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anywhere between Chilkoot Pass and St。 Michael's； for the last
travellers of the year are always caught by the ice； when they
exchange boat for sled and dash on through the long hours behind
the flying dogs。
But no flying dogs came up the trail； nor down the trail； to Twenty
Mile。 And John Thompson told Jees Uck； with a certain gladness ill
concealed； that Bonner would never come back again。 Also； and
brutally； he suggested his own eligibility。 Jees Uck laughed in
his face and went back to her grand log…house。 But when midwinter
came； when hope dies down and life is at its lowest ebb； Jees Uck
found she had no credit at the store。 This was Thompson's doing；
and he rubbed his hands； and walked up and down； and came to his
door and looked up at Jees Uck's house and waited。 And he
continued to wait。 She sold her dog…team to a party of miners and
paid cash for her food。 And when Thompson refused to honour even
her coin； Toyaat Indians made her purchases； and sledded them up to
her house in the dark。
In February the first post came in over the ice； and John Thompson
read in the society column of a five…months…old paper of the
marriage of Neil Bonner and Kitty Sharon。 Jees Uck held the door
ajar and him outside while he imparted the information； and； when
he had done； laughed pridefully and did not believe。 In March； and
all alone； she gave birth to a man…child； a brave bit of new life
at which she marvelled。 And at that hour； a year later； Neil
Bonner sat by another bed； marvelling at another bit of new life
that had fared into the world。
The snow went off the ground and the ice broke out of the Yukon。
The sun journeyed north； and journeyed south again； and； the money
from the being spent； Jees Uck went back to her own people。 Oche
Ish； a shrewd hunter； proposed to kill the meat for her and her
babe； and catch the salmon； if she would marry him。 And Imego and
Hah Yo and Wy Nooch； husky young hunters all； made similar
proposals。 But she elected to live alone and seek her own meat and
fish。 She sewed moccasins and PARKAS and mittenswarm；
serviceable things； and pleasing to the eye； withal； what of the
ornamental hair…tufts and bead…work。 These she sold to the miners；
who were drifting faster into the land each year。 And not only did
she win food that was good and plentiful； but she laid money by；
and one day took passage on the Yukon Belle down the river。
At St。 Michael's she washed dishes in the kitchen of the post。 The
servants of the Company wondered at the remarkable woman with the
remarkable child； though they asked no questions and she vouchsafed
nothing。 But just before Bering Sea closed in for the year； she
bought a passage south on a strayed sealing schooner。 That winter
she cooked for Captain Markheim's household at Unalaska； and in the
spring continued south to Sitka on a whisky sloop。 Later on
appeared at Metlakahtla； which is near to St。 Mary's on the end of
the Pan…Handle； where she worked in the cannery through the salmon
season。 When autumn came and the Siwash fishermen prepared to
return to Puget Sound； she embarked with a couple of families in a
big cedar canoe； and with them she threaded the hazardous chaos of
the Alaskan and Canadian coasts； till the Straits of Juan de Fuca
were passed and she led her boy by the hand up the hard pave of
Seattle。
There she met Sandy MacPherson； on a windy corner； very much
surprised and； when he had heard her story； very wrothnot so
wroth as he might have been； had he known of Kitty Sharon； but of
her Jees Uck breathed not a word； for she had never believed。
Sandy； who read commonplace and sordid desertion into the
circumstance； strove to dissuade her from her trip to San
Francisco； where Neil Bonner was supposed to live when he was at
home。 And； having striven； he made her comfortable； bought her
tickets and saw her off； the while smiling in her face and
muttering 〃dam…shame〃 into his beard。
With roar and rumble； through daylight and dark； swaying and
lurching between the dawns； soaring into the winter snows and
sinking to summer valleys； skirting depths； leaping chasms；
piercing mountains； Jees Uck and her boy were hurled south。 But
she had no fear of the iron stallion； nor was she stunned by this
masterful civilization of Neil Bonner's people。 It seemed； rather；
that she saw with greater clearness the wonder that a man of such
godlike race had held her in his arms。 The screaming medley of San
Francisco； with its restless shipping； belching factories； and
thundering traffic； did not confuse her； instead； she comprehended
swiftly the pitiful sordidness of Twenty Mile and the skin…lodged
Toyaat village。 And she looked down at the boy that clutched her
hand and wondered that she had borne him by such a man。
She paid the hack…driver five pieces and went up the stone steps of
Neil Bonner's front door。 A slant…eyed Japanese parleyed with her
for a fruitless space； then led her inside and disappeared。 She
remained in the hall； which to her simply fancy seemed to be the
guest…roomthe show…place wherein were arrayed all the household
treasures with the frank purpose of parade and dazzlement。 The
walls and ceiling were of oiled and panelled redwood。 The floor
was more glassy than glare…ice； and she sought standing place on
one of the great skins that gave a sense of security to the
polished surface。 A huge fireplacean extravagant fireplace； she
deemed ityawned in the farther wall。 A flood of light； mellowed
by stained glass； fell across the room； and from the far end came
the white gleam of a marble figure。
This much she saw； and more； when the slant…eyed servant led the
way past another roomof which she caught a fleeting glanceand
into a third； both of which dimmed the brave show of the entrance
hall。 And to her eyes the great house seemed to hold out the
promise of endless similar rooms。 There was such length and
breadth to them； and the ceilings were so far away！ For the first
time since her advent into the white man's civilization； a feeling
of awe laid hold of her。 Neil； her Neil； lived in this house；
breathed the air of it； and lay down at night and slept！ It was
beautiful； all this that she saw； and it pleased her； but she felt；
also； the wisdom and mastery behind。 It was the concrete
expression of power in terms of beauty； and it was the power that
she unerringly divined。
And then came a woman； queenly tall； crowned with a glory of hair
that was like a golden sun。 She seemed to come toward Jees Uck as
a ripple of music across still water； her sweeping garment itself a
song； her body playing rhythmically beneath。 Jees Uck herself was
a man compeller。 There were Oche Ish and Imego and Hah Yo and Wy
Nooch； to say nothing of Neil Bonner and John Thompson and other
white men that had looked upon her and felt her power。 But she
gazed upon the wide blue eyes and rose…white skin of this wom