04-in a far country-第6章

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Yankee；　Bettles；　who　drank　to　'The　Queen；　God　bless　her'；　and

together；　Savoy　and　Meyers；　the　German　trader；　clanged　their　cups　to

Alsace　and　Lorraine。

　　Then　Malemute　Kid　arose；　cup　in　hand；　and　glanced　at　the

greased…paper　window；　where　the　frost　stood　full　three　inches　thick。

'A　health　to　the　man　on　trail　this　night；　may　his　grub　hold　out；　may

his　dogs　keep　their　legs；　may　his　matches　never　miss　fire。'

　　Crack！　Crack！　heard　the　familiar　music　of　the　dog　whip；　the

whining　howl　of　the　Malemutes；　and　the　crunch　of　a　sled　as　it　drew

up　to　the　cabin。　Conversation　languished　while　they　waited　the　issue。

　　'An　old…timer；　cares　for　his　dogs　and　then　himself；'　whispered

Malemute　Kid　to　Prince　as　they　listened　to　the　snapping　jaws　and　the

wolfish　snarls　and　yelps　of　pain　which　proclaimed　to　their　practiced

ears　that　the　stranger　was　beating　back　their　dogs　while　he　fed　his

own。

　　Then　came　the　expected　knock；　sharp　and　confident；　and　the

stranger　entered。　Dazzled　by　the　light；　he　hesitated　a　moment　at　the

door；　giving　to　all　a　chance　for　scrutiny。　He　was　a　striking

personage；　and　a　most　picturesque　one；　in　his　Arctic　dress　of　wool　and

fur。　Standing　six　foot　two　or　three；　with　proportionate　breadth　of

shoulders　and　depth　of　chest；　his　smooth…shaven　face　nipped　by　the

cold　to　a　gleaming　pink；　his　long　lashes　and　eyebrows　white　with

ice；　and　the　ear　and　neck　flaps　of　his　great　wolfskin　cap　loosely

raised；　he　seemed；　of　a　verity；　the　Frost　King；　just　stepped　in　out　of

the　night。　Clasped　outside　his　Mackinaw　jacket；　a　beaded　belt　held　two

large　Colt's　revolvers　and　a　hunting　knife；　while　he　carried；　in

addition　to　the　inevitable　dog　whip；　a　smokeless　rifle　of　the

largest　bore　and　latest　pattern。　As　he　came　forward；　for　all　his

step　was　firm　and　elastic；　they　could　see　that　fatigue　bore　heavily

upon　him。

　　An　awkward　silence　had　fallen；　but　his　hearty　'What　cheer；　my　lads？'

put　them　quickly　at　ease；　and　the　next　instant　Malemute　Kid　and　he　had

gripped　hands。　Though　they　had　never　met；　each　had　heard　of　the　other；

and　the　recognition　was　mutual。　A　sweeping　introduction　and　a　mug　of

punch　were　forced　upon　him　before　he　could　explain　his　errand。

　　How　long　since　that　basket　sled；　with　three　men　and　eight　dogs；

passed？'　he　asked。

　　'An　even　two　days　ahead。　Are　you　after　them？'

　　'Yes；　my　team。　Run　them　off　under　my　very　nose；　the　cusses。　I've

gained　two　days　on　them　already…　pick　them　up　on　the　next　run。'

　　'Reckon　they'll　show　spunk？'　asked　Belden；　in　order　to　keep　up　the

conversation；　for　Malemute　Kid　already　had　the　coffeepot　on　and　was

busily　frying　bacon　and　moose　meat。

　　The　stranger　significantly　tapped　his　revolvers。

　　'When'd　yeh　leave　Dawson？'

　　'Twelve　o'clock。'

　　'Last　night？'…　as　a　matter　of　course。

　　'Today。'

　　A　murmur　of　surprise　passed　round　the　circle。　And　well　it　might；　for

it　was　just　midnight；　and　seventy…five　miles　of　rough　river　trail

was　not　to　be　sneered　at　for　a　twelve　hours'　run。

　　The　talk　soon　became　impersonal；　however；　harking　back　to　the　trails

of　childhood。　As　the　young　stranger　ate　of　the　rude　fare　Malemute

Kid　attentively　studied　his　face。　Nor　was　he　long　in　deciding　that

it　was　fair；　honest；　and　open；　and　that　he　liked　it。　Still　youthful；

the　lines　had　been　firmly　traced　by　toil　and　hardship。　Though　genial

in　conversation；　and　mild　when　at　rest；　the　blue　eyes　gave　promise

of　the　hard　steel…glitter　which　comes　when　called　into　action；

especially　against　odds。　The　heavy　jaw　and　square…cut　chin

demonstrated　rugged　pertinacity　and　indomitability。　Nor；　though　the

attributes　of　the　lion　were　there；　was　there　wanting　the　certain

softness；　the　hint　of　womanliness；　which　bespoke　the　emotional　nature。

　　'So　thet's　how　me　an'　the　ol'　woman　got　spliced；'　said　Belden；

concluding　the　exciting　tale　of　his　courtship。　'〃Here　we　be；　Dad；〃　sez

she。　〃An'　may　yeh　be　damned；〃　sez　he　to　her；　an'　then　to　me；　''Jim；

yeh…yeh　git　outen　them　good　duds　o'　yourn；　I　want　a　right　peart

slice　o'　thet　forty　acre　plowed　'fore　dinner。〃　An'　then　he　sort　o'

sniffled　an'　kissed　her。　An'　I　was　thet　happy…　but　he　seen　me　an'

roars　out；　''Yeh；　Jim！'　An'　yeh　bet　I　dusted　fer　the　barn。'

　　'Any　kids　waiting　for　you　back　in　the　States？'　asked　the　stranger。

　　'Nope；　Sal　died　'fore　any　come。　Thet's　why　I'm　here。'　Belden

abstractedly　began　to　light　his　pipe；　which　had　failed　to　go　out；

and　then　brightened　up　with；　'How　'bout　yerself；　stranger…　married

man？'

　　For　reply；　he　opened　his　watch；　slipped　it　from　the　thong　which

served　for　a　chain；　and　passed　it　over。　Belden　picked　up　the　slush

lamp；　surveyed　the　inside　of　the　case　critically；　and；　swearing

admiringly　to　himself；　handed　it　over　to　Louis　Savoy。　With　numerous

'By　gars！'　he　finally　surrendered　it　to　Prince；　and　they　noticed

that　his　hands　trembled　and　his　eyes　took　on　a　peculiar　softness。

And　so　it　passed　from　horny　hand　to　horny　hand…　the　pasted

photograph　of　a　woman；　the　clinging　kind　that　such　men　fancy；　with　a

babe　at　the　breast。　Those　who　had　not　yet　seen　the　wonder　were　keen

with　curiosity；　those　who　had　became　silent　and　retrospective。　They

could　face　the　pinch　of　famine；　the　grip　of　scurvy；　or　the　quick　death

by　field　or　flood；　but　the　pictured　semblance　of　a　stranger　woman

and　child　made　women　and　children　of　them　all。

　　'Never　have　seen　the　youngster　yet…　he's　a　boy；　she　says；　and　two

years　old；'　said　the　stranger　as　he　received　the　treasure　back。　A

lingering　moment　he　gazed　upon　it；　then　snapped　the　case　and　turned

away；　but　not　quick　enough　to　hide　the　restrained　rush　of　tears。

　　Malemute　Kid　led　him　to　a　bunk　and　bade　him　turn　in。

　　'Call　me　at　four　sharp。　Don't　fail　me；'　were　his　last　words；　and　a

moment　later　he　was　breathing　in　the　heaviness　of　exhausted　sleep。

　　'By　Jove！　He's　a　plucky　chap；'　commented　Prince。　'Three　hours'　sleep

after　seventy…five　miles　with　the　dogs；　and　then　the　trail　again。

Who　is　he；　Kid？'

　　'Jack　Westondale。　Been　in　going　on　three　years；　with　nothing　but　the

name　of　working　like　a　horse；　and　any　amount　of　bad　luck　to　his

credit。　I　never　knew　him；　but　Sitka　Charley　told　me　about　him。'

　　'It　seems　hard　that　a　man　with　a　sweet　young　wife　like　his　should　be

putting　in　his　years　in　this　Godforsaken　hole；　where　every　year　counts

two　on　the　outside。'

　　'The　trouble　with　him　is　clean　grit　and　stubbornness。　He's　cleaned

up　twice　with　a　stake；　but　lost　it　both　times。'

　　Here　the　conversation　was　broken　off　by　an　uproar　from　Bettles；

for　the　effect　had　begun　to　wear　away。　And　soon　the　bleak　years　of

monotonous　grub　and　deadening　toil　were　being　forgotten　in　rough

merriment。　Malemute　Kid　alone　seemed　unable　to　lose　himself；　and

cast　many　an　anxious　look　at　his　watch。　Once　he　put　on　his　mittens　and

beaver…skin　cap；　and；　leaving　the　cabin；　fell　to　rummaging　about　in

the　cache。

　　Nor　could　he　wait　the　hour　designated；　for　he　was　fifteen　minutes

ahead　of　time　in　rousing　his　guest。　The　young　giant　had　stiffened

badly；　and　brisk　rubbing　was　necessary　to　bring　him　to　his　feet。　He

tottered　painfully　out　of　the　cabin；　to　find　his　dogs　harnessed　and

everything　ready　for　the　start。　The　company　wished　him　good　luck　and　a

short　chase；　while　Father　Roubeau；　hurriedly　blessing　him；　led　the

stampede　for　the　cabin；　and　small　wonder；　for　it　is　not　good　to　face

seventy…four　degrees　below　zero　with　naked　ears　and　hands。

　　Malemute　Kid　saw　him　to　the　main　trail；　and　there；　gripping　his　hand

heartily；　gave　him　advice。

　　'You'll　find　a　hundred　pounds　of　salmon　eggs　on　the　sled；'　he

said。　'The　dogs　will　go　as　far　on　that　as　with　one　hundred　and　fifty

of　fish；　and　you　can't　get　dog　food　at　Pelly；　as　you　probably

expected。'　The　stranger　started；　and　his　eyes　flashed；　but　he　did

not　interrupt。　'You　can't　get　an　ounce　of　food　for　dog　or　man　till　you

reach　Five　Fingers；　and　that's　a　stiff　two　hundred　miles。　Watch　out

for　open　water　on　the　Thirty　Mile　River；　and　be　sure　you　take　the

big　cutoff　above　Le　Barge。'

　　'How　did　you　k