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'cracker。' Him baby； him like cracker； him cry for cracker。 Him
say； 'NEE…AL； NEE…AL；' all time him say； 'NEE…AL。' Then I say that
um name。 So um name all time Nee…al。〃
Never did sound more blessed fall upon Neil Bonner's ear than that
lie from Jees Uck's lips。 It was the cue； and he knew there was
reason for Kitty's untroubled brow。
〃And his father？〃 Kitty asked。 〃He must be a fine man。〃
〃Oo…a； yes；〃 was the reply。 〃Um father fine man。 Sure！〃
〃Did you know him； Neil？〃 queried Kitty。
〃Know him？ Most intimately；〃 Neil answered； and harked back to
dreary Twenty Mile and the man alone in the silence with his
thoughts。
And here might well end the story of Jees Uck but for the crown she
put upon her renunciation。 When she returned to the North to dwell
in her grand log…house； John Thompson found that the P。 C。 Company
could make a shift somehow to carry on its business without his
aid。 Also； the new agent and the succeeding agents received
instructions that the woman Jees Uck should be given whatsoever
goods and grub she desired； in whatsoever quantities she ordered；
and that no charge should be placed upon the books。 Further； the
Company paid yearly to the woman Jees Uck a pension of five
thousand dollars。
When he had attained suitable age； Father Champreau laid hands upon
the boy； and the time was not long when Jees Uck received letters
regularly from the Jesuit college in Maryland。 Later on these
letters came from Italy； and still later from France。 And in the
end there returned to Alaska one Father Neil； a man mighty for good
in the land； who loved his mother and who ultimately went into a
wider field and rose to high authority in the order。
Jees Uck was a young woman when she went back into the North； and
men still looked upon her and yearned。 But she lived straight； and
no breath was ever raised save in commendation。 She stayed for a
while with the good sisters at Holy Cross； where she learned to
read and write and became versed in practical medicine and surgery。
After that she returned to her grand log…house and gathered about
her the young girls of the Toyaat village； to show them the way of
their feet in the world。 It is neither Protestant nor Catholic；
this school in the house built by Neil Bonner for Jees Uck； his
wife； but the missionaries of all the sects look upon it with equal
favour。 The latchstring is always out； and tired prospectors and
trail…weary men turn aside from the flowing river or frozen trail
to rest there for a space and be warm by her fire。 And； down in
the States； Kitty Bonner is pleased at the interest her husband
takes in Alaskan education and the large sums he devotes to that
purpose； and； though she often smiles and chaffs； deep down and
secretly she is but the prouder of him。
End