smoke bellew-第25章

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f　squared　logs；　hand…hewn；　it　was　two　stories　high；　and　of　such　extravagant　proportions　that　it　boasted　a　big　living　room　that　was　used　for　a　living　room　and　for　nothing　else。

Here　were　big　bear…skins　on　the　rough　board　floor；　and　on　the　walls　horns　of　moose　and　caribou。　　Here　roared　an　open　fireplace　and　a　big　wood…burning　stove。　　And　here　Smoke　met　the　social　elect　of　Dawson　not　the　mere　pick…handle　millionaires；　but　the　ultra…cream　of　a　mining　city　whose　population　had　been　recruited　from　all　the　world　men　like　Warburton　Jones；　the　explorer　and　writer；　Captain　Consadine　of　the　Mounted　Police；　Haskell；　Gold　Commissioner　of　the　North…West　Territory；　and　Baron　Von　Schroeder；　an　emperor's　favourite　with　an　international　duelling　reputation。

And　here；　dazzling　in　evening　gown；　he　met　Joy　Gastell；　whom　hitherto　he　had　encountered　only　on　trail；　befurred　and　moccasined。　At　dinner　he　found　himself　beside　her。

〃I　feel　like　a　fish　out　of　water；〃　he　confessed。　　〃All　you　folks　are　so　real　grand　you　know。　　Besides　I　never　dreamed　such　oriental　luxury　existed　in　the　Klondike。　　Look　at　Von　Schroeder　there。　　He's　actually　got　a　dinner　jacket；　and　Consadine's　got　a　starched　shirt。　I　noticed　he　wore　moccasins　just　the　same。　　How　do　you　like　MY　outfit？〃

He　moved　his　shoulders　about　as　if　preening　himself　for　Joy's　approval。

〃It　looks　as　if　you'd　grown　stout　since　you　came　over　the　Pass；〃　she　laughed。

〃Wrong。　　Guess　again。〃

〃It's　somebody　else's。〃

〃You　win。　　I　bought　it　for　a　price　from　one　of　the　clerks　at　the　A。　C。　Company。〃

〃It's　a　shame　clerks　are　so　narrow…shouldered；〃　she　sympathized。　〃And　you　haven't　told　me　what　you　think　of　MY　outfit。〃

〃I　can't；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　out　of　breath。　　I've　been　living　on　trail　too　long。　　This　sort　of　thing　comes　to　me　with　a　shock；　you　know。　I'd　quite　forgotten　that　women　have　arms　and　shoulders。　　To…morrow　morning；　like　my　friend　Shorty；　I'll　wake　up　and　know　it's　all　a　dream。　　Now；　the　last　time　I　saw　you　on　Squaw　Creek〃

〃I　was　just　a　squaw；〃　she　broke　in。

〃I　hadn't　intended　to　say　that。　　I　was　remembering　that　it　was　on　Squaw　Creek　that　I　discovered　you　had　feet。〃

〃And　I　can　never　forget　that　you　saved　them　for　me；〃　she　said。　〃I've　been　wanting　to　see　you　ever　since　to　thank　you〃　　（He　shrugged　his　shoulders　deprecatingly）。　　〃And　that's　why　you　are　here　to…night〃

〃You　asked　the　Colonel　to　invite　me？〃

〃No！　　Mrs　Bowie。　　And　I　asked　her　to　let　me　have　you　at　table。　　And　here's　my　chance。　　Everybody's　talking。　　Listen；　and　don't　interrupt。　　You　know　Mono　Creek？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃It　has　turned　out　richdreadfully　rich。　　They　estimate　the　claims　as　worth　a　million　and　more　apiece。　　It　was　only　located　the　other　day。〃

〃I　remember　the　stampede。〃

〃Well；　the　whole　creek　was　staked　to　the　sky…line；　and　all　the　feeders；　too。　　And　yet；　right　now；　on　the　main　creek；　Number　Three　below　Discovery　is　unrecorded。　　The　creek　was　so　far　away　from　Dawson　that　the　Commissioner　allowed　sixty　days　for　recording　after　location。　　Every　claim　was　recorded　except　Number　Three　Below。　　It　was　staked　by　Cyrus　Johnson。　　And　that　was　all。　　Cyrus　Johnson　has　disappeared。　　Whether　he　died；　whether　he　went　down　river　or　up；　nobody　knows。　　Anyway；　in　six　days；　the　time　for　recording　will　be　up。　　Then　the　man　who　stakes　it；　and　reaches　Dawson　first　and　records　it；　gets　it。〃

〃A　million　dollars；〃　Smoke　murmured。

〃Gilchrist；　who　has　the　next　claim　below；　has　got　six　hundred　dollars　in　a　single　pan　off　bedrock。　　He's　burned　one　hole　down。　And　the　claim　on　the　other　side　is　even　richer。　　I　know。〃

〃But　why　doesn't　everybody　know？〃　Smoke　queried　skeptically。

〃They're　beginning　to　know。　　They　kept　it　secret　for　a　long　time；　and　it　is　only　now　that　it's　coming　out。　　Good　dog…teams　will　be　at　a　premium　in　another　twenty…four　hours。　　Now；　you've　got　to　get　away　as　decently　as　you　can　as　soon　as　dinner　is　over。　　I've　arranged　it。　An　Indian　will　come　with　a　message　for　you。　　You　read　it；　let　on　that　you're　very　much　put　out；　make　your　excuses；　and　get　away。〃

〃IerI　fail　to　follow。〃

〃Ninny！〃　she　exclaimed　in　a　half…whisper。　　〃What　you　must　do　is　to　get　out　to…night　and　hustle　dog…teams。　　I　know　of　two。　　There's　Hanson's　team；　seven　big　Hudson　Bay　dogshe's　holding　them　at　four　hundred　each。　　That's　top　price　to…night；　but　it　won't　be　to…morrow。　And　Sitka　Charley　has　eight　Malemutes　he's　asking　thirty…five　hundred　for。　　To…morrow　he'll　laugh　at　an　offer　of　five　thousand。　Then　you've　got　your　own　team　of　dogs。　　And　you'll　have　to　buy　several　more　teams。　　That's　your　work　to…night。　　Get　the　best。　　It's　dogs　as　well　as　men　that　will　win　this　race。　　It's　a　hundred　and　ten　miles；　and　you'll　have　to　relay　as　frequently　as　you　can。〃

〃Oh；　I　see；　you　want　me　to　go　in　for　it；〃　Smoke　drawled。

〃If　you　haven't　the　money　for　the　dogs；　I'll〃

She　faltered；　but　before　she　could　continue；　Smoke　was　speaking。

〃I　can　buy　the　dogs。　　Buteraren't　you　afraid　this　is　gambling？〃

〃After　your　exploits　at　roulette　in　the　Elkhorn；〃　she　retorted；　〃I'm　not　afraid　that　you're　afraid。　　It's　a　sporting　proposition；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　　A　race　for　a　million；　and　with　some　of　the　stiffest　dog…mushers　and　travellers　in　the　country　entered　against　you。　　They　haven't　entered　yet；　but　by　this　time　to…morrow　they　will；　and　dogs　will　be　worth　what　the　richest　man　can　afford　to　pay。　Big　Olaf　is　in　town。　　He　came　up　from　Circle　City　last　month。　　He　is　one　of　the　most　terrible　dog…mushers　in　the　country；　and　if　he　enters　he　will　be　your　most　dangerous　man。　　Arizona　Bill　is　another。　He's　been　a　professional　freighter　and　mail…carrier　for　years。　　It　he　goes　in；　interest　will　be　centred　on　him　and　Big　Olaf。〃

〃And　you　intend　me　to　come　along　as　a　sort　of　dark　horse。〃

〃Exactly。　　And　it　will　have　its　advantages。　　You　will　not　be　supposed　to　stand　a　show。　　After　all；　you　know；　you　are　still　classed　as　a　chechaquo。　　You　haven't　seen　the　four　seasons　go　around。　　Nobody　will　take　notice　of　you　until　you　come　into　the　home　stretch　in　the　lead。〃

〃It's　on　the　home　stretch　the　dark　horse　is　to　show　up　its　classy　form；　eh？〃

She　nodded；　and　continued　earnestly。　　〃Remember；　I　shall　never　forgive　myself　for　the　trick　I　played　on　the　Squaw　Creek　Stampede　until　you　win　this　Mono　claim。　　And　if　any　man　can　win　this　race　against　the　old…timers；　it's　you。〃

It　was　the　way　she　said　it。　　He　felt　warm　all　over；　and　in　his　heart　and　head。　　He　gave　her　a　quick；　searching　look；　involuntary　and　serious；　and　for　the　moment　that　her　eyes　met　his　steadily；　ere　they　fell；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　read　something　of　vaster　import　than　the　claim　Cyrus　Johnson　had　failed　to　record。

〃I'll　do　it；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　win　it。〃

The　glad　light　in　her　eyes　seemed　to　promise　a　greater　need　than　all　the　gold　in　the　Mono　claim。　　He　was　aware　of　a　movement　of　her　hand　in　her　lap　next　to　his。　　Under　the　screen　of　the　tablecloth　he　thrust　his　own　hand　across　and　met　a　firm　grip　of　woman's　fingers　that　sent　another　wave　of　warmth　through　him。

〃What　will　Shorty　say？〃　was　the　thought　that　flashed　whimsically　through　his　mind　as　he　withdrew　his　hand。　　He　glanced　almost　jealously　at　the　faces　of　Von　Schroeder　and　Jones；　and　wondered　if　they　had　not　divined　the　remarkableness　and　deliciousness　of　this　woman　who　sat　beside　him。

He　was　aroused　by　her　voice；　and　realized　that　she　had　been　speaking　some　moments。

〃So　you　see；　Arizona　Bill　is　a　white　Indian；〃　she　was　saying。　　〃And　Big　Olaf　isa　bear　wrestler；　a　king　of　the　snows；　a　mighty　savage。　He　can　out…travel　and　out…endure　an　Indian；　and　he's　never　known　any　other　life　but　that　of　the　wild　and　the　frost。〃

〃Who's　that？〃　Captain　Consadine　broke　in　from　across　the　table。

〃Big　Olaf；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　just　telling　Mr　Bellew　what　a　traveller　he　is。〃

〃You're　right；〃　the　Captain's　voice　boomed。　　〃Big　Olaf　is　the　greatest　traveller　in　the　Yukon。　　I'd　back　him　against　Old　Nick　himself　for　snow…bucking　and　ice…travel。　　He　brought　in　the　government　dispatches　in　1895；　and　he　did　it　after　two　couriers　were　frozen　on　Chilcoot　and　the　third　drowned　in　the　open　water　of　Thirty　Mile。〃



III。

Smoke　had　travelled　in　a　leisurely　fashion　up　to　Mono　Creek；　fearing　to　tire　his　dogs　before　the　big　race。　　Also；　he