04-in a far country-第7章

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big　cutoff　above　Le　Barge。'

　　'How　did　you　know　it？　Surely　the　news　can't　be　ahead　of　me　already？'

　　'I　don't　know　it；　and　what's　more；　I　don't　want　to　know　it。　But

you　never　owned　that　team　you're　chasing。　Sitka　Charley　sold　it　to

them　last　spring。　But　he　sized　you　up　to　me　as　square　once；　and　I

believe　him。　I've　seen　your　face；　I　like　it。　And　I've　seen…　why；

damn　you；　hit　the　high　places　for　salt　water　and　that　wife　of　yours；

and…'　Here　the　Kid　unmittened　and　jerked　out　his　sack。

　　'No；　I　don't　need　it；'　and　the　tears　froze　on　his　cheeks　as　he

convulsively　gripped　Malemute　Kid's　hand。

　　'Then　don't　spare　the　dogs；　cut　them　out　of　the　traces　as　fast　as

they　drop；　buy　them；　and　think　they're　cheap　at　ten　dollars　a　pound。

You　can　get　them　at　Five　Fingers；　Little　Salmon；　and　Hootalinqua。

And　watch　out　for　wet　feet；'　was　his　parting　advice。　'Keep　a…traveling

up　to　twenty…five；　but　if　it　gets　below　that；　build　a　fire　and

change　your　socks。'



　　Fifteen　minutes　had　barely　elapsed　when　the　jingle　of　bells

announced　new　arrivals。　The　door　opened；　and　a　mounted　policeman　of

the　Northwest　Territory　entered；　followed　by　two　half…breed　dog

drivers。　Like　Westondale；　they　were　heavily　armed　and　showed　signs

of　fatigue。　The　half…breeds　had　been　borne　to　the　trail　and　bore　it

easily；　but　the　young　policeman　was　badly　exhausted。　Still；　the　dogged

obstinacy　of　his　race　held　him　to　the　pace　he　had　set；　and　would

hold　him　till　he　dropped　in　his　tracks。

　　'When　did　Westondale　pull　out？'　he　asked。　'He　stopped　here；　didn't

he？'　This　was　supererogatory；　for　the　tracks　told　their　own　tale　too

well。

　　Malemute　Kid　had　caught　Belden's　eye；　and　he；　scenting　the　wind；

replied　evasively；　'A　right　peart　while　back。'

　　'Come；　my　man；　speak　up；'　the　policeman　admonished。

　　'Yeh　seem　to　want　him　right　smart。　Hez　he　ben　gittin'　cantankerous

down　Dawson　way？'

　　'Held　up　Harry　McFarland's　for　forty　thousand；　exchanged　it　at　the

P。C。　store　for　a　check　on　Seattle；　and　who's　to　stop　the　cashing　of　it

if　we　don't　overtake　him？　When　did　he　pull　out？'

　　Every　eye　suppressed　its　excitement；　for　Malemute　Kid　had　given

the　cue；　and　the　young　officer　encountered　wooden　faces　on　every　hand。

　　Striding　over　to　Prince；　he　put　the　question　to　him。　Though　it

hurt　him；　gazing　into　the　frank；　earnest　face。　of　his　fellow

countryman；　he　replied　inconsequentially　on　the　state　of　the　trail。

　　Then　he　espied　Father　Roubeau；　who　could　not　lie。　'A　quarter　of　an

hour　ago；'　the　priest　answered；　'but　he　had　four　hours'　rest　for

himself　and　dogs。'

　　'Fifteen　minutes'　start；　and　he's　fresh！　My　God！'　The　poor　fellow

staggered　back；　half　fainting　from　exhaustion　and　disappointment；

murmuring　something　about　the　run　from　Dawson　in　ten　hours　and　the

dogs　being　played　out。

　　Malemute　Kid　forced　a　mug　of　punch　upon　him；　then　he　turned　for

the　door；　ordering　the　dog　drivers　to　follow。　But　the　warmth　and

promise　of　rest　were　too　tempting；　and　they　objected　strenuously。

The　Kid　was　conversant　with　their　French　patois；　and　followed　it

anxiously。

　　They　swore　that　the　dogs　were　gone　up；　that　Siwash　and　Babette　would

have　to　be　shot　before　the　first　mile　was　covered；　that　the　rest　were

almost　as　bad；　and　that　it　would　be　better　for　all　hands　to　rest　up。

　　'Lend　me　five　dogs？'　he　asked；　turning　to　Malemute　Kid。

　　But　the　Kid　shook　his　head。

　　'I'll　sign　a　check　on　Captain　Constantine　for　five　thousand…

here's　my　papers…　I'm　authorized　to　draw　at　my　own　discretion。'

　　Again　the　silent　refusal。

　　'Then　I'll　requisition　them　in　the　name　of　the　Queen。'

　　Smiling　incredulously；　the　Kid　glanced　at　his　well…stocked

arsenal；　and　the　Englishman；　realizing　his　impotency；　turned　for　the

door。　But　the　dog　drivers　still　objecting；　he　whirled　upon　them

fiercely；　calling　them　women　and　curs。　The　swart　face　of　the　older

half…breed　flushed　angrily　as　he　drew　himself　up　and　promised　in　good；

round　terms　that　he　would　travel　his　leader　off　his　legs；　and　would

then　be　delighted　to　plant　him　in　the　snow。

　　The　young　officer…　and　it　required　his　whole　will…　walked　steadily

to　the　door；　exhibiting　a　freshness　he　did　not　possess。　But　they　all

knew　and　appreciated　his　proud　effort；　nor　could　he　veil　the　twinges

of　agony　that　shot　across　his　face。　Covered　with　frost；　the　dogs

were　curled　up　in　the　snow；　and　it　was　almost　impossible　to　get　them

to　their　feet。　The　poor　brutes　whined　under　the　stinging　lash；　for　the

dog　drivers　were　angry　and　cruel；　nor　till　Babette；　the　leader；　was

cut　from　the　traces；　could　they　break　out　the　sled　and　get　under　way。

　　'A　dirty　scoundrel　and　a　liar！'　'By　gar！　Him　no　good！'　'A　thief！'

'Worse　than　an　Indian！'　It　was　evident　that　they　were　angry…　first

at　the　way　they　had　been　deceived；　and　second　at　the　outraged　ethics

of　the　Northland；　where　honesty；　above　all；　was　man's　prime　jewel。

'An'　we　gave　the　cuss　a　hand；　after　knowin'　what　he'd　did。'　All　eyes

turned　accusingly　upon　Malemute　Kid；　who　rose　from　the　corner　where　he

had　been　making　Babette　comfortable；　and　silently　emptied　the　bowl　for

a　final　round　of　punch。

　　'It's　a　cold　night；　boys…　a　bitter　cold　night；'　was　the　irrelevant

commencement　of　his　defense。　'You've　all　traveled　trail；　and　know　what

that　stands　for。　Don't　jump　a　dog　when　he's　down。　You've　only　heard

one　side。　A　whiter　man　than　Jack　Westondale　never　ate　from　the　same

pot　nor　stretched　blanket　with　you　or　me。　Last　fall　he　gave　his

whole　clean…up；　forty　thousand；　to　Joe　Castrell；　to　buy　in　on

Dominion。　Today　he'd　be　a　millionaire。　But；　while　he　stayed　behind

at　Circle　City；　taking　care　of　his　partner　with　the　scurvy；　what

does　Castell　do？　Goes　into　McFarland's；　jumps　the　limit；　and　drops　the

whole　sack。　Found　him　dead　in　the　snow　the　next　day。　And　poor　Jack

laying　his　plans　to　go　out　this　winter　to　his　wife　and　the　boy　he's

never　seen。　You'll　notice　he　took　exactly　what　his　partner　lost…　forty

thousand。　Well；　he's　gone　out；　and　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？'

　　The　Kid　glanced　round　the　circle　of　his　judges；　noted　the

softening　of　their　faces；　then　raised　his　mug　aloft。　'So　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。　God　prosper　him；

good　luck　go　with　him；　and…'

　　'Confusion　to　the　Mounted　Police！'　cried　Bettles；　to　the　crash　of

the　empty　cups。