The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-21

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 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 momentary
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'Nei1l, but
I've brought you some rubbers from
store uptown. 1 noticed you couldn't
get ashore without them
The girl was yisibly 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.
II think I 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,
pad of paper and pencil in his hand.
I'm 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'NeilI formally?'
The pUrser went through the usual
formula of presentation, adding that
Elliot was a government official on
his way to Kusiak. Having done his
duty by the young man, the busy su-
percargO retired.
I'm sure it would do you good to
walk up to the waterfall with ne, Miss
O'Neill." urged Elliot.
She met little obviously the smile
that would not stay quite extinguished
on his good-looking. boyish face. Why
shouldn't she go with him, since it was
the American way for unchaperoned
youth to enjoy itself naturally?
eff they'll fit" the girl answered,
eying the rubbers.
Gordon dropped to his knees and
demonstrated that they would.
AS they walked along the muddy
street she gave him a friendly little
nod of thanks. "Good Of you to take
the trouble to look out for me-"
He laughed cit was myself I was
looking out for. 1 am a stranger in
the country and was awfu1ly lone
some"
as it that this is your first time
in, too?" she asked shyly.
you're going to Kusiak, aren't
you? Do you know anybody there?''
replied Elliot.
my cousin lives there, but haven't
seen her since 1 was ten. She's an
American. Eleven years ago she Wis
tied US in Ireland
I'm glad you know someone" he
said. you'll not be so lonesome with
some of your people living there"
"Are you going to live at Kusiak p
mo; I'll be stationed in the terri
tory for several months. I'll be in and
out of the town a good deal. I hope
you'll let me see something of YOU
The fine Irish coloring deepened in
her cheeks. He had a way of taking
in his stride the barriers between
them, but it was impossible for her
to feel offended at this CHEEKY, vfgor-
Gus young fellow with the winning
smile and the firm-set jaw. She liked
the warmth in his honest brown eyes.
She liked the play of muscular grace
beneath his well-ftting clothes. Sheba
did not know, as her resilient muscles
carried her forward joyfully, that she
was answering the call of youth to
youth.
Gordon respected her shyness and
moved warily to establish his con-
tact. He let the talk drift to imper-
sonal topics as they picked their way
out from the town along the messy
trail.
They were ascending steadily now
along a pathway almost too indistinct
to follow. The air was aromatic with
! pine from a grove that came struggling
down the side of a gulch to the brook.
'sDo you know, have a queer feel
ing that I've seen all this before" the
Irish girl said. "Of course 1 haven't
unless it was in my dreams Natu-
rally I've thought about Alaska a great