smoke bellew-第12部分

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〃Here's　some　birch　bark；〃　Smoke　said；　dividing　his　supply　equally。　〃We'll　take　care　of　your　daughter。〃

Louis　Gastell　laughed　harshly。

〃Thank　you　just　the　same；〃　he　said。　　〃But　she　can　take　care　of　herself。　　Follow　her　and　watch　her。〃

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　lead？〃　she　asked　Smoke；　as　she　headed　on。　　〃I　know　this　country　better　than　you。〃

〃Lead　on；〃　Smoke　answered　gallantly；　〃though　I　agree　with　you　it's　a　darned　shame　all　us　chechaquos　are　going　to　beat　that　Sea　Lion　bunch　to　it。　　Isn't　there　some　way　to　shake　them？〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃We　can't　hide　our　trail；　and　they'll　follow　it　like　sheep。〃

After　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　she　turned　sharply　to　the　west。　　Smoke　noticed　that　they　were　going　through　unpacked　snow；　but　neither　he　nor　Shorty　observed　that　the　dim　trail　they　had　been　on　still　led　south。　　Had　they　witnessed　the　subsequent　procedure　of　Louis　Gastell；　the　history　of　the　Klondike　would　have　been　written　differently；　for　they　would　have　seen　that　old…timer；　no　longer　limping；　running　with　his　nose　to　the　trail　like　a　hound；　following　them。　　Also；　they　would　have　seen　him　trample　and　widen　the　turn　they　had　made　to　the　west。　　And；　finally；　they　would　have　seen　him　keep　on　the　old　dim　trail　that　still　led　south。

A　trail　did　run　up　the　creek；　but　so　slight　was　it　that　they　continually　lost　it　in　the　darkness。　　After　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　Joy　Gastell　was　willing　to　drop　into　the　rear　and　let　the　two　men　take　turns　in　breaking　a　way　through　the　snow。　　This　slowness　of　the　leaders　enabled　the　whole　stampede　to　catch　up；　and　when　daylight　came；　at　nine　o'clock；　as　far　back　as　they　could　see　was　an　unbroken　line　of　men。　　Joy's　dark　eyes　sparkled　at　the　sight。

〃How　long　since　we　started　up　the　creek？〃　she　asked。

〃Fully　two　hours；〃　Smoke　answered。

〃And　two　hours　back　makes　four；〃　she　laughed。　　〃The　stampede　from　Sea　Lion　is　saved。〃

A　faint　suspicion　crossed　Smoke's　mind；　and　he　stopped　and　confronted　her。

〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said。

〃You　don't。　　Then　I'll　tell　you。　　This　is　Norway　Creek。　　Squaw　Creek　is　the　next　to　the　south。〃

Smoke　was　for　the　moment；　speechless。

〃You　did　it　on　purpose？〃　Shorty　demanded。

〃I　did　it　to　give　the　old…timers　a　chance。〃

She　laughed　mockingly。　　The　men　grinned　at　each　other　and　finally　joined　her。

〃I'd　lay　you　across　my　knee　an'　give　you　a　wallopin'；　if　womenfolk　wasn't　so　scarce　in　this　country；〃　Shorty　assured　her。

〃Your　father　didn't　sprain　a　tendon；　but　waited　till　we　were　out　of　sight　and　then　went　on？〃　Smoke　asked。

She　nodded。

〃And　you　were　the　decoy。〃

Again　she　nodded；　and　this　time　Smoke's　laughter　rang　out　clear　and　true。　　It　was　the　spontaneous　laughter　of　a　frankly　beaten　man。

〃Why　don't　you　get　angry　with　me？〃　she　queried　ruefully。　　〃Oror　wallop　me？〃

〃Well；　we　might　as　well　be　starting　back；〃　Shorty　urged。　　〃My　feet's　gettin'　cold　standin'　here。〃

Smoke　shook　his　head。

〃That　would　mean　four　hours　lost。　　We　must　be　eight　miles　up　this　Creek　now；　and　from　the　look　ahead　Norway　is　making　a　long　swing　south。　　We'll　follow　it；　then　cross　over　the　divide　somehow；　and　tap　Squaw　Creek　somewhere　above　Discovery。〃　　He　looked　at　Joy。　　〃Won't　you　come　along　with　us？　　I　told　your　father　we'd　look　after　you。〃

〃I〃　　She　hesitated。　　〃I　think　I　shall；　if　you　don't　mind。〃　　She　was　looking　straight　at　him；　and　her　face　was　no　longer　defiant　and　mocking。　　〃Really；　Mr　Smoke；　you　make　me　almost　sorry　for　what　I　have　done。　　But　somebody　had　to　save　the　old…timers。〃

〃It　strikes　me　that　stampeding　is　at　best　a　sporting　proposition。〃

〃And　it　strikes　me　you　two　are　very　game　about　it；〃　she　went　on；　then　added　with　the　shadow　of　a　sigh：　　〃What　a　pity　you　are　not　old…　timers。〃

For　two　hours　more　they　kept　to　the　frozen　creek…bed　of　Norway；　then　turned　into　a　narrow　and　rugged　tributary　that　flowed　from　the　south。　　At　midday　they　began　the　ascent　of　the　divide　itself。　Behind　them；　looking　down　and　back；　they　could　see　the　long　line　of　stampeders　breaking　up。　　Here　and　there；　in　scores　of　places；　thin　smoke…columns　advertised　the　making　of　camps。

As　for　themselves；　the　going　was　hard。　　They　wallowed　through　snow　to　their　waists；　and　were　compelled　to　stop　every　few　yards　to　breathe。　　Shorty　was　the　first　to　call　a　halt。

〃We　ben　hittin'　the　trail　for　over　twelve　hours；〃　he　said。　　〃Smoke；　I'm　plum　willin'　to　say　I'm　good　an'　tired。　　An'　so　are　you。　　An'　I'm　free　to　shout　that　I　can　sure　hang　on　to　this　here　pascar　like　a　starvin'　Indian　to　a　hunk　of　bear…meat。　　But　this　poor　girl　here　can't　keep　her　legs　no　time　if　she　don't　get　something　in　her　stomach。　　Here's　where　we　build　a　fire。　　What　d'ye　say？〃

So　quickly；　so　deftly　and　methodically；　did　they　go　about　making　a　temporary　camp；　that　Joy；　watching　with　jealous　eyes；　admitted　to　herself　that　the　old…timers　could　not　do　it　better。　　Spruce　boughs；　with　a　spread　blanket　on　top；　gave　a　foundation　for　rest　and　cooking　operations。　　But　they　kept　away　from　the　heat　of　the　fire　until　noses　and　cheeks　had　been　rubbed　cruelly。

Smoke　spat　in　the　air；　and　the　resultant　crackle　was　so　immediate　and　loud　that　he　shook　his　head。

〃I　give　it　up；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　never　seen　cold　like　this。〃

〃One　winter　on　the　Koyokuk　it　went　to　eighty…six　below；〃　Joy　answered。　　〃It's　at　least　seventy　or　seventy…five　right　now；　and　I　know　I've　frosted　my　cheeks。　　They're　burning　like　fire。〃

On　the　steep　slope　of　the　divide　there　was　no　ice；　while　snow；　as　fine　and　hard　and　crystalline　as　granulated　sugar；　was　poured　into　the　gold…pan　by　the　bushel　until　enough　water　was　melted　for　the　coffee。　　Smoke　fried　bacon　and　thawed　biscuits。　　Shorty　kept　the　fuel　supplied　and　tended　the　fire；　and　Joy　set　the　simple　table　composed　of　two　plates；　two　cups；　two　spoons；　a　tin　of　mixed　salt　and　pepper；　and　a　tin　of　sugar。　　When　it　came　to　eating；　she　and　Smoke　shared　one　set　between　them。　　They　ate　out　of　the　same　plate　and　drank　from　the　same　cup。

It　was　nearly　two　in　the　afternoon　when　they　cleared　the　crest　of　the　divide　and　began　dropping　down　a　feeder　of　Squaw　Creek。　　Earlier　in　the　winter　some　moose…hunter　had　made　a　trail　up　the　canyonthat　is；　in　going　up　and　down　he　had　stepped　always　in　his　previous　tracks。　　As　a　result；　in　the　midst　of　soft　snow；　and　veiled　under　later　snow　falls；　was　a　line　of　irregular　hummocks。　　If　one's　foot　missed　a　hummock；　he　plunged　down　through　unpacked　snow　and　usually　to　a　fall。　　Also；　the　moose…hunter　had　been　an　exceptionally　long…　legged　individual。　　Joy；　who　was　eager　now　that　the　two　men　should　stake；　and　fearing　that　they　were　slackening　pace　on　account　of　her　evident　weariness；　insisted　on　taking　the　lead。　　The　speed　and　manner　in　which　she　negotiated　the　precarious　footing；　called　out　Shorty's　unqualified　approval。

〃Look　at　her！〃　he　cried。　　〃She's　the　real　goods　an'　the　red　meat。　Look　at　them　moccasins　swing　along。　　No　high…heels　there。　　She　uses　the　legs　God　gave　her。　　She's　the　right　squaw　for　any　bear…hunter。〃

She　flashed　back　a　smile　of　acknowledgment　that　included　Smoke。　　He　caught　a　feeling　of　chumminess；　though　at　the　same　time　he　was　bitingly　aware　that　it　was　very　much　of　a　woman　who　embraced　him　in　that　comradely　smile。

Looking　back；　as　they　came　to　the　bank　of　Squaw　Creek；　they　could　see　the　stampede；　strung　out　irregularly；　struggling　along　the　descent　of　the　divide。

They　slipped　down　the　bank　to　the　creek　bed。　　The　stream；　frozen　solidly　to　bottom；　was　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet　wide　and　ran　between　six…　and　eight…foot　earth　banks　of　alluvial　wash。　　No　recent　feet　had　disturbed　the　snow　that　lay　upon　its　ice；　and　they　knew　they　were　above　the　Discovery　claim　and　the　last　stakes　of　the　Sea　Lion　stampeders。

〃Look　out　for　springs；〃　Joy　warned；　as　Smoke　led　the　way　down　the　creek。　　〃At　seventy　below　you'll　lose　your　feet　if　you　break　through。〃

These　springs；　common　to　most　Klondike　streams；　never　ceased　at　the　lowest　temperatures。　　The　water　flowed　out　from　the　banks　and　lay　in　pools　which　were　cuddled　from　the　cold　by　later　surface…freezings　and　snow　falls。　　Thus；　a　man；　stepping　on　dry　snow；　might　break　through　half　an　inch　of　ice…skin　and　find　himself　up　to　the　knees　in　water。　　In　five　minutes；　unless　able　to　remove　the　wet　gear；　the　loss　of　one's　foot　was　the　penalty。

Though　only　three　in　the　afternoon；　the　long　grey　twilight　of　the　Arctic　had　settled　down。　　They　watched　for　a　blazed　tree　on　either　bank；　which　would　show　the　centre…stake　of　the　last　claim　located。　Joy；　impulsively　eager；　was　the　first　to　find　it。　　She　darted　ahead　of　Smoke；　crying：　　〃Somebody's　been　here！　　See　the　snow！　　Look　for　the　blaze！　　There　it　is！　　See　that　spruce！〃

She　sank　suddenly　to　her　waist　in　the　snow。

〃Now　I've　done　it；〃　she　said　woefully。　　Then　she　cried：　　〃Don't　come　near　me！　　I'll　wade　out。〃

Step　by　step；　each　time　breaking　through　the　thin　skin　of　ice　concealed　under　the　dry　snow；　she　forced　her　way　to　solid　footing。　Smoke　did　not　wait；　but　sprang　to　the　bank；　where　dry　and　seasoned　twigs　and　sticks；　lodged　amongst　the　brush　by　spring　freshets；　waited　the　match。　　By　the　time　she　reached　his　side；　the　first　flames　and　flickers　of　an　assured　fire　were　rising。

〃Sit　down！〃　he　commanded。

She　obediently　sat　down　in　the　snow。　　He　slipped　his　pack　from　his　back；　and　spread　a　blanket　for　her　feet。

From　above　came　the　voices　of　the　stampeders　who　followed　them。

〃Let　Shorty　stake；〃　she　urged

〃Go　on；　Shorty；〃　Smoke　said；　as　he　attacked　her　moccasins；　already　stiff　with　ice。　　〃Pace　off　a　thousand　feet　and　place　the　two　centre…　stakes。　　We　can　fix　the　corner…stakes　afterwards。〃

With　his　knife　Smoke　cut　away　the　lacings　and　leather　of　the　moccasins。　　So　stiff　were　they　with　ice　that　they　snapped　and　crackled　under　the　hacking　and　sawing。　　The　Siwash　socks　and　heavy　woollen　stockings　were　sheaths　of　ice。　　It　was　as　if　her　feet　and　calves　were　encased　in　corrugated　iron。

〃How　are　your　feet？〃　he　asked；　as　he　worked。

〃Pretty　numb。　　I　can't　move　nor　feel　my　toes。　　But　it　will　be　all　right。　　The　fire　is　burning　beautifully。　　Watch　out　you　don't　freeze　your　own　hands。　　They　must　be　numb　now　from　the　way　you're　fumbling。〃

He　slipped　his　mittens　on；　and　for　nearly　a　minute　smashed　the　open　hands　savagely　against　his　sides。　　When　he　felt　the　blood…p