company's boat in tn
hands of mutinous miners, and 1t
creditors dividin' its assets in banl
ruptcy, and me a-goin' to the coop TO
violatin' the law"
We skulked along the beach as ia
as possible from the glare Of tn
smelter. Black buzzards, sheltering
. wood pile. chartered raucously.
The doctor whispered: Our plaI
remember. II the buck shows fgh
do your part; I'll do mine. We
avoid rough-and-tumble as long O
possible. Hear that sea racing pa,
the inlet! Cad! what night &c
women and children! This bread an
bacon won't be needed. Pm bellevin