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！
〃Look here； Pentfield；〃 he said； in a quiet； nervous manner； 〃I
can't allow that； you know。〃
〃Allow what？〃 Pentfield demanded brutally。
〃You implied that I lied。〃
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 came the reply。 〃I merely implied that you
were trying to be clumsily witty。〃
〃Make your bets； gentlemen；〃 the dealer protested。
〃But I tell you it's true；〃 Nick Inwood insisted。
〃And I have told you I've five hundred that says it's not in that
paper；〃 Pentfield answered； at the same time throwing a heavy sack
of dust on the table。
〃I am sorry to take your money；〃 was the retort； as Inwood thrust
the newspaper into Pentfield's hand。
Pentfield saw； though he could not quite bring himself to believe。
Glancing through the headline； 〃Young Lochinvar came out of the
North；〃 and skimming the article until the names of Mabel Holmes
and Corry Hutchinson； coupled together； leaped squarely before his
eyes； he turned to the top of the page。 It was a San Francisco
paper。
〃The money's yours； Inwood；〃 he remarked； with a short laugh。
〃There's no telling what that partner of mine will do when he gets
started。〃
Then he returned to the article and read it word for word； very
slowly and very carefully。 He could no longer doubt。 Beyond
dispute； Corry Hutchinson had married Mabel Holmes。 〃One of the
Bonanza kings；〃 it described him； 〃a partner with Lawrence
Pentfield （whom San Francisco society has not yet forgotten）； and
interested with that gentleman in other rich； Klondike properties。〃
Further； and at the end； he read； 〃It is whispered that Mr。 and
Mrs。 Hutchinson will； after a brief trip east to Detroit； make
their real honeymoon journey into the fascinating Klondike
country。〃
〃I'll be back again； keep my place for me；〃 Pentfield said； rising
to his feet and taking his sack； which meantime had hit the blower
and came back lighter by five hundred dollars。
He went down the street and bought a Seattle paper。 It contained
the same facts； though somewhat condensed。 Corry and Mabel were
indubitably married。 Pentfield returned to the Opera House and
resumed his seat in the game。 He asked to have the limit removed。
〃Trying to get action；〃 Nick Inwood laughed； as he nodded assent to
the dealer。 〃I was going down to the A。 C。 store； but now I guess
I'll stay and watch you do your worst。〃
This Lawrence Pentfield did at the end of two hours' plunging； when
the dealer bit the end off a fresh cigar and struck a match as he
announced that the bank was broken。 Pentfield cashed in for forty
thousand； shook hands with Nick Inwood； and stated that it was the
last time he would ever play at his game or at anybody's else's。
No one knew nor guessed that he had been hit； much less hit hard。
There was no apparent change in his manner。 For a week he went
about his work much as he had always done； when he read an account
of the marriage in a Portland paper。 Then he called in a friend to
take charge of his mine and departed up the Yukon behind his dogs。
He held to the Salt Water trail till White River was reached； into
which he turned。 Five days later he came upon a hunting camp of
the White River Indians。 In the evening there was a feast； and he
sat in honour beside the chief； and next morning he headed his dogs
back toward the Yukon。 But he no longer travelled alone。 A young
squaw fed his dogs for him that night and helped to pitch camp。
She had been mauled by a bear in her childhood and suffered from a
slight limp。 Her name was Lashka； and she was diffident at first
with the strange white man that had come out of the Unknown；
married her with scarcely a look or word； and now was carrying her
back with him into the Unknown。
But Lashka's was better fortune than falls to most Indian girls
that mate with white men in the Northland。 No sooner was Dawson
reached than the barbaric marriage that had joined them was re…
solemnized； in the white man's fashion； before a priest。 From
Dawson； which to her was all a marvel and a dream； she was taken
directly to the Bonanza claim and installed in the square…hewed
cabin on the hill。
The nine days' wonder that followed arose not so much out of the
fact of the squaw whom Lawrence Pentfield had taken to bed and
board as out of the ceremony that had legalized the tie。 The
properly sanctioned marriage was the one thing that passed the
community's comprehension。 But no one bothered Pentfield about it。
So long as a man's vagaries did no special hurt to the community；
the community let the man alone； nor was Pentfield barred from the
cabins of men who possessed white wives。 The marriage ceremony
removed him from the status of squaw…man and placed him beyond
moral reproach； though there were men that challenged his taste
where women were concerned。
No more letters arrived from the outside。 Six sledloads of mails
had been lost at the Big Salmon。 Besides； Pentfield knew that
Corry and his bride must by that time have started in over the
trail。 They were even then on their honeymoon tripthe honeymoon
trip he had dreamed of for himself through two dreary years。 His
lip curled with bitterness at the thought； but beyond being kinder
to Lashka he gave no sign。
March had passed and April was nearing its end； when； one spring
morning； Lashka asked permission to go down the creek several miles
to Siwash Pete's cabin。 Pete's wife； a Stewart River woman； had
sent up word that something was wrong with her baby； and Lashka；
who was pre…eminently a mother…woman and who held herself to be
truly wise in the matter of infantile troubles； missed no
opportunity of nursing the children of other women as yet more
fortunate than she。
Pentfield harnessed his dogs； and with Lashka behind took the trail
down the creek bed of Bonanza。 Spring was in the air。 The
sharpness had gone out of the bite of the frost and though snow
still covered the land； the murmur and trickling of water told that
the iron grip of winter was relaxing。 The bottom was dropping out
of the trail； and here and there a new trail had been broken around
open holes。 At such a place； where there was not room for two
sleds to pass； Pentfield heard the jingle of approaching bells and
stopped his dogs。
A team of tired…looking dogs appeared around the narrow bend；
followed by a heavily…loaded sled。 At the gee…pole was a man who
steered in a manner familiar to Pentfield； and behind the sled
walked two women。 His glance returned to the man at the gee…pole。
It was Corry。 Pentfield got on his feet and waited。 He was glad
that Lashka was with him。 The meeting could not have come about
better had it been planned； he thought。 And as he waited he
wondered what they would say； what they would be able to say。 As
for himself there was no need to say anything。 The explaining was
all on their side； and he was ready to listen to them。
As they drew in abreast； Corry recognized him and halted the dogs。
With a 〃Hello； old man；〃 he held out his hand。
Pentfield shook it； but without warmth or speech。 By this time the
two women had come up； and he noticed that the second one was Dora
Holmes。 He doffed his fur cap； the flaps of which were flying；
shook hands with her； and turned toward Mabel。 She swayed forward；
splendid and radiant； but faltered before his outstretched hand。
He had intended to say； 〃How do you do； Mrs。 Hutchinson？〃but
somehow； the Mrs。 Hutchinson had choked him； and all he had managed
to articulate was the 〃How do you do？〃
There was all the constraint and awkwardness in the situation he
could have wished。 Mabel betrayed the agitation appropriate to her
position； while Dora； evidently brought along as some sort of
peacemaker； was saying：…
〃Why； what is the matter； Lawrence？〃
Before he could answer； Corry plucked him by the sleeve and drew
him aside。
〃See here； old man； what's this mean？〃 Co