The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-01-25
Chapter 24 LOVE VERSUS RICHES

The morning brought two sur prises-the first a pleasant one.
 Anne had just reached the stage in her house cleaning where things looked infinitely worse than they had before she started. She was going back and forth in a perfect frenzy of zeal, putting out bedding rugs, curtains everything that could by any conceivable chance need summing.
 On one of these trips to the front porch she spied two figures coming up the trail-three, if Ja- pheth was to be counted. Suddenly she dropped the rug she was shak- ing, and started ioyfully down the steps. Without a doubt the figure behind Sheb was Delphinel In that moment Anne forgave the vocifer- ous, tyrannical French woman every thing. Never in her whole life had she been so glad to see any body.
 Delphine had already darte d around Sheb, who was dumping along stolidly resigned, with a huge suitcase in either hand. She rushed up to Anne and flung her arms around her, sobbing and laughing and talking all in the same breath. Her presence was quickly and volubly explained.
 She had seen "Msieur Sheb' when he came to bring the note and, she cast her expressive eyes heavenward, what consternation what a hubbub, what a row! And "M'sieur Morse" all dressed UT waiting for the priest that had gone somewhere else! Oh, it was too deliriousl Delphine fairly spilled over into laughter. Well, she hae seen "M'sieur" Sheb.
 It had come to her like out oi the sky madame must have clothes, of course. She must have 8 maid. She, Delphine, would come. Msieur Sheb could carry the whether it pleased him or not. She had overtaken him a short distance from the Lodge, of course no one had seen her leave she had taken care of that. Now she was here, she meant to stay
 An hour later, Anne. clad in a simple dark dress with one of Del pllines pretty aprons over it, stood atop of a teetering eminence com posed of kitchen chair with boxes piled on it. She was handing things down to Delphine from the top pantry shelf. Her sleeves were rolled high above white elbows, her hair runpled, her cheeks brightly flushed. For the first time in her life, she was revelling in the pri- maj woman's joy of pursuing dirt to it's last op-shelf-in-t corner intrenchment.
 Of sudden Delphine halted ill her regular back and forth trot between pantry and cook table and muttered something in French. She held up her hand warningly to Anne and quickly disappeared to- wards the front of the house. She came back almost immediately her eyes wide and startled, her face the picture of calamity. Before she could speak, Anne guessed the truth.
 She climbed down slowly from her swaying perch, rolled down hei sleeves and patted her hair into place. Delphine looked after hei as she went toward the living room, with mingled awe and pity sPauvre enfant!" she muttered fer vently to herself. The she climbe, up on the boxes and began rum. naging about.
 Tn the living room Mrs. Wilmo sat on the edge of chair, flaming herself with her handkerchief anH frankly panting.
 whats Delphine doing up here? the older woman began withou preface or greeting.
 She came back with Sheb whei he went to take my note" Ann explained, dropping down on chair near the table.
 "Well, she'll have to whistle 10 her quarters salary, but that 0 course is no concern of mine. Ant so-this is where you expect U live, is it?" Mrs. Wilmot's single ironic glance about the room mad it seem actually to shrink; to lool almost mean and insignificant.
 "Yes," she said, this is where expect to live. Delphine and have just cleaned it from floor t. ceiling. It's been the best fun I've ever had in my life, and--i does look dear and liyeable, doesn1 it?"
 Mrs. wilmot grunted enigmatical' ly. T always knew she observed al last in perfectly matter of fact tone, "that you were a fool. There was a postscript to your note this morning from thts-er-"