The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-12-04
Chapter IT
OUT OF THE FOG

TWO mornings later, at her camp forty miles up river ,Sonya aweke at daybreak. parted the tent, Hap and looked out. Ralph and the TWO guides were still rolled up in their sleeping bags.
 Through the gray smoke mist ris- ing from Che cola waters Of the Lil- luar. pairs of nesting teal and ducks dipped overhead. their swift wings whistling long a.ter the birds were swallowed up in the mist. Overhead in the tall pines little vireos and fiame-colored rarblers, Hitting through the branches and darting out into the air. were already busy with the fedgliEg problem.
 Stepping down to the water edge, she propped her .Iirror against stone. bathed her face and hands, and braided her hair Back at the campfire, she raked some coals out of the ashes. got fire going. and cooked bacon. trout. scenes and cof fee. Ralph and the two guides still showed no signs of waking, so she took a small bucket and started up a mountain torrent to thicket of red raspberries.
 Not long after she reached the patch, she happened to glance back ct Q rtlpH canoe nosing out of the river fog, a canoe with two men in it. They glided ashore. beached the craft and walked up to her fire. with their rifles in the crook of their arms. And then she recognized them as Curt Ralston and his young partner!
 They were a welcome surprise, out Of the fog. For several reasons she was never gladder to see people than those two. But what were they doing up the Li.luar? They hadn't mentioned that tLey intended 10 come north from Russian Lake.
 Through a screen of bougbs she watched them minute. They did not wake Ralph or the gnides. Curt pointed at her breakfast keeping warm in the ashes. and looked around for her, evidently knowing she was up.
 She stepped out to the timber edge. Curt saw her ther and came up along the torrent.
 You're awake early" he greeted with his likable smile.
 He was casual enough, as though just meeting some chance acquaint- ance; but Sonya saw the mans tribute to her in his eyes and noticed how his glance elung to her face and hair She felt sure he had not come upon her camp by accident but with some definite purpose.
 II couldn't sleep with morning Ike this just outside the tent" she answered.
 Your breakfast looked so good that Paul and 1 almost grabbed IL and broke for the woods.
 You will stay and have breakfast with us. won't you?"
 If you'll let me give you hand with that berry-picking."
 All right"
 He took up her bucket, and they went back along the torrent to the patch.
 q didn't know Paul and you were intending to come up this way" she remarked. bending down tall briar.
 He answered her unspoken ques- ton. We're prospecting up the Lilluar."
 GONNA did not know whether to O believe him or not. Ever since meeting him she had been trying to figure him out. He certainly didn't appear; to be prospector. He was miles above the type.
 Except for her father, she had nev CT met a man whose quiet efficient power impressed her as much as his. She hated to think that , was just a drifter. leading cal efree exist epce. That was all right for the men at Russian Lake. but be had better stuff to him.
 Paul and l are going UT as far as the pass" he volunteered presently. Ard then he came out with the pur- pose of his visit. "If there's no ob- lection on the east side of the fence. our parties could sort of be neigh. bors. In. this country people usually throw in together that way"