River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-02-18

the camp. as committee of the whole.
bickered and debated, accepted and re-
jected
AS fast as Il team was selected its
owner. with half a dozen aids. depart
ed to harness up and get ready.
One team was rejected because it had
come in tired that afternoon One
owner contributed his team. but apollo
getically exposed IL bandaged ankle that
prevented him from driving it. This
team Smoke took. overriding the Objec-
ton of the crowd that he was played
out.
Long Bill Haskell pointed out that
while Fat Olsen's team was a cracker
jack, Fat Olsen himself was an ele-
plant. Fat Olsen's 24O pounds of heart
mess was indignant. Tears of anger
came into his eyes, and his Teutonic
explosions could not be stopped until
he was given a place in the heavy di
vision, the craps player jumping at the
chance to take out Olsen's light team
Five teams were accepted and were
being harnessed and loaded. but only
four drivers had satisfied the commit
tee of the whole
There's Cultus George" some one
cried He's a trail eater. and he's
fresh and rested"
All eyes turned upon the Indian. but
his face was expressionless and he
said nothing.
You'll take a team?' Smoke said to
him.
Still the big Indian made no answer.
AS with an electric thrill it ran through
all Of them that something untoward
was impending. A restless shifting of
the group took place, forming a circle
in which Smoke and Cultus George
faced each other. And Smoke realized
that by common consent he had been
made the representative Of his fellows
in what was taking place.
Also he was angered. 1t was beyond
him that any human creature. il wit
ness to the scramble of volunteers,
should hang back. For another thing.
in what followed Smoke did not have
Cultus Georges point of view-did not
dream that the Indian held back for
any reason save the selfish, mercenary
one.
"Of course you will take team"
Smoke said
How much?" Cultus George asked.
A snarl, spontaneous and general
grated in the threats and twisted the
mouths of the miners.
wait bit. boys" Smoke cried
Maybe he doesn't understand. Look
here. George Don't you see, nobody IS
charging anything. They're giving ev-
erything to save POO Indians from
starving to death He paused to let
it sink home.
How much?" said Cultus George.
wait. YOU fellows! Now, listen
George. We don't want you to make
any mistake These starving people
are your kind Of people They're an
other tribe. but they're Indians just
Tie same. Now. you've seen what the
white men are doing-coughing NJ
their dust, giving their dogs and sleds,
falling over one another to hit the
trail Only the best men can go with
the first sleds Look at Fat Olsen,
there. He was ready to fight because
they wouldn't let him go. You ought
to be mighty proud because all men
think you a No. l musher 1t isn't a
case of how much, but how quick"
How much!" said Cutus George.
kill him." Bust his head!' Tar
and feathersr were several of the
cries in the wild medley that went up.
The spirit of philanthropy and good
fellowship changed to brute savagery
on the instant
In the storm center Cultus George
stood imperturbable. while Smoke
thrust back the fiercest and shouted:
Wait. Who's running this" The
clamor died away. Fetch a rope" he
added quietly.
Cultus George shrugged his Shout
ders. He knew this white man breed.
He had toiled on trail with it and eat
en- it's -four and bacon and beans too
long not to know it. 1t was law
abiding breed. He knew that thor
oughly. 1t always punished the man
who broke the law. But he had bro
ken no law. He knew it's law. He had
lived up to 1t. He had neither MUIR
dered, stolen nor lied.
There was nothing in the white
mans law against charging a price
and driving a bargain. They all charg-
ed price and drove bargains. He was
doing nothing more than that. and it
was the thing they had taught him.
Besides, if he wasn't good enough to
drink with them, then he was not good
enough to be charitable with them nor
TO join them in any Of their foolish di-
versions.
Neither Smoke nor any man there
gIimpsed what lay in Cultus Georges
brain, behind his attitude and prompt
ing his attitude. Though they did not
know it, they were as beclouded as he
in the matter of mutual understanding.
To them he was a selfish brute; to him