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day a large wisdom came to me。 There was a great light； and I saw
clear； and I knew that it was not for money that a man must live；
but for a happiness that no man can give； or buy； or sell； and that
is beyond all value of all money in the world。
〃In the morning we come upon the last…night camp of the man who is
before us。 It is a poor camp； the kind a man makes who is hungry
and without strength。 On the snow there are pieces of blanket and
of canvas； and I know what has happened。 His dogs have eaten their
harness； and he has made new harness out of his blankets。 The man
and woman stare hard at what is to be seen； and as I look at them
my back feels the chill as of a cold wind against the skin。 Their
eyes are toil…mad and hunger…mad； and burn like fire deep in their
heads。 Their faces are like the faces of people who have died of
hunger； and their cheeks are black with the dead flesh of many
freezings。 'Let us go on；' says the man。 But the woman coughs and
falls in the snow。 It is the dry cough where the frost has bitten
the lungs。 For a long time she coughs； then like a woman crawling
out of her grave she crawls to her feet。 The tears are ice upon
her cheeks； and her breath makes a noise as it comes and goes； and
she says； 'Let us go on。'
〃We go on。 And we walk in dreams through the silence。 And every
time we walk is a dream and we are without pain； and every time we
fall down is an awakening； and we see the snow and the mountains
and the fresh trail of the man who is before us； and we know all
our pain again。 We come to where we can see a long way over the
snow； and that for which they look is before them。 A mile away
there are black spots upon the snow。 The black spots move。 My
eyes are dim； and I must stiffen my soul to see。 And I see one man
with dogs and a sled。 The baby wolves see； too。 They can no
longer talk； but they whisper； 'On； on。 Let us hurry！'
〃And they fall down； but they go on。 The man who is before us； his
blanket harness breaks often； and he must stop and mend it。 Our
harness is good； for I have hung it in trees each night。 At eleven
o'clock the man is half a mile away。 At one o'clock he is a
quarter of a mile away。 He is very weak。 We see him fall down
many times in the snow。 One of his dogs can no longer travel； and
he cuts it out of the harness。 But he does not kill it。 I kill it
with the axe as I go by； as I kill one of my dogs which loses its
legs and can travel no more。
〃Now we are three hundred yards away。 We go very slow。 Maybe in
two； three hours we go one mile。 We do not walk。 All the time we
fall down。 We stand up and stagger two steps； maybe three steps；
then we fall down again。 And all the time I must help up the man
and woman。 Sometimes they rise to their knees and fall forward；
maybe four or five times before they can get to their feet again
and stagger two or three steps and fall。 But always do they fall
forward。 Standing or kneeling； always do they fall forward；
gaining on the trail each time by the length of their bodies。
〃Sometimes they crawl on hands and knees like animals that live in
the forest。 We go like snails； like snails that are dying we go so
slow。 And yet we go faster than the man who is before us。 For he；
too； falls all the time； and there is no Sitka Charley to lift him
up。 Now he is two hundred yards away。 After a long time he is one
hundred yards away。
〃It is a funny sight。 I want to laugh out loud； Ha！ ha！ just like
that； it is so funny。 It is a race of dead men and dead dogs。 It
is like in a dream when you have a nightmare and run away very fast
for your life and go very slow。 The man who is with me is mad。
The woman is mad。 I am mad。 All the world is mad； and I want to
laugh； it is so funny。
〃The stranger…man who is before us leaves his dogs behind and goes
on alone across the snow。 After a long time we come to the dogs。
They lie helpless in the snow； their harness of blanket and canvas
on them； the sled behind them； and as we pass them they whine to us
and cry like babies that are hungry。
〃Then we； too； leave our dogs and go on alone across the snow。 The
man and the woman are nearly gone； and they moan and groan and sob；
but they go on。 I； too； go on。 I have but one thought。 It is to
come up to the stranger…man。 Then it is that I shall rest； and not
until then shall I rest； and it seems that I must lie down and
sleep for a thousand years； I am so tired。
〃The stranger…man is fifty yards away； all alone in the white snow。
He falls and crawls； staggers； and falls and crawls again。 He is
like an animal that is sore wounded and trying to run from the
hunter。 By and by he crawls on hands and knees。 He no longer
stands up。 And the man and woman no longer stand up。 They； too；
crawl after him on hands and knees。 But I stand up。 Sometimes I
fall； but always do I stand up again。
〃It is a strange thing to see。 All about is the snow and the
silence； and through it crawl the man and the woman； and the
stranger…man who goes before。 On either side the sun are sun…dogs；
so that there are three suns in the sky。 The frost…dust is like
the dust of diamonds； and all the air is filled with it。 Now the
woman coughs； and lies still in the snow until the fit has passed；
when she crawls on again。 Now the man looks ahead； and he is
blear…eyed as with old age and must rub his eyes so that he can see
the stranger…man。 And now the stranger…man looks back over his
shoulder。 And Sitka Charley； standing upright； maybe falls down
and stands upright again。
〃After a long time the stranger…man crawls no more。 He stands
slowly upon his feet and rocks back and forth。 Also does he take
off one mitten and wait with revolver in his hand； rocking back and
forth as he waits。 His face is skin and bones and frozen black。
It is a hungry face。 The eyes are deep…sunk in his head； and the
lips are snarling。 The man and woman； too； get upon their feet and
they go toward him very slowly。 And all about is the snow and the
silence。 And in the sky are three suns； and all the air is
flashing with the dust of diamonds。
〃And thus it was that I； Sitka Charley； saw the baby wolves make
their kill。 No word is spoken。 Only does the stranger…man snarl
with his hungry face。 Also does he rock to and fro； his shoulders
drooping； his knees bent； and his legs wide apart so that he does
not fall down。 The man and the woman stop maybe fifty feet away。
Their legs； too； are wide apart so that they do not fall down； and
their bodies rock to and fro。 The stranger…man is very weak。 His
arm shakes； so that when he shoots at the man his bullet strikes in
the snow。 The man cannot take off his mitten。 The stranger…man
shoots at him again； and this time the bullet goes by in the air。
Then the man take