The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-10-26

from the grass roots down, a hun
dred dollars to the pan, and a STAN
pede In from the Outside fifty thou
sand strong" =
"If | was you, Daylight, I wouldn't
mush today" Joe Hines counseled,
coming in from consulting the spirit
thermometer outside the door. We're
in for good cold snap. It's sixtytwo
below now, and still goin' down. Bet
ter wait till she breaks"
Daylight laughed, and the old sour
coughs around him laughed.
Its thousand miles to Dyea," Bet
ties announced, climbing on the chair
and supporting his swaying body by
an arm passed around Daylight's neck.
Its a thousand miles, I'm saying, an
most of the train unbroke, but l bet
any chechaquo-anything he wants
, that Daylight makes Dyea in thirty
days"
That's an average of over thirty
three miles a day." Doc Watson
warned, "and I've travelled some my
self A blizzard on Chilcoot would
tie him up for week"
yep" BEETLES retorted, can Day.
light1l do the second thousand back
again on end in thirty days more, and
got FIVE thousand dollars that says
SO, and damn the billiards.
To emphasize his remarks, he
pulled out a gold sack the size of
bologna sausage and thumped it down
On the bar. Doc Watson thumped his
own sack alongside.
Hold on" Daylight cried BEETLES
right, and I want in On this Il bet
five hundred that sixty days from now
1 pull up at the Tivoli door with the
Dyea mall
A skeptical roar went up, and doz-
en- men pulled out their sacks.
"Of course he'll make it," Kearns
| whispered in BEETLES ear. ''And
| there's five hundred Daylight's back
in sixty days." he added aloud.
Billy Rawlins closed with the wager,
and BEETLES Rugged Kearns ecstatical
ly.
"By Jupiter, I ban take that bel" "
Olaf Henderson said, dragging Day
light away from BEETLES and Kearns.
Winner pays!" Daylight shouted,
closing the wager. and I'm sure go
ing to win, and sixty days is long
time between drinks, so I pay now.
Name your brand, you hochinoos!
Name your brand"
| Somebody opened the outer door. A
vague gray light filtered in.
Burning Daylight, Burning Day.
light" some one called warningly.
Daylight paused for nothing, head
ing for the door and pulling down his
lear-faps. Kama stood outside by the
sled, long, narrow affair, sixteen
inches wide and seven and a half feet
in length its Slated bottom raised six
inches above the steel-shod runners
! On it. dashed with thongs of moose
hide, were the light canvas bags that
contained the mail, and the food and
gear for dogs and men. In front OF
1t, in single line, lay curled five
frost-rimmed dogs. They were husk
les, matched in size and color, all un
!, usually large and all gray. From their
cruel jaws to their bushy tails they
were as like as peas in their likeness
to timber wolves. Wolves they were
domesticated, it was true, but wolves
! in appearance and in all their charac
! teristics. On top the sled load, thrus'
under the lashings and ready for i'm
, mediate use, were two pairs of snow
shoes. Daylight was saying good-by
to those who clustered around him
, The Virgin wanted to kiss him, and
I fuddled slightly though he was witt
the whisky, he saw his way out with
! out compromising with the apron
, string. He kissed the Virgin, bat b
kissed the other three women will
equal partially. He pulled on hi
j long mittens, reused the dogs to thei
5 feet. and took his place at the gee