The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-02-07

"But we amt through with Colby
Macdonald yet" Trelawney explained
Mind, l don't say we're going to gel
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 ain't
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
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 &
store uptown. / noticed you couldn't
get ashore without them"
The girl was visibly embarrassed
She was not atsall certain of the right
thing to do. Where she had beer
brought up young men did not Offer
courtesies of this sort so informally.
IL 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 gutter. Having begun this, hi
proposed to see it out. He caugh
sight of the purser experimenting thu
discharge of cargo and called to hin
by name. The officer Joined them, {
pad Of paper and a pencil in his hand
"I'm trying to persuade Miss O'Neil
that she ought to 60 ashore while
we're lying here. What was it you TOLD
me about the waterfall back of thu
town.
"Finest thing of it's kind in Alaska
Everyone takes it in. We won't ge
away till night. You've plenty of time
If you want to see it."
"Now, will you please introduce mi
to Miss O'Neill formally?"
The purser went through the usua
formula Of presentation, adding tina
Elliot was government official OF
his way to Kusiak. Having done hi!
duty by the young man, the busy SUI
percargO retired.
"Tm sure it would do you good t.
walk up to the waterfall with me, Mis-!
ONeill," urged Elliot.
She met little obviously the smil,
that would not stay quite extinguishet
on his good-looking, boyish face. VIII!
shouldn't she go with him, since it wa
the American way for unchaperone,
youth to enjoy itself naturally?
eff they'll fit" the girl answered
eying the rubbers.
Gordon dropped to his knees an.
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. 1T was myself l wa
looking out for. I am a stranger h
the country and was awfully lone
some"
us 1t 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 I haven
seen her since l 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 !?
"No; I'll be stationed in the terri
tory for several months. I'll be in an
out of the town a good deal. / hop
you'll let me see something of you.
The fine Irish coloripg deepened Il
her cheeks. He had way of takin
: in his stride the barriers between
them, but it was impossible for he
to feel offended at this CHEEKY, vigor
GUS young fellow with the winnin
smile and the firm-set jaw. She like
the warmth in his honest brown eyes
She liked the play of muscular grac
beneath his well-fitting clothes. Sheb
did not know, as her resilient muscle
carried her forward joyfully, that sh
was answering the call of youth t
youth.
| Gordon roSnoctod hor shvnocS an,