Gilpin observer., 1912-01-25
CHAPTER ii-contInusd.

"of course he'll make it." Kearns
whispered In Bettles' ear. And
there's five hundred Daylight's back
in sixty days." he added aloud.
Billy Rawlins closed with the wager.
and BEETLES hugged Kearns ecstatical-
ly.
by Jupiter, l ban take that bet"
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 a long
time between drinks. so pay now.
Name your brand, you hochinoos!
Name your brandt"
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
ear-flaps. Kama stood outside by the
sled, q long. narrow affair, sixteen
inches wide and seven and a half feet
in length. Its Slated bottom raised six
inches above the steelshod runners.
On 1t. lashed 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 q 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.
In appearance and in all their charac-
teristics. On top the sled load. thrust
under the lashings and ready for i'm
mediate use, were two pairs OF snow
shoes. Daylight was saying good-by
70 those who clustered around him.
The Virgin wanted to kiss him. and.
fuddled slightly though he was with
the whisky. he saw his way out with
out compromising with the apron
string. He kissed the Virgin. but he
kissed the other three women with
equal partiality. He pulled on his
long mittens. reused the dogs to their
feet. and took his place at the gee
pole.
''Mush. you beauties!" he cried.
The animals threw their weights
against their breastbands on the IN
stant. crouching low to the snow and
digging In their claws. They whined
eagerly. and before the sled had gone
half a dozen lengths both Daylight
and Kama lin the rear) were running
TO keep up. And 30. running. man and
dogs dipped over the bank and down
to the frozen bed Of the Yukon. and in
the gray light were gone. On the
river. where was a packed trail and
where snowshoes were unnecessary.
the dogs averaged six miles an hour.
To keep up with them. the two men
were compelled to run. Daylight and
Kama relieved each other regularly
At the gee-pole. for here was the hard
work Of steering the flying sled and
Of keeping in advance OF 1t. The man
relieved dropped behind the sled. oc-
casionally leaping upon It and resting.
Az II through wall. Daylight had
passed from the hum and roar Of the
Tivoli into another world-a world Of
silence and immobility. Nothing
stirred. The Yukon slept under coat
Of lee three feet thick.
The cold snap continued. Only men
OF iron kept the trail at such low
temperatures, and Kama and Day
light we're picked men of their races.
But Kama knew the other was the bet
ter man, and thus. at the start. he was
himself foredoomed to defeat Not
that he slackened his effort or willing
ness by the slightest degree. but that
he was beaten by the burden he car
ried in his mind. His attitude toward
Daylight was worshipful. Stoical. tao
turn. proud Of his physical prowess,
he found all these qualities incarnated
In his white companion.