The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1917-12-19
l1dt NJ alnIt through With Colby

they used to be IN Alaska, ana u De-
cause of Colby Macdonald and his
friends. They're grabbers - that's
what they are. They want the whole
works. Understand? It's up to US
to fight, amt it?''
Later Elliot put this viewpoint be-
fore Strong.
"There's something in it," the miner
agreed. "Wages have gone down, and
it's partly because the big fellows are
consolidating interests. Alaska amt
a poor mans country the way it was.
But Mac amt to blame for that. He
has to play the game the way the
cards are dealt out"
The sky was clear again when the
Hannah drew in to the wharf at Moose
Head to unload freight, but the mud
in the unpaved streets leading to the
business section of the little frontier
town was instep deep. Many of the
passengers hurried ashore to make the
most of the five-hour stop. Elliot put
on a pair of heavy boots and started
uptown.
At the end of the wharf he passed
Miss O'Neill. She wore no rubbers and
she had come to a halt at the begin
ming of the mud. After monetary
indecision she returned slowly to the
boat.
The young man walked up into the
town, but ten minutes later he crossed
the gangplank of the Hannah again
with a package under his arm. Miss
O'Neill was sitting on the forward
deck, making a pretense to herself
of reading.
He moved over to where she sat and
lifted his hat. 81 hope you won't
think it a liberty, Miss O'Neill, but
I've brought you some rubbers from
store uptown. noticed you couldn't
| get ashore without them"
The girl was viSibly embarrassed.
| She was not at all certain Of the right
thing to do. Where she had been
brought up young men did not offer
courtesies of this sort so informally.
CT think 1 won't need them, thank
you. I've decided not to leave the
boat" she answered shyly.
Elliot had never been accused of be-
ing q gutter. Having begun this, he
proposed to see it out. He caught
sight of the purser experimenting the
discharge of cargo and called to him
by name. The officer Joined them, a
pad Of paper and pencil in his hand.
'Tm trying to persuade Miss O'Neill
that she ought to go ashore while
we're lying here. What was it you told
me about the waterfall back of the
town.
''Finest thing Of its kind in Alaska
Everyone takes it in. We won't get
away till night. You've plenty of time
If you want to see it."
''Now, will you please introduce me
to Miss O'Neill formally?"
The purser went through the usual
formula Of presentation, adding that
Elliot was a government official OF
his way to Kusiak. Having done his
duty by the young man, the busy su
percargO retired.
'Pm sure it would do you good tC
walk up to the waterfall with me, Miss
O'Neill," urged Elliot.
She met a little obviously the smile
that would not stay quite extingulshet
on his good-lOoking, boyish face. Why
shouldn't she go with him, since it wa!
the American way for unchaperoneC
!: youth to enjoy itself naturally?
eff they'll ft," the girl answered
eying the rubbers.
Gordon dropped to his knees ant
demonstrated that they would.
AS they walked along the mudd.
street she gave him a friendly littl
nod of thanks. "GoOd of you to tax
the trouble to look out for me-"
He laughed. at was myself L wa
looking out for. I am a stranger il
the country and was awfully lone
some"
as it that this is your first tim
in, tOo?' she asked shyly.
: you're going to Kusiak, aren'
you? Do you know anybody there
replied Elliot.
'My cousin lives there, but haven
seen her since I was ten. She's a
, American. Eleven years ago she Wis
! tied us in Ireland"
'Tm glad you know someone" h
said. you'll not be so lonesome wit
some of your people living there"
"Are you going to live at Kusiak?
mo; I'll be stationed in the teri
tory for several months. I'll be in an
out of the town a good deal. I hop
you'll let me see something Of you.
The fine Irish coloring deepened
her cheeks. He had a way of takin
8 in his stride the barriers betwee
them, but it was impossible for he
to feel offended at this CHEEKY, vigo
Gus young fellow with the winnin
smile and the flrm-set jaw. She like
the warmth in his honest brown eye
She liked the play of muscular graC
beneath his well-fitting clothes. Sheh
did not know, as her resilient muscle
carried her forward joyfully, that sf
was answering the call of youth
youth.
Gordon respected her shyness an
moved warily to establish his col
tact. He let the talk drift to impe
sonal topics as they picked their wa