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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
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Smoke Bellew
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
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Smoke Bellew
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 Creek
how 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
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Smoke Bellew
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 sev