Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-09-04

| made no sign ana went Oh DroillnS Ine
meat.
"What's the matterT Smoke de-
manded, half in irritation. Lost your
speechF"
The old familiar grin twisted on
shortys face. "Nope," he answered.
I'm a Indian. Pm learnin' not to
show surprise. When did they catch
you"
"Next day after you left"
Hum! Well, I'm doin' fine, thank
YOU most to death. This is the bach
elors camp. AN these are the bach
elors. They're glad to meet you.
Smoke. Set down an dry your moe
casins, an I'll cook up some grub.
You'll have to come to 1t, for looks as
If we'll be with these folks a long
time. They's another white man here.
Cot caught six years ago. Danny Nc
Can is what he goes by. Hes settled
down with squaw. Got two kids al
ready, but he'll skin out If ever the
chance opens up."
Apparently this was Smokes ap
pointed domicile, for his captors left
him and his dogs and went on deeper
into the big camp. While he deVoured
strips of hot meat Shorty talked.
"This is a sure peach of pickle,
Smoke. An we got to 60 some to get
out These is the real, blowed In the
glass wild Indians. They amt white,
but their chief is. He talks like
mouthful Of hot mush, an If be amt
full blooded Scotch they amt no such
thing as Scotch in the world. He's the
hi-yu. skookum, top chief of the whole
caboodle. What he says goes. You
want to get that from the start off.
Danny McCan's been tryin to get
away from him for six years. Dan
ny's all right. but he amt got so In
him. He knows way Out--learned 1t
on huntln' trips-to the west of the
way you an me came. He amt had
the nerve to tackle 1t by his lonely.
But we can pull IT of. the three OF us.
Whiskers is the real goods. but he's
mostly loco. Just the same"
who's WhlskersY' Smoke queried
why, he's the top geezer. He's the
Scotcher. Hes gettin old, an he's
sure asleep now, but he'll see you to.
morrow an show you clear as print
what a measly shrimp you are on his
stompin' grounds. These grounds be-
long to him. You got to get that into
your noodle. They amt never been
explored nor nothin'. an they're hisn.
an he won't let You forget It He's
got about 10000 square miles of hunt,
in country here all his own. Hes the
white Indian. him an the skirt.
Huh! Don't look at me that way.
Wait till you see her. Some locker,
an all white, like her dad--he's Whis-
kers. An say, caribou! A hundred
thousan' Of good runnin' meat in the
herd an ten thousan' wolves an cats
a-followin' an Twin off the stragglers
an the leavin's. The herds movin' TO
the east, an we'll be followin' 'em any
day now."
Here comes Whiskers, lookin' like
he's goin' somewhere" Shorty whis-
pered.
1t was morning. and the bachelors
were squatting over a breakfast of
caribou meat Smoke glanced I'D and
saw small and slender man. skin
clad like any savage, but unmistaka.
bly, white, suiding In advance of a sled
team and a following of q dozen In.
dams. Bushy whiskers, yellowish gray
and stained by camp smoke, concealed
most Of the face, but failed wholly to
conceal the gaunt, almost cadaverous.
cheeks.
How do you do?" the man said
slipping a mitten and holding out his
bare hand. my name is Snass."
Mines Bellew." Smoke returned
FEELING peculiarly Disconnected as no
gazed into the keen, searching black
eyes.
Getting plenty to eat, see. Rough
rations, but we don't starve often. And
It's more natural than the hand reared
meat Of the cities"
see you don't IKE the cities"
smoke laughed in order to be saving
something and was immediately star.
ted by the transformation Snass nm.
derwent.
Vuite Ike a sensitive plant, the mans
entire FORM seemed to wilt and ou,ver
Inen the recoil, tense and savage con
In the eyes, in which appeared
hatred that screamed of immeasnr.
aoie PAIN. He turned abruptly away
and then, recollecting himself, remark.
ed casually over his shoulder:
Ii see you later, Mr.. Bellew. Tho
carioou are moving east, and I'm co,ng
unead to pick out location. You'll aiI
come on tomorrow" -"
Later on In the morning Smoke won,
lor stroll through the camp hnsv
WIN Its primitive pursuits. A biz bodv
y. hunters had Just returned. ana the
men were scattering to their vorIous
ures. Women and children wera do
tarung t.og with dogs harnessed to emptv
tooogsan sleds, and women ma cp,i
uren and dogs were hauling sleds
ueavy with meat fresh from the l,,,,,uS
a. suu ann already frozen. Furs and soft
tanned leather clad all alito p ot