The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-07-11
Even UNTO DEATH
Story Concerning Love ard
Death in the Frozen WiIds
of the North.
BY JACK LONDON.

incidence. 1t might have been De-
cause there are undreamed-of bonds
between the quick and the dead. and
1t 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 well 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, III 1t
should happen so. even in death
shall claim you, and no mortal man
shall come between!"
How absurd" she thought as snc
freed herself and watched him untan-
Cling his dogs. And handsome fell
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 a 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 heeting 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
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 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 its inhabitants-the
che-cha-quas that had rushed in like
jackals and spoiled the good old times
when men were men and every man
q brother In fact. the only reason
for his presence. and 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! or
course. he doubted most men do
when they leave a 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 a 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 It was no unpleasant prospect.
To tell the truth. she thought she
would rather like It. Men thought
great deal Of him. and it was a match
not to be ashamed of. Resides. he was
rich. People who should know, said
he could at any time clean up half a
million and If his American Creek In
terests turned out anywhere near as
reported. he would be a second Mac
Donald Now this meant great deal.
for Macdonald was the richest miner
In the north, and the most conserva-
tive guessers varied by several mil
lions in the appraisement of his
wealth.
Now be II known that the sin Frona
Payne committed was a sin of deed.
not fact There were no mail.teams
between Forty Mile and Dawson. and
as Bat Morganston's mines were still
a hundred miles into the frozen vii,
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
a stray traveller passing his digginss,
she thought nothing of his silence. To
all intents, so far as she was COG.
cerned, he was alive So the sin she
committed was Of a verify sin of
deed.
BY no method may a woman's sonl
be analysed. by no scales may a
woman's motive be weiched, so no
reason can be given for Frona PAYNE