The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-02-07

noyed by Eric (the Red) Ericsson and ID
rescued by Sidney Lander. young mining
But / refused to stay put. There
was too much to be done. I didn't
want to seem Stacker when every
body was so busy. And in looking
after the others could pretty well
forget the pain of my own fame
blistered face.
Where the rambling old school
house had been was a stretch of
smoldering ashes with the skeleton
like iron bed frames and stove
or two standing there as melancholy
as tombstones. And everything I
owned lay consumed in those ashes.
All had left were the few scorched
clothes that hung about my tired
bones.
But hadn't time to feel sorry for
myself. A special train, was told,
was already on its way from Anchor
age, to pick up our homeless school
waits and carry them on to the In
dian orphanage at Fairbanks. From
the pile Of emergency clothing Katie
Communicated for me an diversified
pair of corduroy trousers, patched
plaid Mackinaw, and a caribou par
ka that had seen better days. To
these Doctor Ruddock who'd given
up his little wooden-fronted Office as
sleeping quarters for Katie and me)
added socks and pacs and an old
bearskin cap that made me look
like lady-huzzar in a busby.
''What are we going to do?" I
asked the ever-hurrying Doctor Rud-
dock when he dropped in, next day,
to anoint my scorched epidernis
with ambersine.
"Toklutna's off the map" he pro-
claimed. Katie viii stay on here,
probably until the breakup, to look
after the old folks"
''Then where do / fit in?" I ques-
toned with sudden feeling Of
homelessness.
"You fit in very neatly" he said
as he listened to my heart action.
''I'd the Commissioner on the wire
this morning and he agrees with me
that this country owes you berth.
So you get the school job at Mata-
nuska."
It took some time for this to sink
in.
..When?" asked.
GAS soon as you get sense enough
to take care of yourself" he said
with a barricading sort of curtness.
st told you to rest up, after your
fire shock, and you didn't do it. So
roll up in that bunk and stay there
until you get release from me. "
He stopped in the doorway, with
his dog-eared old medicine case in
his hand, as / none too willingly
shook out the blankets of my floor
bunk.
"And there's a long-legged engi-
neer waiting outside to see you," he
added as he watched me dutifully
crawl into my bunk. "But ten min
utes is his limit, remember
/ had my second shock to digest.
For the waiting visitor was Sidney
Lander.
He stood very tall in that small
office-surgery. And my appearance
must have startled him a little, since
he stared down at me, for a full
half-minute, without speaking.
'sAre you all right" he finally
asked. / had to laugh little at his
solemnity. a
"Just a little scorched around the
edges" said with an effort at levi
ty. But my heart was beating a
trif1e faster than it should have been.
ST few over, as soon as / heard, :"
he rather clunsily explained. He
looked out the window and then back
at me. 'That was good work, saw
ing those children"
..But lost my eyebrows" I re-
minded him.
Lander walked to the window and
back.
We've at least saved those citi-
zenship papers," he announced. I've
shown them to John Trumbull," he
explained, land Trumbun claims
they're not backed up by the rec
ords. That led to an argument that
ended in split-up. The Chakitana
Development Company has lost its
field engineer" ~
what are you going to dor" I
asked.
His laugh was curt.
~ was tying up with the Happy
Day outfit" he explained. "But
Trumbull's just trumped my ace by
buying up the Happy Day"
docs that mean you're going out
side?" ] asked, trying to make the
question q casual one.
s.Not on your life," was his prompt
reply. We've got to wait until the
records show who's right in this.
''But that's my problem" ! OBJ
jected.
II happen to have made it mine,
he retorted with an unexpected light
Of battle in his eyes.
CHAPTER VIZ
] began to understand the mean
ing of what they call ''the deep