smoke bellew-第14部分

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oman　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…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　s