Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-03-08

tue street. lie was Il big, hulking In
dian. clad in approved white man
style. with an Ell Dorado kings som
Grcro On lis lead. He talked with I'm
Der haltingly. with throaty spasms
jimmy WAS Il Sitkan, possessed of nc
more than Il passing knowledge of the
interior dialects.
Him Whitciish man." he said to
Emily Travis. Me savve um talk nc
very much. Linn want TO look see chief
white man"
THE governor" suggested Dicken-
sen.
Jimmy talked some more with the
N'hitciish man. and his face became
grave and puzzled.
Il tink um want Cap'n Alexander,
he explained Him say um kill white
man. white woman. white boy, plenty
Kill um white people. Him want to
die"
Insane. guess" said Dickensen.
What you call dat!"
Dickcnscn thrust a finger tiguratively
inside his head and impaired a rotary
motion thereto.
"Aiebbe so. mebbe So" said Jimmy
returning to lmber. who still demanded
the chief man of the white men.
\ mounted policeman (unmounted
for Klondike serviceJ joined the group
and heard Imber's wish repeated. He
was a stalwart young fellow, broad
shouldcrcd. deep chested. legs clean
| built and stretched wide apart. and,
tall though Imber was. he lowered
above him by head. His eyes were
cool and gray and steady. and he car
ricd himself with the peculiar conf
dcnce of power that is bred Of blood
and tradition. His splendid masculia-
ity was emphasized by his excessive
buyiShness-he was Il mere lad-and
his smooth cheek promised blush rs
willingly as the cheek of maid.
Imbar was drawn TO him ut once.
The fire lcapcd into his eyes ut sight OF
sabcr slash that Scared his cheek.
He ran Il withercd hand down the
young fellows leg and caressed the
swelling thew. He smote the broad
chest with his knuckles and pressed
and proddcd the thick muscle pads that
covered The shoulders like cuirass.
The group had been added to by curl
Gus p&sscrsby - husky miners. noun
tuineers and fronticrsmen. sons Of the
long legged and broad shouldsred gen
erations. lmber glanced from one To
another. Then he spoke aloud in the
Whitciish tongue.
what dill he say?" asked Dickensen.
"IIim say um all the same one man
dat p'liceman." Jimmy interpreted.
Little nickcns2n was little, and be-
cause of Miss Travis he felt sorry for
having asked the question. The police
man was sorry for him and stepped
into the breach.
Il fancy there may be something in
his story I'll take him up TO the cap
tain for examination Tell him to come
along with me. Jimmy"
Jimmy INDUCED in more throaty
spasms. and Imber grunted and looked
satisfied.
But ask him what he said, Jimmy
and what lie meant when lie took hold
of my arm" So spoke Emily Travis.
and Jimmy put the question and re-
ccived the answer.
Him say you no afraid" said jim
my
Emily Travis looked pleased
Him say YOU no skookum no strong.
I'LL the sane very soft like little baby
Him break you. in um two bands. To
little pieces. Him t'ink much funny.
very strange. how you can lie mother
of men so big. ST. strong. like dat piice
man."
Emily Travis kept her eyes up ana
unfaltCrng. but her cheeks were spray
ed with scarlet. Little DickenSen blush
ed and was quite embarrassed. The po'
licenans face blaZcd with his boy'S
blood.
Come along. YOU" he said grutlly.
setting his shoulder to the crowd ana
forcing Il way.
Thus it WAS that lmber found his
way 10 the barracks. where lie made
full and voluntary confession and from
the precincts of which he never emerg'
ed.
Imber looked very tired. The fatiSuv
of hopclpssncss and age was in hi'
face. His shoulders dropped d"presS
inelv. ard his eyes were lackluSter
His mop Of hair should have been
white. but sun and wcatherbcat had
burned and bitten it so that il hung
limp and lifeless and colorless. He took
interest in what went on around
l.m The court room was jammed with
the men Of the creeks and trails. and
there was an ominous note in the rum.
bic and grumble of their low pitched
voices which came to his ears like the
growl of the sea from deep caverns.
He sat close by window. and his
pathetic eyes rested now and again
on the dreary scene without. The sky
was overcast. and Il gray drizzle was
falling. 1t was flOOdtime on the fu'
kon. The ice was gone. and the river
was up in the town. Back and forts
on the main street, in canoes and pol
ing boats. passed the people that never
rested. Often lie saw these boats turI
aside from the street and enter the
i, flooded square that marked the bar
racks parade ground. Sometimes the!
disappeared beneath him. and he hearC
them Jar against the house logs anC
their occupants scramble in through
the window. After that came the
slush of water against mems legs a'
they waded across the lower room anl
mounted the stairs. Then they ap
peared in the doorway with doffed hats
and dripping sea boots and added them
selves to tie waiting crowd.
And while they centered their looks
on him, and in grim anticipation en-
ioyed the penalty he was to pay. I'm
Der looked at them and unused on theil
ways and on their law. which never
slept. but welt on unceasing I'D goo.
times and bad. in flood and famine
through trouble and terror and death
and which would go on unceasing, i
seemed to linn, to the end of time.
A man raped sharply on table
Il