The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1917-12-19


ness, with gay and happy laughter.
Flinging her arms wide, she waited for
them. With incoherent cries of de-
light, they flung themselves upon her.
The two oldest were girls. The
youngest was fat, cuddly little boy
with dimples in his soft cheeks.
81 dwessed myself, Aunt Sheba.
Didn't I, GwenT
Sheba stopped and held him off to
admire. "All by yourself-iust think
of that"
1--WE helped just the teeniest bit on
the buttons" confessed Janet, the old
est Of the small family.
"And tied his Shoes" added Gwen
dOlen, "after he had laced them"
Gwendolen snuggled close to Miss
O'Neill. "You always smell so sweet
and clean and viOlety, Aunt Sheba,"
she whispered in confidence.
you're spelling me, Gwen" laughed
the young woman. 'You've kissed the
blarney stone. It's good thing you're
leaving the boat today"
Miss Gwen had one more confidence
to make In the ear of her friend. ct
wish you'd come too and be our new
mamma" she begged.
A shell-pink tinge crept into the
milky ska Of the Irish girl. She was
less sure Of herself, more easily en-
barrassed, than the average American
Of her age and sex.
IRE your things gathered ready for
packing, Janet?" she asked quietly.
The purser gave information to FL
hot. "They call her Aunt Sheba, but
she's no relative Of theirs. The kids
/ are on their way in to their father,
who is an engineer on one of the
creeks back of Katma. Their mother
died two months ago. Miss O'Neill met
them first aboard the Skaglt on the
way up and she has mothered them
/ ever since"
The eyes Of Elliot rested on Miss
/ O'Neill. ''She loves children"
"She sure does-no bluff about that"
An imp Of mischief sparkled In the eye
Of the supercargo. mot married your
self, are you, Mr.. Elliott
"No."
"Hmpp
That was all he said, but Gordon felt
the blood creep into his face. This
annoyed him, so he added brusquely
''And not likely to be-"
When the call for breakfast came
Miss O'Nein took her retinue Of young
sters with her to the dining room.
Looking across from his seat at an
adjoining table, Elliot could see her
waiting upon them with a fine alb
sorption in their needs.
Before they had been long in the
dining room Macdonald came in carry.
ing a sheaf Of business papers. He
glanced around, recognized Elliot, and
made instantly for the seat across the
table from him. On his face and head
were many marks of the recent battle
'nTrade you a cauliflower ear for q
pair of black eyes, Mr.. Elliot" he
laughed as he shook hands with the
man whose name he had just learned
from the purser.
The grip of his brown, muscular
hand was strong. It was in character
with the steady, cool eyes set deep be
meath the jutting forehead, with the
confident carriage Of the deep, broad
shoulders.
"You might throw in several othel
little souvenirs to boot and not mis-!
Them" suggested Elliot with smile
Macdonald nodded indifferently. &c
/ I Toxvo and I %ooI- x,-oe, n
be. But it's different with you, Mr.
Elliot. This wasn't your row."
II hadn't been in a good mix-up since
: left college. 1t did me lot Of good
Much obliged, anyhow" He turned
! his attention to a lady entering the
dining room. "'Mornin', Mrs. Self
ridge How's Wally?"
She threw up her hands in despair
''He's on his second bottle Of linimen
already. expect those ruff1ans havt
ruined his singing voice. When thinl
Of how close you both came to dealt
last night"
81 don't know about Wally, but
had no notion of dying, Mrs. Self
/ ridge. They unused us up a bit Tha
2 was all"
"But they meant to kill you, tn
a towards. And they almost did it toe
Look at Wally-confned to his be-
> and speaking in whisper. Look a
} you-a wreck, horribly beaten up, al
most drowned. We must drive the vii
lains out of the country or send then
: to prison"
? "Am I wreck?" the big Scotsman
: wanted to know. 81 feel as husky a
8 q well-fed malamute."
: "Oh, you talk. But we all know
you-how brave and strong you are
That's why this outrage ought to
: punished. What would Alaska do
t anything happened to your"
/. 81 hadn't thought of that" admitte
4 Macdonald. "The North would hav
r to 60 out of business, I suppose. Bu
D. you're right about one thing. Mrs. Sell
/ ridge. I'm brave and strong enough q
the breakfast table. Steward, viii 70
: bring me a double order Of thes
/ shIrred eggs-and a small steakY'
!. sWell, I'm glad you can still jok