按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Fetch it all out！〃 Shunk Wilson thundered。
And out came the big nugget； first…size； yellow as no gold any
onlooker had ever seen。 Shunk Wilson gasped。 Half a dozen； catching
one glimpse； made a break for the door。 They reached it at the same
moment； and； with cursing and scuffling； jammed and pivoted through。
The judge emptied the contents of the pepper can on the table； and the
sight of the rough lump…gold sent half a dozen more toward the door。
〃Where are you goin'？〃 Eli Harding asked； as Shunk started to follow。
〃For my dogs； of course。〃
〃Ain't you goin' to hang him？〃
〃It'd take too much time right now。 He'll keep till we get back； so I
reckon this court is adjourned。 This ain't no place for lingerin'。〃
Harding hesitated。 He glanced savagely at Smoke； saw Pierre
beckoning to Louis from the doorway； took one last look at the lump… gold
on the table； and decided。
〃No use you tryin' to get away；〃 he flung back over his shoulder。
〃Besides； I'm goin' to borrow your dogs。〃
〃What is itanother one of them blamed stampedes？〃 the old blind
trapper asked in a queer and petulant falsetto； as the cries of men and dogs
and the grind of the sleds swept the silence of the room。
〃It sure is；〃 Lucy answered。 〃An' I never seen gold like it。 Feel that；
old man。〃
She put the big nugget in his hand。 He was but slightly interested。
98
… Page 99…
Smoke Bellew
〃It was a good fur…country；〃 he complained； 〃before them danged
miners come in an' scared back the game。〃
The door opened； and Breck entered。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃we four are all that are left in camp。 It's forty miles
to the Stewart by the cut…off I broke； and the fastest of them can't make the
round trip in less than five or six days。 But it's time you pulled out；
Smoke； just the same。〃
Breck drew his hunting knife across the other's bonds； and glanced at
the woman。
〃I hope you don't object？〃 he said； with significant politeness。
〃If there's goin' to be any shootin'；〃 the blind man broke out； 〃I wish
somebody'd take me to another cabin first。〃
〃Go on； an' don't mind me；〃 Lucy answered。 〃If I ain't good enough
to hang a man； I ain't good enough to hold him。〃
Smoke stood up； rubbing his wrists where the thongs had impeded the
circulation。
〃I've got a pack all ready for you；〃 Breck said。 〃Ten days' grub；
blankets； matches； tobacco； an axe； and a rifle。〃
〃Go to it；〃 Lucy encouraged。 〃Hit the high places； Stranger。 Beat it
as fast as God'll let you。〃
〃I'm going to have a square meal before I start；〃 Smoke said。 〃And
when I start it will be up the McQuestion； not down。 I want you to go
along with me； Breck。 We're going to search that other bank for the man
that really did the killing。〃
〃If you'll listen to me； you'll head down for the Stewart and the
Yukon；〃 Breck objected。 〃When this gang gets back from my low…grade
hydraulic proposition； it will be seeing red。〃
Smoke laughed and shook his head。
〃I can't jump this country； Breck。 I've got interests here。 I've got to
stay and make good。 I don't care whether you believe me or not； but I've
found Surprise Lake。 That's where that gold came from。 Besides； they
took my dogs； and I've got to wait to get them back。 Also； I know what
I'm about。 There was a man hidden on that bank。 He came pretty close
to emptying his magazine at me。〃
99
… Page 100…
Smoke Bellew
Half an hour afterward； with a big plate of moose…steak before him and
a big mug of coffee at his lips； Smoke half…started up from his seat。 He
had heard the sounds first。 Lucy threw open the door。
〃Hello； Spike； hello； Methody；〃 she greeted the two frost…rimed men
who were bending over the burden on their sled。
〃We just come down from Upper Camp；〃 one said； as the pair
staggered into the room with a fur…wrapped object which they handled
with exceeding gentleness。 〃An' this is what we found by the way。 He's
all in； I guess。〃
〃Put him in the near bunk there；〃 Lucy said。 She bent over and
pulled back the furs； disclosing a face composed principally of large；
staring； black eyes； and of skin； dark and scabbed by repeated frost…bite；
tightly stretched across the bones。
〃If it ain't Alonzo！〃 she cried。 〃You pore； starved devil！〃
〃That's the man on the other bank；〃 Smoke said in an undertone to
Breck。
〃We found it raidin' a cache that Harding must a…made；〃 one of the
men was explaining。 〃He was eatin' raw flour an' frozen bacon； an' when
we got 'm he was cryin' an' squealin' like a hawk。 Look at him！ He's all
starved； an' most of him frozen。 He'll kick at any moment。〃
。 。 。 。 。
Half an hour later； when the furs had been drawn over the face of the
still form in the bunk； Smoke turned to Lucy。
〃If you don't mind； Mrs Peabody； I'll have another whack at that steak。
Make it thick and not so well done。〃
100
… Page 101…
Smoke Bellew
THE RACE FOR NUMBER ONE。
I。
〃Huh！ Get on to the glad rags！〃
Shorty surveyed his partner with simulated disapproval； and Smoke；
vainly attempting to rub the wrinkles out of the pair of trousers he had just
put on； was irritated。
〃They sure fit you close for a second…hand buy；〃 Shorty went on。
〃What was the tax？〃
〃One hundred and fifty for the suit；〃 Smoke answered。 〃The man
was nearly my own size。 I thought it was remarkable reasonable。 What
are you kicking about？〃
〃Who？ Me？ Oh； nothin'。 I was just thinkin' it was goin' some for
a meat…eater that hit Dawson in an ice…jam； with no grub； one suit of
und