Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-02-21
CHAPTER I.

The midnight sun had set, but In a
crotch between two snow peaks it had
kindled vast caldron from which rose
mist of jewels, garnet and turquoise,
topaz and amethyst and opal, all
swimming In a sea of molten gold. The
glow of 1t still chung to the face of the
broad Yukon, as flush does to the
sort, wrfnkled cheek of a girl Just
reused from deep sleep.
Except for faint murkiness In the
air 1t was still day. There was light
enough for the four men playing pi-
nochle on the upper deck, though the
women Of their party, gossiping In
chairs grouped near at hand. had at
last put aside their embroidery. The
girl who sat by herself at little dis
lance held a magazine still open In
her lap.
Gordon Elliot had taken the boat at
Plerres Portage, fifty miles farther
down the river. He had come direct
from the creeks, and his Impressions
OF the motley pioneer life at the gold
dggings were so vivid that he had
found an isolated corner of the deck
where he could scribDle them in a note
book while still fresh.
But he had not been too busy to see
that the girl in the wicker chair was
as much Of an outsider as he was.
Plainly this was her first trip in. Cor
don was stranger In the Yukon coun-
try one not likely to be overwelcome
when 1t became known what his mis-
sion was.
From where he was leaning against
the deckhouse Elliot could see only n
me, chiseled profile shading into
mass Of crisp, black hair, but some
quality In the detachment of her per
sonality stimulated gently his magma
ton. He wondered who she could be.
A short, thickset man who had ridden
down on the stage with Elliot to
Pierre's Portage drifted along the deck
toward him. He wore the careless
garb OF a mining man In a county
which looks first to comfort.
Bound for Kusiak?" he asked, by
way OF opening conversation.
YES" answered Gordon.
The miner nodded toward the groun
under the awning. "That bunch lives
at Kusiak. They've got on at different
places the last two or three DAYS
except Selfridge and his wife: they've
been out Guess you can tell that from
nearing her talk-the little woman in
req with the snappy black eyes. She's
spiilln' over with talk about the STYLES
IN New York and the cabarets and the
new shows. That pot-bellied little fell
10" IN the checked suit is Selfridge.
he is Colby Macdonalds man FRIDAY"
Eiiiot took In with q quickened in
terest the group bound for Kusiak. He
mad noticed that they monopolized as
matter of course the best places on
the deck and In the dining room. They
were CIVIL enough to outsiders, but
their manner had the unconscious self
lshness that often regulates social ac-
uViues' 1t excluded from their gay
ely everybody that did not belong TO
the proper set.
Inat sort OF thing gets my goat" the
miner went on sourly. "Those women
over tnere have elected themselves
society with capital S. They put on
al the airs the Four Hundred do in
New York. And who are thew any,
how?-wives to a bunch Of oraft,no
politicians mostly"
mats the way of the world, isn't
itf Our civilization is built on tbe
group system" suggested Elliot
maybe So" grumbled the miner
but 1 nate to see Alaska come to II.
Me, saw this country first In ninetv-
seven-packed an outfit in over the
pass. Every man stood on his own
mind legs then. He got there If he
was strong-mebbe; he begged down
on the trail good and plenty If he was
weak. We didn't have any of the ar
tincial stun then. man had to have
the CUTS to stand the gaff."
Il suppose 1t was a wild country.
Mr.. Strong"
The little miners eyes CLEANED
BEST country In the world. We didn't
stand for anything that wasn't on the !
ievei. 1t was poor mans country
wages fifteen dollars day and plenty
OF work Everybody had a chance.
Anybody could stake q claim and |
gamble on his luck. Now the big cor
porations have slipped In and grabbed
the best. 1t amt prospector's promo
sition any more. Instead of faro banks
we've got savings banks. The wide
open dance hall has quit business In
favor Of moving pictures. And, as
said before, we've got Society,""
"All frontier countries have to come
to It,"
"Hmpl In the days I'm telling you
about that crowd there couldn't "a
hustled meat to fill their bellies three
meals. Parasites, that's what they
are. They're living of that bunch of
down there and folks like
en-"
With a wave of his hand Strong
pointed to a group Of miners who had
bearded the boat with them at Pierre's
l,ortcge There were about dozen of
DE- men, foe ~ most part husky,