Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-07

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they ran abreast, each man on his
knees and pouring whip and voice into
the maddened dogs. But Smoke had
studied out that portion of the trail,
and now marked the tall pine on the
bank that showed family in the light
of the many fires Below that pine
was not merely darkness, but an alb.
rupt cessation Of the smooth stretch.
There the trail, he knew, narrowed to
a single sled width Leaning out ahead,
he caught the haul rope and drew his
leaping sled up to the wheel dog. He
caught the animal by the hind legs
and threw 1t. With a snarl of rage,
It tried TO slash him with its fangs,
but was dragged on by the rest Of the
team. It's body proved an efficient
brake, and the other teams, still
abreast, dashed ahead into the dark
ness for the narrow way.
Smoke heard the crash and uproar Of
their collision, released his wheeler,
sprang to the gee pole and urged his
team to the right into the soft snow,
where the straining animals walowed
to their Recks. 1t was exhausting
work, but he won by the tangled teams
and gained the hard packed trail be-
yond.
On the relay out of Sixty Mile Smoke
had next to bis poorest team, and,
though the going was good, he had set
1t a short fifteen miles. Two more
teams would bring him into Dawson
and to the gold recorders office, and
Smoke had selected his best animals
for the last two stretches. Sitka Char.
ley himself waited with the eight Male
mutes that would jerk Smoke along for
twenty miles, and for the finish, with
fifteen mile run, was his own team.
The gray twilight of morning was
breaking as he exchanged bis weary
dogs for the eight fresh Maemutes
Sitka Charley called out the order of
the teams ahead. Big Olaf led, Arizo.
na Bill was second, and Won Schroeder
third. These were the three best men
In the country. In fact, ere Smoke
had left Dawson, the popular betting
had placed them In that order.
AS daylight strengthened Smoke
caught sight Of sled ahead and in
half an hour his own, lead dog was
Ieaping at its tail. Not until the man
turned his head to exchange greetings
did Smoke recognize him as Arizona
Bill. Won Schroeder had evidently
passed him. The trail, hard packed
ran too narrowly through the soft
snow, and for another half hour Smoke
was forced to stay In the rear Then
they topped an ice jam and struck n
stretch below, where were n
number Of relay camps and where the |
snow was packed widely. On his knees
swinging his whip and yelling Smoke
lrew abreast Of Arizona Bill, then pull. |
ed ahead. '1''
Bill dropped behind very slowly
though when the last relay station
was In sight he was fully half a mile
IN the rear. Ahead, punched topother
smoke could see Big Olaf and Won
schroeder. Again Smoke arose TO his
Aiees, and he lifted his jaded dogs into
burst or speed such as a man only
,an who has the proper instinct for
Jog driving He drew up close TO tbe
IAN OF Won Schroeder's sled, and In
.uls order the three sleds dashed ont
- tne smooth going below a lam
""ere VI many men and many dogs wait,
'u, Dawson was fifteen miles owov
Won schroeder, with his ten mile 70.
ays, had changed Eve miles back and
"ouIu change FIVE miles ahead 90
le heId on, keeping his dogs at rnn
,hp eup big Olaf and Smoke made lylng
,nunges' =, and their fresh teams lmma
lIoteIy regained what had beon Ioo.
,' - lne baron Big Olaf led past md
beyond. "'''oW trail
vi Won Schroeder, now heb,nd +.
,"u ,a, no rear but ahead was the great
~ ,1 uog driver in the country. To ms.
nun seemed Impossible. Aroln s om5
SUN many times, Smoke forced m hIa
Imn TrueT pt to a tne Others sled tail, and eocb
,I Ille Big Olaf let out another link 'oo% orS
rho v" away Smoke hung on rrlmly
.,,' ue race was not lost until ono or ~.
,. 'tner won, and In fifteen miles nor, ,ne
ninSs could happen. "''"y
Ihree miles from Dawson sor,o,,,
Iu ,,I happen To Smokes surprjso p,s,
'IoI rose up and with oatbs ma Ioams s
= !, proceeded to fetch out tho ''I,u ,oa, {
''uve a,,', OF effort In his animals. II wos o"o,
, Spurt mat should have been rosoru "~'
u lor the last hundred vords ,oa.a vSe.', d
|. ueing begun three miles from ,'tru nu
,, ,u,sn' Sheer dog killing that n wa" ,~s !
smoke followed. '""' II was J
Ihey topped a small lam on, Il
ue ~. smooth going below. A sled S.. .So, -,
G' S. rom the side and drew in toroSS ppO, :
''u, ana Smoke understood Rio o,or %
eo1 '''v ~, spErt He had tried to gain h
,,t ,aa Tor the change, This fresh t,m tnnn,
ra' .n,, waited to Jerk him down tbo n
rise Of his. private sur Z
,'s1l smoke stroye desperately 70 no.. n
u''ns the exchange Of sleds WIZ 'IpS 4
, ,s'us ,Sl an, ana pouring OF leather he won, d
-. u', side side and on until his lead "y". Son u
,ss rus jumping abreast Of Bic oroSs oSs g
,os 'vo' ,So .,, on the other side abreast c.
.ere going Big Olaf did NOT JSr Jor. 'aey ,c
le nllng lean II M r,L.- 1'''V wv a