that the unbroken stretch of drifting ice which chained the restless Arctic Sea at Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska. She gloried in all the wealth of light and shadow which lay like a changing panoram
ssed since she and Lucile had spent that eventful month on Mutineer's Island. Bu
il! The
ce a month he came whirling around the point, behind a swift-footed dog-team. He came unh
latticed window waiting for the mail to be "made up." If a do
happening down from Shishmaref Island, seventy-five miles north, would take three letters to Ben Norton and his sister, the government teachers for the Eskimos. Two would go in a pigeon-hole, for Thompson, the teacher on Little Diomede Island, twenty-two miles across the drifting ice. Later a native would be paid ten
led mail carrier as he reached the cabin a
Marian, "the teachers of his native children and
ters," chuckled the carrier. "And the people that mailed 'em stuck on a measly
s worth
ugh! Say!" he exclaimed, suddenly remembering a b
was busy wi
, but they say she's l
st her even more than those addressed to her. A very careful penman had drawn the Greek letters, Ph
ha
ith the carrier, but checked herself. Just so
him. "I hope there'll be more mail next time. Letters mean so much to these people up at the top o
aid the carrier, taking the sa
e letters softly to herself as the
on, she again took up her palette and brushes and wound her way around the h
e two hundred yards out to sea. The work was absorbing, yet, eager as she was
it when a voice startled her. I
cheerily, "have you an
on the
d her. It was new
back of the cabinet and standing up
ng, not more than t
teasingly, as she ste
he said
ious letter was blue; the only
t na
ushed, "not-not any real name; ju
and, with deft fingers, drew
hat," h
iled back, "t
med. "Let's get it
ondered that she did not question him further to make sure he was really the rightful
she caught a look of disappointment on h
he Northland, a steaming plate of "mulligan" and a cup o
ished eating, he turned
to ask a f
rig
hat comes to me here, you
here much longer. I'm going
f I'm not, you keep it, will you?" There was a te
what shall I do if you don
ave word where I can
people handle the mail, that I-I'm afraid I might lose one of these letters, and-and-they're mighty important
said slowly, "
skillfully disentangling his dog
many come up here as he is, happy and hopeful, and in three or four years I've seen them go 'outside,' old beyond their years, half-blind wi
he first time she realized tha
duct that mysterious mail of his!