The Blue Envelope

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!