Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-08-12


beads for a good many years. Then
| went into the interior to try to
| find him | got in with some moose
| hunters and Travelled one whole sum.
mer and part of a winter and nearly
| starved an froze hundred times,
but not a word could / hear OF him,
so ! suppose / am doomed to make
my last voyage from this port When
| meet my captain on that unknown
sea to which we are all steerin', I'll
tell him | kept my promise
When the exsailor had finished his
story a silence fell on the group. No
one spoke for several minutes.
The youth known only by the
sobriquct Of "Cracl1 Lash" sat gazing
abstractedly into the fire. IIo had
heard no part OF the story, for his
mind was stlll on his far-away home,
wncre dwelt mother and the fair
being who had promised to be his
wife, for whom he had braved the
dangers of the wilderness.
At early morn the little camp on
the Yukon was astir. Paul was the
AttNA w AN dhfs lbulll - utulllll III
and innocent, so sleep fingers longer
about its eyelids than those whose
bodies are freighted with disease or
minds burdenod with cares.
Where's Gcorge?" asked Gid. as he
toasted steaks.
Been gone these two hours" Big
Port answered.
"Alone?'
Yes"
That's strange"
Breakfast was disposed of, the dogs
fed and harnessed and the party pre-.
pared Cor their Journey up the river
TO Dawson City, then an Insignificant
village, and yet lucky George had not
returned
As the sun rose higher the mud and
snow made travel more uncomfortable.
yet Paul trudged on. uncomplainingly
He could bear any burden or hard
ship without a murmur when he re-
hccted that II was for Laura Her
presence gave strength to his arm
and keenness to his eye. spurring him
on to efforts more than superhuman.
When they halted at noon they were
compelled to get to leeward of the
smoke to protect themselves from the
MOSQUITOES. But little had been said
of their missing companion. Lucky
George. Gid followed his trail through
the snow without difficulty, and gave
it as his opinion that he was going
straight to Dawson City.
Glum RaIston, who had not eX-
pressed an opinion on the subject for
some time. at last said
Boys, | heard him say somethin'
one day bout goin up the Klondyke."
What for?' asked Gid
Said squaw man told him there
was heaps O. gold along that air
Glum informed him it was one of |
the tributaries of the Youkon which |
had been but very lite. explored Gid |
remained with his head bowed for a |
few moments. his mind lost in thought. |
At last he said:
Boys, he's tryin' to give us the
slip, | am afeard, or run cold deck !
)n U.S." said Gid.
What If he does asked Port
We don't lose much"
I'VE might if he struck pay dirt
said Gid
Won't we be just as likely to strike
pay dirt as George?'
mo"
"Why?"
Because George is alters In luck.
Every time he draws from the deck
is trump. If n feller holds a
straight George has flush. I'll gam
he my dogs an packs that he makes
/ ten strick right now"
There was silence, and the men
iat and smoked and steamed, to drive
away the mosquitoes. At last Paul
,roke the silence by saying:
IF there is gold on the Klondyke
ct us 80 and find Il ourselves"
Now yer shoutin'," cried the pros
'ectors. why not so to the Klon-
lykc oursclye1?"
Truth is, boys said Glum, "I've
lever had any very exalted opinion O.
lucky Georges honesty. II he makes
big strike we can, O course, come
n for a claim. but he'll strike out
he best an work on the others with.
MT us a-knowin' II"
They decided to set out at once for
he Klondyke. 1t was journey at
ended from beginning to end with
.reat danger and hardship. Glum
Ialston was the only member of their
arty who had been on the stream,
nd he acted as guide.
Again night came on. and they went
nto camp and prepared their sup
ors. Paul was a little disheartoned
n this night. Continual disappoint-
lent had made him heart-sick. Ris-
ng to relieve his cramped limbs. he
nrred his back toward the fire and
a&ed across the woodcovered hill
lto the darkness beyond. To his sur