smoke bellew-第17部分

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ave　to　wait　till　I　was　thirty　to　catch　mine。　　Right　here　is　my　efficiency　and　desire。　　Almost；　Yellow　Face；　do　I　wish　I　had　been　born　a　wolf…　boy　and　been　brother　all　my　days　to　you　and　yours。〃

For　days　he　wandered　through　a　chaos　of　canyons　and　divides　which　did　not　yield　themselves　to　any　rational　topographical　plan。　　It　was　as　if　they　had　been　flung　there　by　some　cosmic　joker。　　In　vain　he　sought　for　a　creek　or　feeder　that　flowed　truly　south　toward　the　McQuestion　and　the　Stewart。　　Then　came　a　mountain　storm　that　blew　a　blizzard　across　the　riff…raff　of　high　and　shallow　divides。　　Above　timber…line；　fireless；　for　two　days；　he　struggled　blindly　to　find　lower　levels。　　On　the　second　day　he　came　out　upon　the　rim　of　an　enormous　palisade。　　So　thickly　drove　the　snow　that　he　could　not　see　the　base　of　the　wall；　nor　dared　he　attempt　the　descent。　　He　rolled　himself　in　his　robes　and　huddled　the　dogs　about　him　in　the　depths　of　a　snow…drift；　but　did　not　permit　himself　to　sleep。

In　the　morning；　the　storm　spent；　he　crawled　out　to　investigate。　　A　quarter　of　a　mile　beneath　him；　beyond　all　mistake；　lay　a　frozen；　snow…covered　lake。　　About　it；　on　every　side；　rose　jagged　peaks。　　It　answered　the　description。　　Blindly；　he　had　found　Surprise　Lake。

〃Well…named；〃　he　muttered；　an　hour　later；　as　he　came　out　upon　its　margin。　　A　clump　of　aged　spruce　was　the　only　woods。　　On　his　way　to　it；　he　stumbled　upon　three　graves；　snow…buried；　but　marked　by　hand…　hewn　head…posts　and　undecipherable　writing。　　On　the　edge　of　the　woods　was　a　small　ramshackle　cabin。　　He　pulled　the　latch　and　entered。　　In　a　corner；　on　what　had　once　been　a　bed　of　spruce…boughs；　still　wrapped　in　mangy　furs；　that　had　rotted　to　fragments；　lay　a　skeleton。　　The　last　visitor　to　Surprise　Lake；　was　Smoke's　conclusion；　as　he　picked　up　a　lump　of　gold　as　large　as　his　doubled　fist。　　Beside　the　lump　was　a　pepper…can　filled　with　nuggets　of　the　size　of　walnuts；　rough…surfaced；　showing　no　signs　of　wash。

So　true　had　the　tale　run；　that　Smoke　accepted　without　question　that　the　source　of　the　gold　was　the　lake's　bottom。　　Under　many　feet　of　ice　and　inaccessible；　there　was　nothing　to　be　done；　and　at　mid…day；　from　the　rim　of　the　palisade；　he　took　a　farewell　look　back　and　down　at　his　find。

〃It's　all　right；　Mr　Lake；〃　he　said。　　〃You　just　keep　right　on　staying　there。　　I'm　coming　back　to　drain　youif　that　hoodoo　doesn't　catch　me。　　I　don't　know　how　I　got　here；　but　I'll　know　by　the　way　I　go　out。〃



III。

In　a　little　valley；　beside　a　frozen　stream　and　under　beneficent　spruce　trees；　he　built　a　fire　four　days　later。　　Somewhere　in　that　white　anarchy　he　left　behind　him；　was　Surprise　Lakesomewhere；　he　knew　not　where；　for　a　hundred　hours　of　driftage　and　struggle　through　blinding　driving　snow；　had　concealed　his　course　from　him；　and　he　knew　not　in　what　direction　lay　BEHIND。　　It　was　as　if　he　had　just　emerged　from　a　nightmare。　　He　was　not　sure　that　four　days　or　a　week　had　passed。　　He　had　slept　with　the　dogs；　fought　across　a　forgotten　number　of　shallow　divides；　followed　the　windings　of　weird　canyons　that　ended　in　pockets；　and　twice　had　managed　to　make　a　fire　and　thaw　out　frozen　moose…meat。　　And　here　he　was；　well…fed　and　well…camped。　The　storm　had　passed；　and　it　had　turned　clear　and　cold。　　The　lay　of　the　land　had　again　become　rational。　　The　creek　he　was　on　was　natural　in　appearance；　and　trended　as　it　should　toward　the　southwest。　　But　Surprise　Lake　was　as　lost　to　him　as　it　had　been　to　all　its　seekers　in　the　past。

Half　a　day's　journey　down　the　creek　brought　him　to　the　valley　of　a　larger　stream　which　he　decided　was　the　McQuestion。　　Here　he　shot　a　moose；　and　once　again　each　wolf…dog　carried　a　full　fifty…pound　pack　of　meat。　　As　he　turned　down　the　McQuestion；　he　came　upon　a　sled…　trail。　　The　late　snows　had　drifted　over；　but　underneath；　it　was　well…packed　by　travel。　　His　conclusion　was　that　two　camps　had　been　established　on　the　McQuestion；　and　that　this　was　the　connecting　trail。　　Evidently；　Two　Cabins　had　been　found　and　it　was　the　lower　camp；　so　he　headed　down　the　stream。

It　was　forty　below　zero　when　he　camped　that　night；　and　he　fell　asleep　wondering　who　were　the　men　who　had　rediscovered　the　Two　Cabins；　and　if　he　would　fetch　it　next　day。　　At　the　first　hint　of　dawn　he　was　under　way；　easily　following　the　half…obliterated　trail　and　packing　the　recent　snow　with　his　webbed　shoes　so　that　the　dogs　should　not　wallow。

And　then　it　came；　the　unexpected；　leaping　out　upon　him　on　a　bend　of　the　river。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　heard　and　felt　simultaneously。　The　crack　of　the　rifle　came　from　the　right；　and　the　bullet；　tearing　through　and　across　the　shoulders　of　his　drill　parka　and　woollen　coat；　pivoted　him　half　around　with　the　shock　of　its　impact。　　He　staggered　on　his　twisted　snow…shoes　to　recover　balance；　and　heard　a　second　crack　of　the　rifle。　　This　time　it　was　a　clean　miss。　　He　did　not　wait　for　more；　but　plunged　across　the　snow　for　the　sheltering　trees　of　the　bank　a　hundred　feet　away。　　Again　and　again　the　rifle　cracked；　and　he　was　unpleasantly　aware　of　a　trickle　of　warm　moisture　down　his　back。

He　climbed　the　bank；　the　dogs　floundering　behind；　and　dodged　in　among　the　trees　and　brush。　　Slipping　out　of　his　snow…shoes；　he　wallowed　forward　at　full　length　and　peered　cautiously　out。　　Nothing　was　to　be　seen。　　Whoever　had　shot　at　him　was　lying　quiet　among　the　trees　of　the　opposite　bank。

〃If　something　doesn't　happen　pretty　soon；〃　he　muttered　at　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　〃I'll　have　to　sneak　away　and　build　a　fire　or　freeze　my　feet。　　Yellow　Face；　what'd　you　do；　lying　in　the　frost　with　circulation　getting　slack　and　a　man　trying　to　plug　you？〃

He　crawled　back　a　few　yards；　packed　down　the　snow；　danced　a　jig　that　sent　the　blood　back　into　his　feet；　and　managed　to　endure　another　half　hour。　　Then；　from　down　the　river；　he　heard　the　unmistakable　jingle　of　dog…bells。　　Peering　out；　he　saw　a　sled　round　the　bend。　Only　one　man　was　with　it；　straining　at　the　gee…pole　and　urging　the　dogs　along。　　The　effect　on　Smoke　was　one　of　shock；　for　it　was　the　first　human　he　had　seen　since　he　parted　from　Shorty　three　weeks　before。　　His　next　thought　was　of　the　potential　murderer　concealed　on　the　opposite　bank。

Without　exposing　himself；　Smoke　whistled　warningly。　　The　man　did　not　hear；　and　came　on　rapidly。　　Again；　and　more　sharply；　Smoke　whistled。　The　man　whoa'd　his　dogs；　stopped；　and　had　turned　and　faced　Smoke　when　the　rifle　cracked。　　The　instant　afterwards；　Smoke　fired　into　the　wood　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　　The　man　on　the　river　had　been　struck　by　the　first　shot。　　The　shock　of　the　high　velocity　bullet　staggered　him。　　He　stumbled　awkwardly　to　the　sled；　half…　falling；　and　pulled　a　rifle　out　from　under　the　lashings。　　As　he　strove　to　raise　it　to　his　shoulder；　he　crumpled　at　the　waist　and　sank　down　slowly　to　a　sitting　posture　on　the　sled。　　Then；　abruptly；　as　the　gun　went　off　aimlessly；　he　pitched　backward　and　across　a　corner　of　the　sled…load；　so　that　Smoke　could　see　only　his　legs　and　stomach。

From　below　came　more　jingling　bells。　　The　man　did　not　move。　　Around　the　bend　swung　three　sleds；　accompanied　by　half　a　dozen　men。　　Smoke　cried　warningly；　but　they　had　seen　the　condition　of　the　first　sled；　and　they　dashed　on　to　it。　　No　shots　came　from　the　other　bank；　and　Smoke；　calling　his　dogs　to　follow；　emerged　into　the　open。　　There　were　exclamations　from　the　men；　and　two　of　them；　flinging　off　the　mittens　of　their　right　hands；　levelled　their　rifles　at　him。

〃Come　on；　you　red…handed　murderer；　you；〃　one　of　them；　a　black…　bearded　man；　commanded；　〃an'　jest　pitch　that　gun　of　yourn　in　the　snow。〃

Smoke　hesitated；　then　dropped　his　rifle　and　came　up　to　them。

〃Go　through　him；　Louis；　an'　take　his　weapons；〃　the　black…bearded　man　ordered。

Louis；　a　French…Canadian　voyageur；　Smoke　decided；　as　were　four　of　the　others；　obeyed。　　His　search　revealed　only　Smoke's　hunting　knife；　which　was　appropriated。

〃Now；　what　have　you　got　to　say　for　yourself；　Stranger；　before　I　shoot　you　dead？〃　the　black…bearded　man　demanded。

〃That　you're　making　a　mistake　if　you　think　I　killed　that　man；〃　Smoke　answered。

A　cry　came　from　one　of　the　voyageurs。　　He　had　quested　along　the　trail　and　found　Smoke's　tracks　where　he　had　left　it　to　take　refuge　on　the　bank。　　The　man　explained　the　nature　of　his　find。

〃What'd　you　kill　Joe　Kinade　for？〃　he　of　the　black　beard　asked。

〃I　tell　you　I　didn't〃　Smoke　began。

〃Aw；　what's　the　good　of　talkin'。　　We　got　you　red…handed。　　Right　up　there's　where　you　left　the　trail　when　you　heard　him　comin'。　　You　laid　among　the　trees　an'　bushwhacked　him。　　A　short　shot。　　You　couldn't　a…missed。　　Pierre；　go　an'　get　that　gun　he　dropped。〃

〃You　might　let　me　tell　what　happened；〃　Smoke　objected。

〃You　shut　up；〃　the　man　snarled　at　him。　　〃I　reckon　your　gun'll　tell　the　story。〃

All　the　men　examined　Smoke's　rifle；　ejecting　and　counting　the　cartridges；　and　examining　the　barrel　at　muzzle　and　breech。

〃One　shot；〃　Blackbeard　concluded。

Pierre；　with　nostrils　that　quivered　and　distended　like　a　deer's；　sniffed　at　the　breech。

〃Him　one　fresh　shot；〃　he　said。

〃The　bullet　entered　his　back；〃　Smoke　said。　　〃He　was　facing　me　when　he　was　shot。　　You　see；　it　came　from　the　other　bank。〃

Blackbeard　considered　this　proposition　for　a　scant　second；　and　shook　his　head。

〃Nope。　　It　won't　do。　　Turn　him　around　to　face　the　other　bankthat's　how　you　whopped　him　in　the　back。　　Some　of　you　boys　run　up　an'　down　the　trail　and　see　if　you　can　see　any　tracks　making　for　the　other　bank。〃

Their　report　was；　that　on　that　side　the　snow　was　unbroken。　　Not　even　a　snow…shoe　rabbit　had　crossed　it。　　Blackbeard；　bending　over　the　dead　man；　straightened　up；　with　a　woolly；　furry　wad　in　his　hand。　Shredding　this；　he　found　imbedded　in　the　centre　the　bullet　which　had　perforated　the　body。　　Its　nose　was　spread　to　the　size　of　a　half…　dollar；　its　butt…end；　steel…jacketed；　was　undamaged。　　He　compared　it　with　a　cartridge　from　Smoke's　belt。

〃That's　plain　enough　evidence；　Stranger；　to　satisfy　a　blind　man。　It's　soft…nosed　an'　steel…jacketed；　yourn　is　soft…nosed　and　steel…　jacketed。　　It's　thirty…thirty；　yourn　is　thirty…thirty。　　It's　manufactured　by　the　J。　and　T。　Arms　Company；　yourn　is　manufactured　by　the　J。　and　T。　Arms　Company。　　Now　you　come　along　an'　we'll　go　over　to　the　bank　an'　see　jest　how　you　done　it。〃

〃I　was　bushwhacked　myself；〃　Smoke