The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-01-16
hu Rutk, OxoA4

edI5 Ol odP44CVA lylllS SupJltCII- ingly at her feet
 Presently the old prospectol spoke:
 "Scuse me fer axin, missy, but air you in the habit O sleepin' til this time O day?"
 That depends" Anne said, smil- ing Sometimes I get up earlier sometimes later"
 "Later-!" Sheb looked at hel wonderingly. T reckon, missy, il ain't never come to you as how ur at our joint I roll out at daylight come summer, come winter, an the boss, he's mos ginerally up not later'n '. How'd you think you'd like that?'
 T really had never thought about it. Anne confessed, still smiling
 Well, s'posen you think about it-" He looked about for fresh ammunition and indicated the lux urious little apartment with a sweep of one of his windmill arms An we ain't got none O this here finery, neither. Glenn and me, we mostly take our bath in the lake How do you think you'd like that eh?"
 T really had not given that any thought, either" she admitted, stiff 1 ing yawn.
 Sheb leaned forward porten- tously. "Well, this is what I'm a comin' to-air you a aimin fer to hey i'm or air you not?"
 Have whom?" Anne repeated politely.
 The old man looked at her sharp ly. q Tow you know who I'm a talkin' about" he observed laconi- cally, "an I jes want to say fur thermore that of you keep on a irunnin' arter i'm an a insistin' on marvin i'm, it'll be the everlast- in ruination O one O the"
 Insisting on marrying himr Anne gasped, unintentionally aloud Her cheeks outvied the room in colorfulness.
 1 T have not the slightest inten- tion of marrying-anyone in whom you are interested. That was what you wanted to know, was it not?"
 Sheb's childlike blue eyes peered shrewdly, still a little skeptically into hers Air you sartin about lthat?" he queried
 She nodded. Absolutely"
 Shake on it then" ] She put her hand into his. When ! she drew it away, the skin was 5rnarting sharply from the vigorous lcontact with his rough old paw. But Sheb looked tremendously re- lieved, almost happy. "Afore I'd zee i'm hitched up fer keeps with one O you all fcmals critters" he ldded solemnly, I'd most sooner 1 see him in his gravel"
 Well, you needn't worry about me" Anne assured him cheerfully "He's perfectly safe 50 far as I'm ,eancerned--I believe I told you that before" M
 The old gold-hunter was still eye l. ing her a little doubtfully. wall. then" he drawled, "jes you take a piece O advice I give you onct before an leave i'm be! I been watchin this here man an fe- male business a good many year Ian what I say is, ef a woman aint llayin' fer to marry a man, why can't she leave i'm be?"
 Again his listeners cheeks burned luncomfortably.
 l "Oh, I purity nigh forgot ISheb swooped down suddenly anc picked up the square white envel. ,ope from the floor where it hac been dropped during Japheth's mi. b4dl lOoAl 4Ol f1lllS. ne SetlQ d, how I was to give you this anc Iwait for an answer. An wait I wa. bound an determined I wouldl"
 Anne turned the missive over il her fingers-without glancing at i -and then handed it back to hin with a suspicion of a malicious sparkle in her eyes. "Just to show lyou that mean what I said { while ago in good faith" she said I'm not even going to tread this and-so. you see, there isn't an, answer"
 Not a goin' to read it." he gazeC lat her dumbfoundedly, who eve Ihearn tell O not readin' a-?" | She shook her head decisively I"You just take it back to him ant -tell him what you have tolt mel
 The malicious sprites sparklet mere brightly in her eyes.
 She rose and moved, almost i'm preceptibly, towards the door,. suggestion wich he caller obeyet without having the least idea tha he was doing so. Japheth also ros