The Adair County news., 1917-12-12

UOuSuucChS anu DOOle uSulSTS-
that's all they are. But they earn
their way. Not that blame MacdOn-
aid for firing them, mind yOu," con-
tinued the miner. "His superintendent
up there was too soft. These here
Swedes got gay. Mac hit the trait for
Frozen Gulch. He hammered his big
fist into the bread basket of the ring
leader and said, 'Gitr That fellows
running yet, I'll bet Then Mac called
the men together and read the riot act
to them. He fred this bunch on the
boat and was out of the camp before
you could bat an eye. 1t was the clean
est hurry-up job ever did see."
"From what I've heard about him,
he must be a remarkable man."
"He's the biggest man in Alaska,
bar none"
This was a subject that interested
Gordon Elliot very much. Colby Mac
donald and his activities had brought
him to the country.
do you mean persOnally-Or be-
cause he represents the big corpora
tions?"
Both. His word comes pretty near
being law up here, not only because
he stands for the Consolidated, but
because he's one man from the ground
up"
do you mean that he's square
honest?"
you've said two things, my friend"
answered Strong dryly. He's square.
If he tells you anything, don't worry
because he amt put down his John
Hancock before a notary. Don't waste
any time looking for fat or yellow
Streaks in Mac. They amt there. No
body ever heard him squeal yet and
what's more nobody ever will"
"NO wonder men like him."
"But when you say honest No!
Not the way you define honesty down
in the States. He's grabber, Mac is. ."
'What does he look like?"
"Oh, 1 don't know" Strong hesi-
tated, while he searched for words to
show the picture in his mind. "Big as
4 hOuse-steps out like buck in the
spring-blue-gray eyes that bore right
through you"
"HOw old?"
Search me. You never think of age
when you're looking at him. Forty
i've, mebbe-or ffty-I don't know"
''Married?"
''No-o." Hanford Strong nodded in
the direction of the Kusiak circle.
''They say he's going to marry Mrs.
Mallory. She's the one with the red
hair"
1t struck young Elliot that the miner
was dismissing Mrs. Mallory in too
cavalier a fashion. She was the sort
of woman at whom men look twice
and then continue to look while she
appears magnifcently unaware of it
Her hair was not red, but of lustrOus
bronze, amazingly abundant, and
dressed in waves with the careful skill
Of a coiffeur. Slightest shades OF
meaning she could convey with a lift
of the eyebrow or an intonatiOn of the
musical voice. If she was already
fencing with the encroaching years
there was little evidence of it in heI
opulent good looks.
The whistle of the Hannah blew fol
the Tatlah Cache landing while Strong
and Elliot were talking. The gang
plank was thrown out.
A man came to the end of the wharf
carrying a suitcase. He was well-set
thick in the chest and broad-shoul.
dered. Looking down from above
Gordon Elliot guessed him to be in the
early thirties.
Mrs. Mallory was the first to recOg.
nize him, which she did with a drawl
ing little shout Of welcome. "Oh, you
Mr.. Man. 1 knew you first. 1 speak
for yOu," she cried.
The man. on the gangplank looked
up, smiled and lifted to her his broad
gray hat in a wave of greeting.
sHow do ycI do. Mrs. Malloryf Glad
to see you"
The miners from Frozen Gulch were
grouped together on the lower deck
At sight Of the man with the suitcase
sullen murmur rose among them
Those in the rear pushed forward and
ciozed the lane leading to the cabins
One of the miners was flung roughly
against the new passenger. With q
wide, powerful sweep of his arm the
man who had just come aboard hurled
the miner back among his companions
"Gangwayi' he said brusquely, and
as he strOde forward did not even
glance in the direction of the angry
men pressing toward him.
"Here. Keep back there, you fel.
lows. None of that rough stuff goes,
ordered the mate sharply.
The big Cornlshman who had been
tossed aside crouched for spring. He
launched himself forward with the
awkward force of a bear. The suit.
case described a whirling arc of a cir
Gle with the arm Of its owner as "a.
dius. The bag and the head of the
miner came into swift impact. Like q
bullock which had been poleaxed. the
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