Girls coming up ask me what to bring by way of
outfit. I used to make out a long list. Now I tell them to bring clothes
enough for six weeks and their favorite wedding march."
"Is this girl engaged?"
"Can't prove it by me," said the officer lightly. "But she'll never get
out of Alaska a spinster--not that girl. She may be going in to teach,
or to run a millinery store, or to keep books for a trading company.
She'll stay to bring up kiddies of her own. They all do."
Three children came up the stairway, caught sight of Miss O'Neill, and
raced pell-mell across the deck to her.
The young woman's face was transformed. It was bubbling with tenderness,
with gay and happy laughter. Flinging her arms wide, she waited for
them. With incoherent cries of delight they flung themselves upon her.
Her arms enveloped all three as she stooped for their hugs and kisses.
The two oldest were girls. The youngest was a fat, cuddly little boy
with dimples in his soft cheeks.
"I dwessed myself, Aunt Sheba. Didn't I, Gwen?"
"Not all by yourself, Billie?" inquired the Irish girl, registering a
proper amazement.
He nodded his head slowly and solemnly up and down. "Honeth to
goodness.
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