The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-03-21

With a wave Of his hand Strong
pointed to group Of miners who had
boarded the boat with them at Perre's
Portage. There were about 4 dozen of
the men. for the most part husky.
heavy-set foreignerA Elliot gathered
from their talk that they had Lost their
Jobs because they had tried to organ
ize an indpiens strike in the Frozen
Gulch district
-Rouxhnecks and booze fzhters-
that's ali they are But they earn
their way. Not that blame Nacdon-
aid for firing them. mind you" con-
tinued the miner. His superintendent
up there was too soft. These here
swedes got gay. Mac hit the trail for
Frozen Gulch- He hammered his big
fist into the bread basket Of the ring
leader and said. Ctr That fellows
running yet. I'll bet Then Mac called
the men together and read the not act
to them. He fired this bunch on the
boat and was out Of the camp before
you could bat an eye. II was the clean
est hurry-up Job ever did see"
From what I've heard about lin.
he must be a remarkable man."
Hes the biggest man in Alaska.
bar none"
This was a subject that interested
Gordon Elliot very much. Colby Mac
donald and his activities had broush:
him to the country.
do you mean personally-or be-
cause he represents the big corpora
tionsr'
-Both. His word comes pretty near
being law up here. not only because
he stands for the Consolidated, but
because he's one man from the ground
up."
do you mean that he's square
honestT
You've said two things. my friend"
answered Strong dryiy. Hes square.
II be tells you anything. don't worry
because he amt put down his John
Hancock before q notary. Don't waste
any time looking for fat or yellow
streaks in Mac. They amt there. No
body ever heard him sQueal yet and
what's more nobody ever will"
4
But when you say honest No !
Not the way you define honesty down
In the States He's a grabber. Mac Il. /"
what does he look likeT
~Oh, I don't know" Strong hest
tated. while he searched for words to
show the picture in his mind. big AZ
a house-steps out like a buck In the
spring-blue-gray eyes that bore right
through you"
How oldr"
| Search me. You never think Of age
when you're looking at him. Forty
i've, mebbe-or ffty-I don't know"
"MarriedT
MOO" Hanford Strong nodded n
the direction Of the Kusiak circle.
'-They say he's going to marry Mrs.
Mallory. She's the one with the red
hair"
1t struck young Elliot that the miner
was Diminishing Mrs. Mallory in too
cavalier a fashion. She was the sort
Of woman at whom men look twice,
and then continue to look while she
appears magnificently unaware Of 1t.
Her hair was not red. but Of lustrous
bronze. amazingly abundant. and
dressed in waves with the careful skill
Of a colfYeur. Slightest shades of
meaning she could convey with a lift
Of the eyebrow or an information Of the
musical voice. II she was already
fencing with the encroaching years
there was little evidence Of 1t In hel
opulent good looks.
The whistle of the Hannah blew fol
the Tatlah Cache landing while Strong
and Elliot were talking. The gang
plank was thrown out.
A man came to the end Of the wharf
carrying a suitcase. He was well-set
thick In the chest and broad-shoul
dered. Looking down. from above
Gordon Elliot guessed him to be In the
early thirties.
nize him. which she did with a drawl
ing little shout Of welcome. "Oh, you
Mr.. Man. knew you first. speal
for you," she cried.
Tho man on the gnngplank looked
up, smiled and lifted to her his broad
gray hat in a wave of greeting.
"How do you do, Mrs. Mallory3 Glad
to see you"
The miners from Frozen Gulch were
grouped together on the lower deck
At sight Of the man with the suitcase
sullen murmur rose among them
Those in the rear pushed forward and
closed the lane leading to the cabins
One Of the miners was flung roughly
against the new passenger. With 4
wide, powerful sweep of his arm the
man who had lust come aboard hurled