It wasn’t very ladylike, but who cared? No one would notice if a horn grew from her forehead. She was invisible. The prospectors were here for supplies. They wanted to get in and then be on their way to Alaska. This week’s ship sailed for the Klondike that afternoon, and the store was bustling. She put rice and beans into two large burlap bags, hoisted them off the table and then tied them closed before handing them to the man in front of her. If she never saw another dried bean between now and when the cows came home, it would be too soon. When the man with the large order finally carried the last of his bags out to his wagon, she sighed of relief. She took a drink of cool water from a tin cup on the counter and then turned to help the next customer. “What can I get for you, Sir,” she asked, and stretched her back. He must’ve been nearly a foot taller. She tilted her chin to look him in the face. The young man surprised her by tossing a coin at her.
