smoke bellew- 第11部分

〃Who？　　Me？　　If　you's　get　outa　the　way　I'd　show　you　a　pace　what　is。〃

Smoke　laughed；　and　let　out　another　link。　　The　whole　aspect　of　the　adventure　had　changed。　　Through　his　brain　was　running　a　phrase　of　the　mad　philosopher〃the　transvaluation　of　　values。〃　　In　truth；　he　was　less　interested　in　staking　a　fortune　than　in　beating　Shorty。　After　all；　he　concluded；　it　wasn't　the　reward　of　the　game　but　the　playing　of　it　that　counted。　　Mind；　and　muscle；　and　stamina；　and　soul；　were　challenged　in　a　contest　with　this　Shorty；　a　man　who　had　never　opened　the　books；　and　who　did　not　know　grand　opera　from　rag…　time；　nor　an　epic　from　a　chilblain。

〃Shorty；　I've　got　you　skinned　to　death。　　I've　reconstructed　every　cell　in　my　body　since　I　hit　the　beach　at　Dyea。　　My　flesh　is　as　stringy　as　whipcords；　and　as　bitter　and　mean　as　the　bite　of　a　rattlesnake。　　A　few　months　ago　I'd　have　patted　myself　on　the　back　to　write　such　words；　but　I　couldn't　have　written　them。　　I　had　to　live　them　first；　and　now　that　I'm　living　them　there's　no　need　to　write　them。　　I'm　the　real；　bitter；　stinging　goods；　and　no　scrub　of　a　mountaineer　can　put　anything　over　on　me　without　getting　it　back　compound。　　Now；　you　go　ahead　and　set　pace　for　half　an　hour。　　Do　your　worst；　and　when　you're　all　in　I'll　go　ahead　and　give　you　half　an　hour　of　the　real　worst。〃

〃Huh！〃　Shorty　sneered　genially。　　〃An'　him　not　dry　behind　the　ears　yet。　　Get　outa　the　way　an'　let　your　father　show　you　some　goin'。〃

Half…hour　by　half…hour　they　alternated　in　setting　pace。　　Nor　did　they　talk　much。　　Their　exertions　kept　them　warm；　though　their　breath　froze　on　their　faces　from　lips　to　chin。　　So　intense　was　the　cold　that　they　almost　continually　rubbed　their　noses　and　cheeks　with　their　mittens。　　A　few　minutes　cessation　from　this　allowed　the　flesh　to　grow　numb；　and　then　most　vigorous　rubbing　was　required　to　produce　the　burning　prickle　of　returning　circulation。

Often　they　thought　they　had　reached　the　lead；　but　always　they　overtook　more　stampeders　who　had　started　before　them。　　Occasionally；　groups　of　men　attempted　to　swing　in　behind　to　their　pace；　but　invariably　they　were　discouraged　after　a　mile　or　two；　and　disappeared　in　the　darkness　to　the　rear。

〃We've　been　out　on　trail　all　winter；〃　was　Shorty's　comment。　　〃An'　them　geezers；　soft　from　laying　around　their　cabins；　has　the　nerve　to　think　they　can　keep　our　stride。　　Now；　if　they　was　real　sour…doughs　it'd　be　different。　　If　there's　one　thing　a　sour…dough　can　do　it's　sure　walk。〃

Once；　Smoke　lighted　a　match　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　　He　never　repeated　it；　for　so　quick　was　the　bite　of　the　frost　on　his　bared　hands；　that　half　an　hour　passed　before　they　were　again　comfortable。

〃Four　o'clock；〃　he　said；　as　he　pulled　on　his　mittens；　〃and　we've　already　passed　three　hundred。〃

〃Three　hundred　and　thirty…eight；〃　Shorty　corrected。　　〃I　ben　keepin'　count。　　Get　outa　the　way；　stranger。　　Let　somebody　stampede　that　knows　how　to　stampede。〃

The　latter　was　addressed　to　a　man；　evidently　exhausted；　who　could　no　more　than　stumble　along；　and　who　blocked　the　trail。　　This；　and　one　other；　were　the　only　played…out　men　they　encountered；　for　they　were　very　near　to　the　head　of　the　stampede。　　Nor　did　they　learn　till　afterwards　the　horrors　of　that　night。　　Exhausted　men　sat　down　to　rest　by　the　way；　and　failed　to　get　up。　　Seven　were　frozen　to　death；　while　scores　of　amputations　of　toes；　feet；　and　fingers　were　performed　in　the　Dawson　hospitals　on　the　survivors。　　For　of　all　nights　for　a　stampede；　the　one　to　Squaw　Creek　occurred　on　the　coldest　night　of　the　year。　　Before　morning；　the　spirit　thermometers　at　Dawson　registered　seventy　degrees　below　zero。　　The　men　composing　the　stampede；　with　few　exceptions；　were　new…comers　in　the　country　who　did　not　know　the　way　of　the　cold。

The　other　played…out　man　they　found　a　few　minutes　later；　revealed　by　a　streamer　of　aurora　borealis　that　shot　like　a　searchlight　from　horizon　to　zenith。　　He　was　sitting　on　a　piece　of　ice　beside　the　trail。

〃Hop　along；　sister　Mary；〃　Shorty　gaily　greeted　him。　　〃Keep　movin'。　If　you　sit　there　you'll　freeze　stiff。〃

The　man　made　no　response；　and　they　stopped　to　investigate。

〃Stiff　as　a　poker；〃　was　Shorty's　verdict。　　〃If　you　tumbled　him　over　he'd　break。〃

〃See　if　he's　breathing；〃　Smoke　said；　as；　with　bared　hands；　he　sought　through　furs　and　woollens　for　the　man's　heart。

Shorty　lifted　one　ear…flap　and　bent　to　the　iced　lips。

〃Nary　breathe；〃　he　reported。

〃Nor　heart…beat；〃　said　Smoke。

He　mittened　his　hand　and　beat　it　violently　for　a　minute　before　exposing　it　to　the　frost　to　strike　a　match。　　It　was　an　old　man；　incontestably　dead。　　In　the　moment　of　illumination；　they　saw　a　long　grey　beard；　massed　with　ice　to　the　nose；　cheeks　that　were　white　with　frost；　and　closed　eyes　with　frost…rimmed　lashes　frozen　together。　Then　the　match　went　out。

〃Come　on；〃　Shorty　said；　rubbing　his　ear。　　〃We　can't　do　nothing　for　the　old　geezer。　　An'　I've　sure　frosted　my　ear。　　Now　all　the　blamed　skin'll　peel　off　and　it'll　be　sore　for　a　week。〃

A　few　minutes　later；　when　a　flaming　ribbon　spilled　pulsating　fire　over　the　heavens；　they　saw　on　the　ice　a　quarter　of　a　mile　ahead　two　forms。　　Beyond；　for　a　mile；　nothing　moved。

〃They're　leading　the　procession；〃　Smoke　said；　as　darkness　fell　again。　　〃Come　on；　let's　get　them。〃

At　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　not　yet　having　overtaken　the　two　in　front；　Shorty　broke　into　a　run。

〃If　we　catch　'em　we'll　never　pass　'em；〃　he　panted。　　〃Lord；　what　a　pace　they're　hittin'。　　Dollars　to　doughnuts　they're　no　chechaquos。　They're　the　real　sour…dough　variety；　you　can　stack　on　that。〃

Smoke　was　leading　when　they　finally　caught　up；　and　he　was　glad　to　ease　to　a　walk　at　their　heels。　　Almost　immediately　he　got　the　impression　that　the　one　nearer　him　was　a　woman。　　How　this　impression　came；　he　could　not　tell。　　Hooded　and　furred；　the　dark　form　was　as　any　form；　yet　there　was　a　haunting　sense　of　familiarity　about　it。　He　waited　for　the　next　flame　of　the　aurora；　and　by　its　light　saw　the　smallness　of　the　moccasined　feet。　　But　he　saw　morethe　walk；　and　knew　it　for　the　unmistakable　walk　he　had　once　resolved　never　to　forget。

〃She's　a　sure　goer；〃　Shorty　confided　hoarsely。　　〃I'll　bet　it's　an　Indian。〃

〃How　do　you　do；　Miss　Gastell；〃　Smoke　addressed。

〃How　do　you　do；〃　she　answered；　with　a　turn　of　the　head　and　a　quick　glance。　　〃It's　too　dark　to　see。　　Who　are　you？〃

〃Smoke；〃

She　laughed　in　the　frost；　and　he　was　certain　it　was　the　prettiest　laughter　he　had　ever　heard。

〃And　have　you　married　and　raised　all　those　children　you　were　telling　me　about？〃　　Before　he　could　retort；　she　went　on。　　〃How　many　chechaquos　are　there　behind？〃

〃Several　thousand；　I　imagine。　　We　passed　over　three　hundred。　　And　they　weren't　wasting　any　time。〃

〃It's　the　old　story；〃　she　said　bitterly。　　〃The　new…comers　get　in　on　the　rich　creeks；　and　the　old…timers　who　dared　and　suffered　and　made　this　country；　get　nothing。　　Old…timers　made　this　discovery　on　Squaw　Creekhow　it　leaked　out　is　the　mysteryand　they　sent　word　up　to　all　the　old…timers　on　Sea　Lion。　　But　it's　ten　miles　farther　than　Dawson；　and　when　they　arrive　they'll　find　the　creek　staked　to　the　skyline　by　the　Dawson　chechaquos。　　It　isn't　right；　it　isn't　fair；　such　perversity　of　luck。〃

〃It　is　too　bad；〃　Smoke　sympathized。　　〃But　I'm　hanged　if　I　know　what　you're　going　to　do　about　it。　　First　come；　first　served；　you　know。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　do　something；〃　she　flashed　back　at　him。　　〃I'd　like　to　see　them　all　freeze　on　the　trail；　or　have　everything　terrible　happen　to　them；　so　long　as　the　Sea　Lion　stampede　arrived　first。〃

〃You've　certainly　got　it　in　for　us；　hard；〃　he　laughed。

〃It　isn't　that；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃Man　by　man；　I　know　the　crowd　from　Sea　Lion；　and　they　are　men。　　They　starved　in　this　country　in　the　old　days；　and　they　worked　like　giants　to　develop　it。　　I　went　through　the　hard　times　on　the　Koyokuk　with　them　when　I　was　a　little　girl。　　And　I　was　with　them　in　the　Birch　Creek　famine；　and　in　the　Forty　Mile　famine。　　They　are　heroes；　and　they　deserve　some　reward；　and　yet　here　are　thousands　of　green　softlings　who　haven't　earned　the　right　to　stake　anything；　miles　and　miles　ahead　of　them。　　And　now；　if　you'll　forgive　my　tirade；　I'll　save　my　breath；　for　I　don'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