Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-10-28

capped ali they had done by dragging
the sled in over the wooden noo,.
They came in with rush, ana wiz
them rushed in the frost, visible
\ yanor of smoking white, through
which their heads and backs sho"eu,
as they strained in the harness. III
thew had all the seeming of swimming
: in a river. Behind them, at the gee
pole, came Daylight, hidden to inc
knees by the swirling frost through
which ne appeared. to wade. He was
the same old Daylight, withal lean
and tired-looking, and his black eyes
were sparkling and flashing brighter
than ever. His parka of cotton drill
hooded him like a monk, and fell IN
straight lines to his knees. Grimed
and scorched by camp-smoke and t1re,
the garment in itself told the story OK
his trip. A two-months' beard COW
cred his face; and the beard, in turn,
was matted with the ice Of his breath
ing through the long seventy-mlle
run.
He experienced thrill of surprise
as the roar of welcome went up and
as every familiar detail OF the TlVola
greeted his vision-the long bar ana
the array of bottles, the gamphng
games, the big stove, the weigher ae
the gold.scales, the musicians, the
men and women, the Virgin, Cel1ai
and Nellie, Dan Macdonald, Bettles'
Billy Rawlins, Olaf Henderson, Doc
Watson-all of them. It was just as
he had left it, and in all seeming
it might we'll be the very day he had
left The sixty days Of incessant trav-
ell through the white wilderness sud
denly telcscoped, and had no exls-
tence in time. They were moment,
an incident. He had plunged out and
into them through the wall of silence,
and back through the wall OF silence
he had plunged, apparently the next
instant, and into the roar and tur-
moil Of the TiVoli.
He drew a deep breath and cried:
1.-THE winner pays, and I'm the WIN
ner, amt 1? Surge up, you-all Male
mutss and Siwashes, and name your
poison! There's your Dyea mall
straight from Salt Water, and no horn
swogglin about It! Cast the lashings
adrift, you-all, and wade into it,"
A dozen pairs Of hands were at the
sled-lashings, when the young LIE
Barge Indian, bending at the same
task, suddenly and Imply straight
ened up. In his eyes was great sur
prise. He stared about him wildly
for the thing he was undergoing was
new to him. He was profoundly
struck by an unguessed limitation. he
shook as with a palsy, and he gave at
the knees. slowly sinking down to fall
suddenly across the sled and to know
The smashing blow of darkness across
his consciousness.
Exhaustion" said Daylight rake
him off and put him to bed, some OF
you-all. He's sure good Indian.
A few minutes later, Daylight was
whirling around the dance-tloor, waltz
ing with the Virgin. And small won
del; it was that the Virgin yielded her
self to his arms, as they danced dance
after dance, and sick at heart at the
knowledge that he found nothing IN
her more than a good friend and an
excellent dancer. Small consolation
it was to know that he never loved
any woman. She was sick with love OF
him, and he danced with her as he
would dance with any woman, as ne
would dance with a man who was
good dancer and upon whose arm was
tied a handkerchief to conyentionalize
him into woman.
At one in the morning he saw Elijah
Davis herding Henry Finn and Joe
Hines, the lumber-jack, toward the
door. Daylight interfered.
Where are you-all going?" he de-
handed, attempting to draw them to
the bar.
Bed" Elijah Davis answered.
"Got to-" Joe Hines added apollo
getically. "We're mushing out in the
mornin'."
Daylight still detained them.
Where to? What's the excite
ment?"
NO excitement" Elijah explained.
Were just a-goin' to play your
bunch, an tackle the Upper Country
Don't you want to come along?"
81 sure do" Daylight affirmed.
But the question had been put in
fun, and Elijah ignored the accept
ance.
We're tacklin' the Stewart" he
went on. "Al Mayo told me he seen
some likely lookin' bars first time ne
come down the Stewart, and were
goin to sample 'em while the rivers
froze. You listen, Daylight, an marx
my words, the times comm when
winter diggin's II be all the 60
Therell be men in them days that'll
laugh at our summer scratchin' an
sround.wallerin'."
Elijah laughed, gathered his two
~, a