Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-18
Hight to the spot where they'd all be

millionaires."
"Yes; she was their seeress-nad VI
sions and that sort Of stun. though
they went up the NordenskJoh"
."Huh! Listen to thatI''
shorty's hand in the darkness went
out warningly to Smokes chest. .ant
together they listened to groan. deer
and long drawn. that came from one
of the cabins. Ere It could die away
It was taken up by another cabin and
another-a vast suspiration Of human
, misery. The effect was monstrous and
nightmarish.
"B-r-r-rr' Shorty shivered. "lt's get
tin me goin' Let's break In an 6nt
what's eatin' en-"
Smoke knocked at a lighted cabin
and was followed In by Shorty In an
/ swer to the "Come in!" Of the voict
they heard groaning.
"Whats the matterT Smoke de-
manded OF one whose blankets could
| not hide his broad shoulders and mas
| sively muscled body. but whose eyes
were pain racked and whose cheeks
were hollow. "Smallpoxi What is itT
In reply the man pointed at bis
mouth. spreading black and swollen
lips In the effort. and Smoke recoiled
at the sight
"scurvy." be mpttered to Shorty
and the man confirmed the diagnosis
with a nod Of the head.
"Plenty Of grubf' Shorty asked
"Yep," was the answer from q man
In another bunk. "Help yourself.
There's slathers Of it The cabin next
on the other side Is empty. Cache Ia
right alongside. Wade into It"
In every cabin they visited that
night they found similar situation.
Scurvy had smitten the whole camp.
Originally there had been ninety-three
men and women. But ten had died.
and two had recently disappeared.
Smoke told Of finding the two and ex-
pressed surprise that none had gone
that short distance down the trail to
find out for themselves. What par.
tcularly struck him and Shorty was
the helplessness of these people Their
cabins were Uttered and dirty. A cab
ms troubles were its own troubles.
and already they had ceased from the
exertion Of burying their dead.
TITS almost weird" Smoke con6ded
to Shorty. i've met shirkers and loaf.
ers, but never met so many all at one
time. You heard what they said
They've never done a tap. I'll bet they
haven't washed their own faces. No
wonder they got scurvy."
"But vegetarians hadn't ought to get
scurvy," Shorty contended ITS the
salt meat eaters that's supposed to fall
for It And they don't eat meat salt
or fresh, raw or cooked. or any other
way"
Smoke shook his head Il know.
And it's vegetable diet that cures sour
W. No drugs will do 1t. Vegetables.
especially potatoes. are the only dope
But don't forget one thing. Shorty; we
are not up against theory, but con
dition. The fact Is these grass eaters
have all got scurvy."
"Must be contagious"
mo. That the doctors DO know.
Scurvy Is not germ disease. 1t can't
be caught It's generated. AS near as
can get it, it's due to ON impoverished
condition Of the blood Its cause Is not
something they've got but something
they haven't got A man gets scurvy
for lack of certain chemicals In his
blood, and those chemicals don't come
out Of powders and bottles. but DO
come out Of vegetables"
"An' these people eats nothin' but
grass" Shorty groaned AN they've
got It up to their ears. That proves
you're all wrong. Smoke. You're spielin'
o theory, but this condition sure knocks
the spots out o. your theory. Scurvy's
catchin', an. that's why they've all got
Il, an rotten bad at that You an
nell get 1t too If we hang around this
diggin'."
Smoke laughed skeptcally and
knocked on a cabin door.
"What do you wantr came a wo-
mans sharp voice.
I'VE want to see you" Smoke an
swered
"Who are your
1.-Two doctors from Dawson" Shorty
blurted in. with levity that brought a
punch In the short ribs from Smokes
elbow.
Don't want to see any doctors" the
woman said In tones crisp and STAG
cato. -Go away. Good night We
don't believe In doctors"
Smoke pulled the latch. showed the
door open and entered. turning up the
low famed kerosene lamp 80 that he
could see. In four hunks tour women
ceased from groaning and signing to
stare at the inruders Two were
young. thin faced creatures; the third
was an elderly and very stout woman.
and the fourth. the one whom Smoke
identified by her voice. was the thin
nest, frailest specimen Of the human
race he had ever seen.
As he quickly learned. she was Laura
Sibley, the seeress and professional
clairvoyant, who had organized the ex'
pedihon In Los Angeles and led 1t to
this death camp on the Nordbeska.
The conversation that ensued was
acrimonious. Laura Sibley did not be-
lieve in doctors; also, to add to her
purgatory. she had well nigh ceased
to believe in herself.
"Why didn't You send out for helpf'
Smoke asked when she paused. breath
less and exhausted from her initial
trade. There's a camp at Stewart
river, and eighteen days travel would
fetch Dawson from here"
'Why didn't Amos Wentworth gor'
she demanded. with wrath that bor'
dered on hysteria.
Don't know the gentleman" Smoke
eountered. whats he been doingr'
Nothing. except that he's the only
one that hasn't caught the scurvy,
And why hasn't he caught the scurvy1
I'll tell you. No. ] won't And what
would have been the usel Don't
know7 I'm not a fool. Our caches
are filed with every kind Of fruit
iu,co and nreserved yepefablea- We