The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-03-08
CHAPTER Il.-contlnued.

''Of course he'll make IT," Kearns
whispered in BEETLES ear. And
there's five hundred Daylights back
IN sixty days" he added aloud.
Billy Rawlins closed with the wager
and BEETLES Rugged Kearns ecstatical'
y.
by Jupiter, ban take that bet,
Olaf Henderson said. dragging Day
hight 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.
hight" some one called warningly.
Daylight paused for nothing, head
ting for the door and pulling down his
ear.faps. Kama stood outside BY the
sled, a long. narrow affair, sixteen
inches wide and seven and half feet
In length. its Slated bottom raised ak
inches above the steel-shod runners.
On T. 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
st. in a single line, lay curled FIVE
frost.rimmed dogs. They were husk.
les. matched in size and color. all IN.
usually large and all gray From their
cruel Jaws 10 their bushy tails they
were as like as peas in their likeness
70 timber wolves. Wolves they were,
onesticated. II was true. but wolves
IN appearance and In all their charac-
teristics. On top the sled load, thrust
under the lashings and ready for i'm
mediate use, we're two pairs OF snow.
shoes Daylight was saying good-by
20 those who clustered around him.
The Virgin wanted 70 kiss him, and.
fuddled slightly though be was with
I'll whisky. he saw his way out with.
Out compromising with the apron
string. lie kissed the Virgin. but he
Kissed the other three women with
equal partially He pulled on his
fong mittens. reused the dogs TO their
fee. and took his place al the gee
pole
"Mush. you beauties!" he cried
The animals threw their weights
against their breastbands on the in
stant, crouchirg 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 tin the rear were running
20 keep up And so, running, man and
dogs dipped over the bank and down
20 the frozen bed Of the Yukon, and in
the gray light were gone On the
river where was a packed trail and
where snoTshoes were unnecessary
the dogs averaged six miles an hour.
To keep UP with them. the two men
were compelled 10 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 II. The man
relieved dropped behind the sled, oc'
casionally leaping upon II and resting.
As II through wall. Daylight had
passed from the hum and roar OF the
TivcN into another worid-a world OF
silence and immobilty Nothing
stirred The Yukon slept under a coat
OF ice three feet thick.
The cold snap continued. Only men
OF iron kept the trail AT such low
temperature, and Kama and Day
digit we're picked men OF their races.
But Kama knew the ether was the bet.
Ter man, and thus. az the start, he was
himself forodoomed to defeat Not
that be 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 oil these qualities incarnated
IN his white companion
CHAPTER ~.