the faith of men-第15章

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fell　along　the　way　to　Indian　River。　　Here　a　fresh…killed　moose　and

an　open…handed　old…timer　gave　him　and　his　dogs　new　strength；　and　at

Ainslie's　he　felt　repaid　for　it　all　when　a　stampede；　ripe　from

Dawson　in　five　hours；　was　sure　he　could　get　a　dollar　and　a　quarter

for　every　egg　he　possessed。



He　came　up　the　steep　bank　by　the　Dawson　barracks　with　fluttering

heart　and　shaking　knees。　　The　dogs　were　so　weak　that　he　was　forced

to　rest　them；　and；　waiting；　he　leaned　limply　against　the　gee…pole。

A　man；　an　eminently　decorous…looking　man；　came　sauntering　by　in　a

great　bearskin　coat。　　He　glanced　at　Rasmunsen　curiously；　then

stopped　and　ran　a　speculative　eye　over　the　dogs　and　the　three

lashed　sleds。



〃What　you　got？〃　he　asked。



〃Eggs；〃　Rasmunsen　answered　huskily；　hardly　able　to　pitch　his　voice

above　a　whisper。



〃Eggs！　　Whoopee！　　Whoopee！〃　　He　sprang　up　into　the　air；　gyrated

madly；　and　finished　with　half…a…dozen　war　steps。　　〃You　don't　say

all　of　'em？〃



〃All　of　'em。〃



〃Say；　you　must　be　the　Egg　Man。〃　　He　walked　around　and　viewed

Rasmunsen　from　the　other　side。　　〃Come；　now；　ain't　you　the　Egg　Man？〃



Rasmunsen　didn't　know；　but　supposed　he　was；　and　the　man　sobered

down　a　bit。



〃What　d'ye　expect　to　get　for　'em？〃　he　asked　cautiously。



Rasmunsen　became　audacious。　〃Dollar　'n　a　half；〃　he　said。



〃Done！〃　the　man　came　back　promptly。　　〃Gimme　a　dozen。〃



〃II　mean　a　dollar　'n　a　half　apiece；〃　Rasmunsen　hesitatingly

explained。



〃Sure。　　I　heard　you。　　Make　it　two　dozen。　　Here's　the　dust。〃



The　man　pulled　out　a　healthy　gold　sack　the　size　of　a　small　sausage

and　knocked　it　negligently　against　the　gee…pole。　　Rasmunsen　felt　a

strange　trembling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　a　tickling　of　the

nostrils；　and　an　almost　overwhelming　desire　to　sit　down　and　cry。

But　a　curious；　wide…eyed　crowd　was　beginning　to　collect；　and　man

after　man　was　calling　out　for　eggs。　　He　was　without　scales；　but　the

man　with　the　bearskin　coat　fetched　a　pair　and　obligingly　weighed　in

the　dust　while　Rasmunsen　passed　out　the　goods。　　Soon　there　was　a

pushing　and　shoving　and　shouldering；　and　a　great　clamour。

Everybody　wanted　to　buy　and　to　be　served　first。　　And　as　the

excitement　grew；　Rasmunsen　cooled　down。　　This　would　never　do。

There　must　be　something　behind　the　fact　of　their　buying　so　eagerly。

It　would　be　wiser　if　he　rested　first　and　sized　up　the　market。

Perhaps　eggs　were　worth　two　dollars　apiece。　　Anyway；　whenever　he

wished　to　sell；　he　was　sure　of　a　dollar　and　a　half。　　〃Stop！〃　he

cried；　when　a　couple　of　hundred　had　been　sold。　　〃No　more　now。　　I'm

played　out。　　I've　got　to　get　a　cabin；　and　then　you　can　come　and　see

me。〃



A　groan　went　up　at　this；　but　the　man　with　the　bearskin　coat

approved。　　Twenty…four　of　the　frozen　eggs　went　rattling　in　his

capacious　pockets；　and　he　didn't　care　whether　the　rest　of　the　town

ate　or　not。　　Besides；　he　could　see　Rasmunsen　was　on　his　last　legs。



〃There's　a　cabin　right　around　the　second　corner　from　the　Monte

Carlo；〃　he　told　him〃the　one　with　the　sody…bottle　window。　　It

ain't　mine；　but　I've　got　charge　of　it。　　Rents　for　ten　a　day　and

cheap　for　the　money。　　You　move　right　in；　and　I'll　see　you　later。

Don't　forget　the　sody…bottle　window。〃



〃Tra…la…loo！〃　he　called　back　a　moment　later。　　〃I'm　goin'　up　the

hill　to　eat　eggs　and　dream　of　home。〃



On　his　way　to　the　cabin；　Rasmunsen　recollected　he　was　hungry　and

bought　a　small　supply　of　provisions　at　the　N。　A。　T。　&　T。　store

also　a　beefsteak　at　the　butcher　shop　and　dried　salmon　for　the　dogs。

He　found　the　cabin　without　difficulty；　and　left　the　dogs　in　the

harness　while　he　started　the　fire　and　got　the　coffee　under　way。



A　dollar　'n　a　half　apieceone　thousand　dozeneighteen　thousand

dollars！〃　he　kept　muttering　it　to　himself；　over　and　over；　as　he

went　about　his　work。



As　he　flopped　the　steak　into　the　frying…pan　the　door　opened。　　He

turned。　　It　was　the　man　with　the　bearskin　coat。　　He　seemed　to　come

in　with　determination；　as　though　bound　on　some　explicit　errand；　but

as　he　looked　at　Rasmunsen　an　expression　of　perplexity　came　into　his

face。



〃I　saynow　I　say〃　he　began；　then　halted。



Rasmunsen　wondered　if　he　wanted　the　rent。



〃I　say；　damn　it；　you　know；　them　eggs　is　bad。〃



Rasmunsen　staggered。　　He　felt　as　though　some　one　had　struck　him　an

astounding　blow　between　the　eyes。　　The　walls　of　the　cabin　reeled

and　tilted　up。　　He　put　out　his　hand　to　steady　himself　and　rested　it

on　the　stove。　　The　sharp　pain　and　the　smell　of　the　burning　flesh

brought　him　back　to　himself。



〃I　see；〃　he　said　slowly；　fumbling　in　his　pocket　for　the　sack。　　〃You

want　your　money　back。〃



〃It　ain't　the　money；〃　the　man　said；　〃but　hain't　you　got　any　eggs

good？〃



Rasmunsen　shook　his　head。　　〃You'd　better　take　the　money。〃



But　the　man　refused　and　backed　away。　　〃I'll　come　back；〃　he　said；

〃when　you've　taken　stock；　and　get　what's　comin'。〃



Rasmunsen　rolled　the　chopping…block　into　the　cabin　and　carried　in

the　eggs。　　He　went　about　it　quite　calmly。　　He　took　up　the　hand…axe；

and；　one　by　one；　chopped　the　eggs　in　half。　　These　halves　he

examined　carefully　and　let　fall　to　the　floor。　　At　first　he　sampled

from　the　different　cases；　then　deliberately　emptied　one　case　at　a

time。　　The　heap　on　the　floor　grew　larger。　　The　coffee　boiled　over

and　the　smoke　of　the　burning　beefsteak　filled　the　cabin。　　He

chopped　steadfastly　and　monotonously　till　the　last　case　was

finished。



Somebody　knocked　at　the　door；　knocked　again；　and　let　himself　in。



〃What　a　mess！〃　he　remarked；　as　he　paused　and　surveyed　the　scene。



The　severed　eggs　were　beginning　to　thaw　in　the　heat　of　the　stove；

and　a　miserable　odour　was　growing　stronger。



〃Must　a…happened　on　the　steamer；〃　he　suggested。



Rasmunsen　looked　at　him　long　and　blankly。



〃I'm　Murray；　Big　Jim　Murray；　everybody　knows　me；〃　the　man

volunteered。　　〃I'm　just　hearin'　your　eggs　is　rotten；　and　I'm

offerin'　you　two　hundred　for　the　batch。　　They　ain't　good　as　salmon；

but　still　they're　fair　scoffin's　for　dogs。〃



Rasmunsen　seemed　turned　to　stone。　　He　did　not　move。　　〃You　go　to

hell；〃　he　said　passionlessly。



〃Now　just　consider。　　I　pride　myself　it's　a　decent　price　for　a　mess

like　that；　and　it's　better　'n　nothin'。　　Two　hundred。　　What　you

say？〃



〃You　go　to　hell；〃　Rasmunsen　repeated　softly；　〃and　get　out　of　here。〃



Murray　gaped　with　a　great　awe；　then　went　out　carefully；　backward；

with　his　eyes　fixed　an　the　other's　face。



Rasmunsen　followed　him　out　and　turned　the　dogs　loose。　　He　threw

them　all　the　salmon　he　had　bought；　and　coiled　a　sled…lashing　up　in

his　hand。　　Then　he　re…entered　the　cabin　and　drew　the　latch　in　after

him。　　The　smoke　from　the　cindered　steak　made　his　eyes　smart。　　He

stood　on　the　bunk；　passed　the　lashing　over　the　ridge…pole；　and

measured　the　swing…off　with　his　eye。　　It　did　not　seem　to　satisfy；

for　he　put　the　stool　on　the　bunk　and　climbed　upon　the　stool。　　He

drove　a　noose　in　the　end　of　the　lashing　and　slipped　his　head

through。　　The　other　end　he　made　fast。　　Then　he　kicked　the　stool　out

from　under。







THE　MARRIAGE　OF　LIT…LIT







When　John　Fox　came　into　a　country　where　whisky　freezes　solid　and

may　be　used　as　a　paper…weight　for　a　large　part　of　the　year；　he　came

without　the　ideals　and　illusions　that　usually　hamper　the　progress

of　more　delicately　nurtured　adventurers。　　Born　and　reared　on　the

frontier　fringe　of　the　United　States；　he　took　with　him　into　Canada

a　primitive　cast　of　mind；　an　elemental　simplicity　and　grip　on

things；　as　it　were；　that　insured　him　immediate　success　in　his　new

career。　　From　a　mere　servant　of　the　Hudson　Bay　Company；　driving　a

paddle　with　the　voyageurs　and　carrying　goods　on　his　back　across　the

portages；　he　swiftly　rose　to　a　Factorship　and　took　charge　of　a

trading　post　at　Fort　Angelus。



Here；　because　of　his　elemental　simplicity；　he　took　to　himself　a

native　wife；　and；　by　reason　of　the　connubial　bliss　that　followed；

he　escaped　the　unrest　and　vain　longings　that　curse　the　days　of　more

fastidious　men；　spoil　their　work；　and　conquer　them　in　the　end。　　He

lived　contentedly；　was　at　single　purposes　with　the　business　he　was

set　there　to　do；　and　achieved　a　brilliant　record　in　the　service　of

the　Company。　　About　this　time　his　wife　died；　was　claimed　by　her

people；　and　buried　with　savage　circumstance　in　a　tin　trunk　in　the

top　of　a　tree。



Two　sons　she　had　borne　him；　and　when　the　Company　promoted　him；　he

journeyed　with　them　still　deeper　into　the　vastness　of　the　North…

West　Territory　to　a　place　called　Sin　Rock；　where　he　took　charge　of

a　new　post　in　a　more　important　fur　field。　　Here　he　spent　several

lonely　and　depressing　months；　eminently　disgusted　with　the

unprepossessing　appearance　of　the　Indian　maidens；　and　greatly

worried　by　his　growing　sons　who　stood　in　need　of　a　mother's　care。

Then　his　eyes　chanced　upon　Lit…lit。



〃Lit…litwell；　she　is　Lit…lit；〃　was　the　fashion　in　which　he

despairingly　described　her　to　his　chief　clerk；　Alexander　McLean。



McLean　was　too　fresh　from　his　Scottish　upbringing〃not　dry　behind

the　ears　yet；〃　John　Fox　put　itto　take　to　the　marriage　customs　of

the　country。　　Nevertheless　he　was　not　averse　to　the　Factor's

imperilling　his　own　immortal　soul；　and；　especially；　feeling　an

ominous　attraction　himself　for　Lit…lit；　he　was　sombrely　content　to

clinch　his　own　soul's　safety　by　seeing　her　married　to　the　Factor。



Nor　is　it　to　be　wondered　that　McLean's　austere　Scotch　soul　stood　in

danger　of　being　thawed　in　the　sunshine　of　Lit…lit's　eyes。　　She　was

pretty；　and　slender；　and　willowy；　without　the　massive　face　and

temperamental　stolidity　of　the　average　squaw。　　〃Lit…lit；〃　so　called

from　her　fashion；　even　as　a　child；　of　being　fluttery；　of　darting

about　from　place　to　place　like　a　butterfly；　of　being　inconsequent

and　merry；　and　of　laughing　as　lightly　as　she　darted　and　danced

about。



Lit…lit　was　the　daughter　of　Snettishane；　a　prominent　chief　in　the

tribe；　by　a　half…breed　mother；　and　to　him　the　Factor　fared　casually

one　summer　day　to　open　negotiations　of　marriage。　　He　sat　with　the

chief　in　the　smoke　of　a　mosquito　smudge　before　his　lodge；　and

together　they　talked　about　everything　under　the　sun；　or；　at　least；

everything　that　in　the　Northland　is　under　the　sun；　with　the　sole

exception　of　marriage。　　John　Fox　had　come　particularly　to　talk　of

marriage；　Snettishane　knew　it；　and　John　Fox　knew　he　knew　it；

wherefore　the　subject　was　religiously　avoided。　　This　is　alleged　to

be　Indian　subtlety。　　In　reality　it　is　transparent　simplicity。



The　hours　slipped　by；　and　Fox　and　Snettishane　smoked　interminable

pipes；　looking　each　other　in　the　eyes　with　a　guilelessness　superbly

histrionic。　　In　the　mid…afternoon　McLean　and　his　brother　clerk；

McTavish；　strolled　past；　innocently　uninterested；　on　their　way　to

the　river。　　When　they　strolled　back　again　an　hour　later；　Fox　and

Snettishane　had　attained　to　a　ceremonious　discussion　of　the

condition　and　quality　of　the　gunp