smoke bellew-第13节

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't　know　when　you　and　all　the　rest　may　try　to　pass　dad　and　me。〃

No　further　talk　passed　between　Joy　and　Smoke　for　an　hour　or　so；　though　he　noticed　that　for　a　time　she　and　her　father　talked　in　low　tones。

〃I　know'm　now；〃　Shorty　told　Smoke。　　〃He's　old　Louis　Gastell；　an'　the　real　goods。　　That　must　be　his　kid。　　He　come　into　this　country　so　long　ago　they　ain't　nobody　can　recollect；　an'　he　brought　the　girl　with　him；　she　only　a　baby。　　Him　an'　Beetles　was　tradin'　partners　an'　they　ran　the　first　dinkey　little　steamboat　up　the　Koyokuk。〃

〃I　don't　think　we'll　try　to　pass　them；〃　Smoke　said。　　〃We're　at　the　head　of　the　stampede；　and　there　are　only　four　of　us。〃

Shorty　agreed；　and　another　hour　of　silence　followed；　during　which　they　swung　steadily　along。　　At　seven　o'clock；　the　blackness　was　broken　by　a　last　display　of　the　aurora　borealis；　which　showed　to　the　west　a　broad　opening　between　snow…clad　mountains。

〃Squaw　Creek！〃　Joy　exclaimed。

〃Goin'　some；〃　Shorty　exulted。　　〃We　oughtn't　to　ben　there　for　another　half　hour　to　the　least；　accordin'　to　my　reckonin'。　　I　must　a'　ben　spreadin'　my　legs。〃

It　was　at　this　point　that　the　Dyea　trail；　baffled　by　ice…jams；　swerved　abruptly　across　the　Yukon　to　the　east　bank。　　And　here　they　must　leave　the　hard…packed；　main…travelled　trail；　mount　the　jams；　and　follow　a　dim　trail；　but　slightly　packed；　that　hovered　the　west　bank。

Louis　Gastell；　leading；　slipped　in　the　darkness　on　the　rough　ice；　and　sat　up；　holding　his　ankle　in　both　his　hands。　　He　struggled　to　his　feet　and　went　on；　but　at　a　slower　pace　and　with　a　perceptible　limp。　　After　a　few　minutes　he　abruptly　halted。

〃It's　no　use；〃　he　said　to　his　daughter。　　〃I've　sprained　a　tendon。　You　go　ahead　and　stake　for　me　as　well　as　yourself。〃

〃Can't　we　do　something？〃　Smoke　asked。

Louis　Gastell　shook　his　head。

〃She　can　stake　two　claims　as　well　as　one。　　I'll　crawl　over　to　the　bank；　start　a　fire；　and　bandage　my　ankle。　　I'll　be　all　right。　　Go　on；　Joy。　　Stake　ours　above　the　Discovery　claim；　it's　richer　higher　up。〃

〃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　Cr