The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-04-12

the queer ship-rock where the sur yeying crew had taken shelter dur ing the storm. There in it's lee was a small house, lights gleaming through bare windows, hammers beating a rapid tattoo.
 They stopped before the opened door and a man in coveralls, pound. ing a final nail in the door step. stood up.
 welcome home. Small-Jude," he said.
 "Slim Sanford,' gasped Judith. ."lf didn't know you had wings I'd believe you were your own ghost However did you get hereY
 With my wings, Cunard sent me sdown as soon as you made up your mind to come. He wired Laredo for lumber to be sent in and the boys worked in their off hours to put this up'
 q repeat. you're great gang"
 Judith, who knew the dearness of lumber so far from shipping cen ters. appreciated the little wooden shack for it's true value. It was just one long barren room with board ed lean-to for a kitchen and a cur tained alcove for Delphy, but 1t spelled luxury.
 Delphy took in the situation and called Slim Sanford aside. Slim had been around Hillendale enough for Delphy to have assumed a proprie- tory air over him anG his services.
 Mas Slim, reckon I'd best make coffee and sangwichens?
 He decided it would be a fine idea and he presided over the oil stove which Delphy eyed with consider able apprehension while she made sandwiches, devoured by the men who sat in the big room talking to Judith.
 JUDITH was silent for the most J part. listening to them talk and gleaning the real news of Big Tom | Town. When Slim came in with the coffee pot she looked up and sur prised his eyes in an unguarded mo- ment Sympathy and tenderness were there. and fierce protective ness,
 "Delphy says just chocolate for you. Judith" he explained when she held up her cup for coffee.
 After the men had left. Judith went to her comfortable bed, brought in on the work train for her. and tried to sleep. but her mind sped back to Houston. What would | Norman think when he realized she had left? What would he do? Would he write? Where was he now. still in Galveston. perhaps? His case promised to last for week at least. She wondered if Mathile was with him?
 Restlessly she turned and tossed. Mathile would be with him if it were within her power. Perhaps she would talk him into taking her to their farmhouse for dinner ... per. lfaps there would 1e clove pinks and hollyhocks along the path.
 She was being silly, neither one were in blossom this time of the year and Norman would not be out with Mathile.
 She should be thinking of the work which lay before her. She thought of Slim Sanford instead thought of him wonderingly. Oi course Slim had been acting as a winged courier for Cunard and yet there seemed to be something deeper in his concern for her wei. fare.
 Judith did not want Sims regard to go deeper than friendship-and yet she felt twinge of pleasure when she thought of the aviator.
 She started to turn and heard Delphy's springs creak. She held her breath. If Delphy learned she was awake she'd have to drink some more chocolate and she couldn't She lay there wondering what the old woman would do when she saw the native children; try to fatter them? What a time she'd have.
 That was it. she'd write Norman in a light vein" Normy dear. be hold your wife. Delphy accompanied by six cans of chocolate and the olt red brick"
 She curled into comfortable DO sitiou. punched her pillow into { puff ball and burrowed her heat into 1t resolutely. She'd count sheep She began. one, two three ant then one hundred. two hundred .. four hundred and fifty was i six or seven 5. there were voIce outside. She opened her eyes. tn, sun was streaming in through tn, uncurtained windows and Delph. was tiptoeing to the door. warn ing-"Shhh" preceding her. 'Ize right sorry sir. but she didn' , get no sleep till como two-thirt. this mo'nin an won't waken her
 Judith sat up and peeked out tn window. Heads. mems and women's Scoggins was in the lead |. |. :. a dele , gation of the native families wer waiting at the door.
 "Delphy." she called, tell then I'll be out as soon as dress"
 (Copyri0ht. 1881. by Jeanne Bopmdn.