The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-03-23

Ice for the first time last winter. The
other women felt that she was bird
Of passage, that the frozen Arctic
could be no more than within to her,
They deferred little to her because
she knew the great world--New York,
Vienna, London, Paris. Great names
fell from her lips casually and care
lessly. She was full of spicy little
anecdotes about German royalty ana
the British aristocracy. 1t was no won
der, Gordon Elliot thought, that she
had rather stunned the little social set
of Kusiak.
Through Northrup and Trelawney a
new slant on Macdonald was given to
Gordon. He had fallen into casual
talk with them after dinner on the
fore deck. To his surprise the young
man discovered that they bore him no
grudge at all for his interference the
night before.
"But we amt through with Colby
Macdonald yet" Trelawney explained.
mind, l don't say we're going to get
him. Nothing like that. Here's the
point. We stand for Labor. He stands
for Capital. See? Things amt what
they used to be in Alaska, and it's be-
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
q 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 pht
on 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 halt at the begin
ming of the mud. After a momentasV
indecision she returned slowly to the
| boat.
The young man walked up fnt5f se
town, but ten minutes later he crossed
the gangplank of the Hannah again
with package under his arm. Miss
ONeill was sitting on the forward
deck, making a pretense to herself
of reading.
He moved over to where she sat and
lifted his hat. II hope you won't
think it liberty, Miss O'Neill, but
I've brought you some rubbers from a
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
"I-I think 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 a 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 q
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 1t you told
me about the waterfall back Of the
town.
|, "Finest thing of its kind In Alaska
Everyone takes 1t in. We won't gel
away till night. You've plenty of time
If you want to see it."
Snow, will you please introduce me
to Miss O'Neill formallyp
The purser went through the usual
formula Of presentation, adding that
Elliot was q government official on
his way to Kusiak. Having done his
duty by the young man, the busy SUI
percargo retired.
"I'm sure it would do you good tc
walk up to the waterfall with me, Miss
O'Neill," urged Elliot.
She met little obviously the smile
that would not stay quite extinguishei
on his good-looking, boyish face. Why
shouldn't she go with him, since 1t was
the American way for unchaperoneG
youth to enjoy itself naturally?
eff they'll fit," the girl answered
eying the rubbers.
Gordon dropped to his knees ant
demonstrated that they would.
As they walked along the muddy
street she gave him friendly littl,
nod Of thanks. "Good of you to tax,
the trouble to look out for me.r
He laughed. ut was myself 1 wal
looking out for. I am o stranger II
the country and was awfully lone
some"
us 1t that this is your firsr tim.
in, toop she asked shyly.
you're going to Kusiak, aren'
you? Do you know anybody there7'
replied Elliot.
"Nv pousin lives there buf I haven,