The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1913-07-24
EVEN / UNTO Death.
Story Concerning Love and
Death in the Frozen Wilds
of the North.
BY JACK LONDON,

between the quick and the dead, and
it might have been that Bat Morgan
ston felt blind consciousness Of the
future, when he turned suddenly to
Frona Payne and asked, Even unto
death?"
Frona Payne was startled for the
moment. Her shallow nature would
not permit her to understand the
strength OF a strong mans love; such
things had no place in her tickle stan
dard. Yet she knew men we'll enough
to repress her inclination to smile; so
she looked up to him with her serious
child's eyes, placing hand on each
brawny shoulder, and answered,
Even unto death, Bat, dear"
And as he crushed her to him, half
doubling, he passionately cried, IF 1t
should happen so, even in death ]
shall claim you, and no mortal man
shall come between!"
How absurd" she thought as she
freed herself and watched him untan.
Cling his dogs. And handsome fel.
low he was as he waded among the
fierce brutes pulling here and showing
there, cutting right and left, and drag.
ging them over and under the frozen
/ traces till the team stood clear. Nip.
ped by intense cold to tender pink,
his smooth-shaven face told plain
tale of strength and indomitability.
His hair, falling about his shoulders
In thick masses of silky brown, was
probably more responsible for win.
ming the woman's fleeting affections
than all the rest Of him put together.
Yet when men ran their eyes up and
down his six foot two of Drawn, they
declared him man, from his beaded
moccasins to the crown of his wolf.
skin cap. But, then. they were men.
She kissed him once. twice. and yet
a third time. in her shy, trusting way;
then he broke out the sled with the
gee-pole. "mushed-up" the dogs as
only a dog driver can, and swung
down the hill to the main river trail.
The meridian sun, shouldering over
the snowy SUBMITS to the south, turn.
ed the tiny frost particles to scintil.
lating gems, and through this dazzling
gassamer Bat Morganston disappeared
| on his journey down the Yukon 20
| Forty Mile. Down there he was &C.
counted a king, in virtue of the rich
| dirt which was his after the dreary
years he had spent in the darkness Of
the Arctic Circle. Dawson had no
claims upon him. He did not own a
foot of gravel in the district, nor was
he. smitten with it's inhabitants-the
che-cha-quas that had rushed in like
jackals and spoiled the good old times
when men were men and every man
a brother. In fact, the only reason
for his presence, and a most unstable
one. at that, was Frona. He had har.
messed his dogs and run up on the ice
to renew the pledges of the previous
summer, and to plead for an early
date. Well, they were to be married
in June, and he was returning to the
management of his mines with light
heart. June!-the cleanup promised
to be rich; he would sell out; and
then, the States, Paris, the world! OF
course, he doubted-most men dc
when they leave pretty woman be
hind; but ere he had reached Forty
Mile he no longer mistrusted, and by
the time he froze his lungs on a
moose hunt and died month later, he
had attained state of blissful optim
ism.
Frona waved him goodbye, and also
with light heart. turned back to her
fathers cabin; but, then, she had NO
doubts at all. They were to be mar.
ried in June. That was al! settled
And 1t was no unpleasant prospect
To tell the truth. she thought she
would rather like it. Men thought a
great deal of him, and it was match
not to be ashamed Of Besides, he was
rich. People who should know, said
4 he could at any time clean up half u
million, and IL his American Creek in.
terests turned out anywhere near as
reported, he would be second Mac
Donald. Now this meant great deal
for Macdonald was the richest miner
in the north, and the most conserva.
lions in the appraisement Of his
wealth
Now be it known that the sin Frona
Payne committed was sin of deed
not fact. There were no madl-teams
between Forty Mile and Dawson. and
as Bat Morganston's mines were still
hundred miles into the frozen viii
derness from Forty Mile, no news Of
his death came up the river And
| since he had agreed to write only on
the highly improbably contingency Of
stray traveller RAISING his diggings,
she thought nothing of his silence To
all intents SO far rs she was cor
cerned he was e'ire, So the sin sl,e
committed was of ve.ity a sin OF
| deed
| BY no method nay w-cr,an's sorI
| be analysed by 10 sc~Ies NOV ?
woman's motive ~ weighed so re-
reason can be given sor From povno
| giving her heart ard ranA ~ rac'c
| Crellin within tFsce .r,cn.',e or tor
| farewell to Ba. Trreo-etor Tr.'or
Jack Crellin was a Circle City king.
possessed of some Of the choicest
| Birch Creek claims: h,t tha mon VII
had made the counfrv did not rate
him highly. and his nrlv admirers