Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/43

 official counter was an expert at her task, for no one besides herself could make head or tail of  some of the Swedish and Finnish scrawls that  came from the Old Country or the French-Canadian flourishes on the addresses of the picture  postcards. No one else could have remembered that Baptiste Redier liked to have his papers accumulate for six months while he was away at  the lumber camp, or that Gus Sorenson must not  be trusted with the Malmsteads’ mail if he had  been drinking, or that it was a kind act to pretend  to look through the pigeonholes when an Indian  asked for mail, even though it was well known  that none of these Chippewas ever got a letter. “Stamp-stamp,” would go the marking machine behind the window, “stamp”—a long pause and  then another brisk “stamp-stamp.” No matter in what a hurry were the patrons of the Rudolm  postoffice, they must wait, every man, woman and  child of them, until Miss Christina had read all  the postals.

The little place was already crowded when Hugh arrived, mostly with men and children, for