Tombstone epitaph., 1918-03-17

1 With a wave of his hand Strong pointed to a group of miners who had boarded the boat with them at Pierre's Portage. There were about a dozen of the men. for the most part husky. heavy-set foreigners. Elliot gathered from their talk that they had lost their jobs because they had tried to organ ize an incipient strike in the Frozen Gulch district.
 "Roughnecks and booze fighters that's all they are. But they earn their way. Not that I blame Macdon- 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. 'Gitr That fellows running yet. I'll bet. Then Mac called the men together and read the riot act to them. He fired this bunch on the boat and was out of the camp before you could bat an eye. It was the clean est hurry-up job ever did see."
 From what I've heard about him, 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 brought him to the country.
 Do you mean personally-or be cause he represents the big corpora tionsT'
 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 honest?"
 You've said two things. my friend" answered Strong dryly. Hes square. 7 If he tells you anything. don't worry because he ain't put down his John Hancock before a notary. Don't waste any time looking for fat or yellow streaks in Mac. They ain't there. No | poty SsCA b4uCu1 yCS ouu what's more nobody ever will"
 "No wonder men like him."
 But when you say honest No! Not the way you define honesty down in the States. He's grabber. Mac is"
 "What does he look like?"-
 "Oh. I don't know" Strong hesi- tated, while he searched for words to show the picture in his mind. Big as a house-steps out like a buck in the spring-blue-gray eyes that bore right through you"
 How old1"
 Search me. You never think of age when you're looking at him. Forty five. mebbe-or nfty-I don't know."
 "Married?"
 "No-o." 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."
 It struck young Elliot that the miner was dismissing 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 magni6cently unaware of 1t. Her hair was not red, but of lustrous bronze, amazingly abundant, and dressed in waves with the careful skill of a coiffeur. Slightest shades of meaning she could convey with . lift of the eyebrow or an information of the kA Ax- fencing with the encroaching years there was little evidence of 1t in her opulent good looks.
 . .
 The whistle of the Hannah blew for 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.
 Mrs. Mallory was the first to recog- nize him. which she did with . drawl- ing little shout of welcome. sOh, you, Mfr. Man. knew you first. I speak for you" she cried.
 The man on the sangplank looked up. smiled and lifted to her his broad gray hat in . wave of c<eeting.
 "How do you do. N,A. MalloEyf Gl>a to see you"
 The miners from Frozen Gulch were grouped together on the lower deck. At sight of the nan with the Guitcase . suIlen murmrr rose among them. Those in the resf pushed forward and closed the lane leading to the cabins. One of the miIsers was flung roughly against the new passenger. With . wide, powerful sweep of his arm the man who had just come aboard hurled the miner back among his companions. sGangwayI" he said brusqueiy. and as he strode forward dld not even dance in the 1irectioo of the angry men pressing tyward hin. Here. Keep back thee4 ygU fef