smoke bellew- 第13部分

He　slipped　his　mittens　on；　and　for　nearly　a　minute　smashed　the　open　hands　savagely　against　his　sides。　　When　he　felt　the　blood…prickles；　he　pulled　off　the　mittens　and　ripped　and　tore　and　sawed　and　hacked　at　the　frozen　garments。　　The　white　skin　of　one　foot　appeared；　then　that　of　the　other；　to　be　exposed　to　the　bite　of　seventy　below　zero；　which　is　the　equivalent　of　one　hundred　and　two　below　freezing。

Then　came　the　rubbing　with　snow；　carried　on　with　an　intensity　of　cruel　fierceness；　till　she　squirmed　and　shrank　and　moved　her　toes；　and　joyously　complained　of　the　hurt。

He　half…dragged　her；　and　she　half…lifted　herself；　nearer　to　the　fire。　　He　placed　her　feet　on　the　blanket　close　to　the　flesh…saving　flames。

〃You'll　have　to　take　care　of　them　for　a　while；〃　he　said。

She　could　now　safely　remove　her　mittens　and　manipulate　her　own　feet；　with　the　wisdom　of　the　initiated；　being　watchful　that　the　heat　of　the　fire　was　absorbed　slowly。　　While　she　did　this；　he　attacked　his　hands。　　The　snow　did　not　melt　nor　moisten。　　Its　light　crystals　were　like　so　much　sand。　　Slowly　the　stings　and　pangs　of　circulation　came　back　into　the　chilled　flesh。　　Then　he　tended　the　fire；　unstrapped　the　light　pack　from　her　back；　and　got　out　a　complete　change　of　foot…　gear。

Shorty　returned　along　the　creek…bed　and　climbed　the　bank　to　them。

〃I　sure　staked　a　full　thousan'　feet；〃　he　proclaimed。　　〃Number　twenty…seven　and　number　twenty…eight；　though　I'd　only　got　the　upper　stake　of　twenty…seven；　when　I　met　the　first　geezer　of　the　bunch　behind。　　He　just　straight　declared　I　wasn't　goin'　to　stake　twenty…　eight。　　An'　I　told　him　。　。　。　。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　Joy　cried。　　〃What　did　you　tell　him？〃

〃Well；　I　told　him　straight　that　if　he　didn't　back　up　plum　five　hundred　feet　I'd　sure　punch　his　frozen　nose　into　ice…cream　an'　chocolate　eclaires。　　He　backed　up；　an'　I've　got　in　the　centre…stakes　of　two　full　an'　honest　five…hundred…foot　claims。　　He　staked　next；　and　I　guess　by　now　the　bunch　has　Squaw　Creek　located　to　head…waters　an'　down　the　other　side。　　Ourn　is　safe。　　It's　too　dark　to　see　now；　but　we　can　put　out　the　corner…stakes　in　the　mornin'。〃



III。

When　they　awoke；　they　found　a　change　had　taken　place　during　the　night。　　So　warm　was　it；　that　Shorty　and　Smoke；　still　in　their　mutual　blankets；　estimated　the　temperature　at　no　more　than　twenty　below。　The　cold　snap　had　broken。　　On　top　their　blankets　lay　six　inches　of　frost　crystals。

〃Good　morning！　how's　your　feet？〃　was　Smoke's　greeting　across　the　ashes　of　the　fire　to　where　Joy　Gastell；　carefully　shaking　aside　the　snow；　was　sitting　up　in　her　sleeping　furs。

Shorty　built　the　fire　and　quarried　ice　from　the　creek；　while　Smoke　cooked　breakfast。　　Daylight　came　on　as　they　finished　the　meal。

〃You　go　an'　fix　them　corner…stakes；　Smoke；〃　Shorty　said。　　〃There's　a　gravel　under　where　I　chopped　ice　for　the　coffee；　an'　I'm　goin'　to　melt　water　and　wash　a　pan　of　that　same　gravel　for　luck。〃

Smoke　departed；　axe　in　hand；　to　blaze　the　stakes。　　Starting　from　the　down…stream　centre…stake　of　'twenty…seven；'　he　headed　at　right　angles　across　the　narrow　valley　towards　its　rim。　　He　proceeded　methodically；　almost　automatically；　for　his　mind　was　alive　with　recollections　of　the　night　before。　　He　felt；　somehow；　that　he　had　won　to　empery　over　the　delicate　lines　and　firm　muscles　of　those　feet　and　ankles　he　had　rubbed　with　snow；　and　this　empery　seemed　to　extend　to　all　women。　　In　dim　and　fiery　ways　a　feeling　of　possession　mastered　him。　　It　seemed　that　all　that　was　necessary　was　for　him　to　walk　up　to　this　Joy　Gastell；　take　her　hand　in　his；　and　say　〃Come。〃

It　was　in　this　mood　that　he　discovered　something　that　made　him　forget　empery　over　the　white　feet　of　woman。　　At　the　valley　rim　he　blazed　no　corner…stake。　　He　did　not　reach　the　valley　rim；　but；　instead；　he　found　himself　confronted　by　another　stream。　　He　lined　up　with　his　eye　a　blasted　willow　tree　and　a　big　and　recognizable　spruce。　　He　returned　to　the　stream　where　were　the　centre　stakes。　　He　followed　the　bed　of　the　creek　around　a　wide　horseshoe　bend　through　the　flat；　and　found　that　the　two　creeks　were　the　same　creek。　　Next；　he　floundered　twice　through　the　snow　from　valley　rim　to　valley　rim；　running　the　first　line　from　the　lower　stake　of　'twenty…seven；'　the　second　from　the　upper　stake　of　'twenty…eight；'　and　he　found　that　THE　UPPER　STAKE　OF　THE　LATTER　WAS　LOWER　THAN　THE　LOWER　STAKE　OF　THE　FORMER。　　In　the　gray　twilight　and　half…darkness　Shorty　had　located　their　two　claims　on　the　horseshoe。

Smoke　plodded　back　to　the　little　camp。　　Shorty；　at　the　end　of　washing　a　pan　of　gravel；　exploded　at　sight　of　him。

〃We　got　it！〃　Shorty　cried；　holding　out　the　pan。　　〃Look　at　it！　　A　nasty　mess　of　gold。　　Two　hundred　right　there　if　it's　a　cent。　　She　runs　rich　from　the　top　of　the　wash…gravel。　　I've　churned　around　placers　some；　but　I　never　got　butter　like　what's　in　this　pan。〃

Smoke　cast　an　incurious　glance　at　the　coarse　gold；　poured　himself　a　cup　of　coffee　at　the　fire；　and　sat　down。　　Joy　sensed　something　wrong　and　looked　at　him　with　eagerly　solicitous　eyes。　　Shorty；　however；　was　disgruntled　by　his　partner's　lack　of　delight　in　the　discovery。

〃Why　don't　you　kick　in　an'　get　excited？〃　he　demanded。　　〃We　got　our　pile　right　here；　unless　you're　stickin'　up　your　nose　at　two…hundred…　dollar　pans。〃

Smoke　took　a　swallow　of　coffee　before　replying。

〃Shorty；　why　are　our　two　claims　here　like　the　Panama　Canal？〃

〃What's　the　answer？〃

〃Well；　the　eastern　entrance　of　the　Panama　Canal　is　west　of　the　western　entrance；　that's　all。〃

〃Go　on；〃　Shorty　said。　　〃I　ain't　seen　the　joke　yet。〃

〃In　short；　Shorty；　you　staked　our　two　claims　on　a　big　horseshoe　bend。〃

Shorty　set　the　gold　pan　down　in　the　snow　and　stood　up。

〃Go　on；〃　he　repeated。

〃The　upper　stake　of　twenty…eight　is　ten　feet　below　the　lower　stake　of　twenty…seven。〃

〃You　mean　we　ain't　got　nothin'；　Smoke？〃

〃Worse　than　that；　we've　got　ten　feet　less　than　nothing。〃

Shorty　departed　down　the　bank　on　the　run。　　Five　minutes　later　he　returned。　　In　response　to　Joy's　look；　he　nodded。　　Without　speech；　he　went　over　to　a　log　and　sat　down　to　gaze　steadily　at　the　snow　in　front　of　his　moccasins。

〃We　might　as　well　break　camp　and　start　back　for　Dawson；〃　Smoke　said；　beginning　to　fold　the　blankets。

〃I　am　sorry；　Smoke；〃　Joy　said。　　〃It's　all　my　fault。〃

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　answered。　　〃All　in　the　day's　work；　you　know。〃

〃But　it's　my　fault；　wholly　mine；〃　she　persisted。　　〃Dad's　staked　for　me　down　near　Discovery；　I　know。　　I'll　give　you　my　claim。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Shorty；〃　she　pleaded。

Shorty　shook　his　head　and　began　to　laugh。　　It　was　a　colossal　laugh。　Chuckles　and　muffled　explosions　yielded　to　hearty　roars。

〃It　ain't　hysterics；〃　he　explained；　〃I　sure　get　powerful　amused　at　times；　an'　this　is　one　of　them。〃

His　gaze　chanced　to　fall　on　the　gold　pan。　　He　walked　over　and　gravely　kicked　it；　scattering　the　gold　over　the　landscape。

〃It　ain't　ourn；〃　he　said。　　〃It　belongs　to　the　geezer　I　backed　up　five　hundred　feet　last　night。　　An'　what　gets　me　is　four　hundred　an'　ninety　of　them　feet　was　to　the　good　。　。　。　his　good。　　Come　on；　Smoke。　Let's　start　the　hike　to　Dawson。　　Though　if　you're　hankerin'　to　kill　me　I　won't　lift　a　finger　to　prevent。〃




SHORTY　DREAMS。




I。

〃Funny　you　don't　gamble　none；〃　Shorty　said　to　Smoke　one　night　in　the　Elkhorn。　　〃Ain't　it　in　your　blood？〃

〃It　is；〃　Smoke　answered。　　〃But　the　statistics　are　in　my　head。　　I　like　an　even　break　for　my　money。〃

All　about　them；　in　the　huge　bar…room；　arose　the　click　and　rattle　and　rumble　of　a　dozen　games；　at　which　fur…clad；　moccasined　men　tried　their　luck。　　Smoke　waved　his　hand　to　include　them　all。

〃Look　at　them；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　cold　mathematics　that　they　will　lose　more　than　they　win　to…night；　that　the　big　proportion　is　losing　right　now。〃

〃You're　sure　strong　on　figgers；〃　Shorty　murmured　admiringly。　　〃An'　in　the　main　you're　right。　　But　they's　such　a　thing　as　facts。　　An'　one　fact　is　streaks　of　luck。　　They's　times　when　every　geezer　playin'　wins；　as　I　know；　for　I've　sat　in　in　such　games　an'　saw　more'n　one　bank　busted。　　The　only　way　to　win　at　gamblin'　is　wait　for　a　hunch　that　you've　got　a　lucky　streak　comin'　and　then　to　play　it　to　the　roof。〃

〃It　sounds　simple；〃　Smoke　criticized。　　〃So　simple　I　can't　see　how　men　can　lose。〃

〃The　trouble　is；〃　Shorty　admitted；　〃that　most　men　gets　fooled　on　their　hunches。　　On　occasion　I　sure　get　fooled　on　mine。　　The　thing　is　to　try；　an'　find　out。〃

Smoke　shook　his　head。

〃That's　a　statistic；　too；　Shorty。　　Most　men　prove　wrong　on　their　hunches。〃

〃But　don't　you　ever　get　one　of　them　streaky　feelin's　that　all　you　got　to　do　is　put　your　money　down　an'　pick　a　winner？〃

Smoke　laughed。

〃I'm　too　scared　of　the　percentage　against　me。　　But　I'll　tell　you　what；　Shorty。　　I'll　throw　a　dollar　on　the　'high　card'　right　now　and　see　if　it　will　buy　us　a　drink。〃

Smoke　was　edging　his　way　in　to　the　faro　table；　when　Shorty　caught　his　arm。

〃Hold　on。　　I'm　gettin'　one　of　them　hunches　now。　　You　put　that　dollar　on　roulette。〃

They　went　over　to　a　roulette　table　near　the　bar。

〃Wait　till　I　give　the　word；〃　Shorty　counselled。

〃What　number？〃　Smoke　asked。

〃Pick　it　yourself。　　But　wait　till　I　say　let　her　go。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　I've　got　an　even　chance　on　that　table？〃　Smoke　argued。

〃As　good　as　the　next　geezers。〃

〃But　not　as　good　as　the　bank's。〃

〃Wait　and　see；〃　Shorty　urged。　　〃Now！　　Let　her　go！〃

The　game…keeper　had　just　sent　the　little　ivory　ball　whirling　around　the　smooth　rim　above　the　revolving；　many…slotted　wheel。　　Smoke；　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　reached　over　a　player；　and　blindly　tossed　the　dollar。　　It　slid　along　the　smooth；　green　cloth　and　stopped　fairly　in　the　centre　of　'34。'

The　ball　came　to　rest；　and　the　game…keeper　announced；　〃Thirty…four　wins！〃　　He　swept　the　table；　and　alongside　of　Smoke's　dollar；　stacked　thirty…five　dollars。　　Smoke　drew　the　money　in；　and　Shorty　slapped　him　on　the　shoulder。

〃Now；　that　was　the　real　goods　of　a　hunch；　Smoke！　　How'd　I　know　it？　There's　no　tellin'。　　I　just　knew　you'd　win。　　Why；　if　that　dollar　of　yourn'd　fell　on　any　other　number　it'd　won　just　the　same。　　When　the　hunch　is　right；　you　just　can't　help　winnin'。〃

〃Suppose　it　had　come　'double　nought'？〃　Smoke　queried；　as　they　made　their　way　to　the　bar。

〃Then　your　dollar'd　ben　o