The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-12-30
possessed $4,000 in gold dust and

pOSSeSSe0 SS.UUO III SOlQ GnSl ana
good team Of dogs. They had played
IN luck. Despite the fact that the gold
rush had driven the game u hundred
miles or more into the mountains. they
had within half that distance bagged
four moose In il narrow canyon.
The mystery of the strayed animals
was no greater than the tuck of their
killers. for within the day four fam
ished Indian families. reporting no
game In three days Journey back,
I'd for starving dogs, and after week
Of feeding Smoke and Shorty harness.
ell the animals and began freighting
the meat to the eager Dawson market
The problem Of the two men now
was to turn their gold dust into food.
The current price for flour and beans
was $3.50 pound. but the difficulty
WAS to find seller. Dawson was in the
throes Vt r,Inine. Hundreds of meE.
with money, but no food. had been ccEs-
PEELED 10 leave the country.
Smoke met Shorty In the warm sa-
loon and found the latter jubi'ant.
Life amt no pumpkins without
whisky an sweetenin'," was Shorty's
. greeting ux he pulled Jumps OF ice
from bis tha wing mustache and flung
them rafting on to the floor. An l
sure just got eighteen pounds OF that
same sweetcnin. The geezer only
charged So pound for it. What luck
did you have:"
Il. too. have not been idle" Smoke
answered with pride. Il bought fifty
pounds of flour. And there's man up
on Adam creek who says hell let me
have fifty pounds more tomorrow
Great. Well sure live till the river
opens. Come on an have drink.
just got to celebrate them eighteen
pounds OF sweetenin'.'
Several minutes later. as he weighed
in ON the gold scales for the drinks. he
gave a start OF recollection.
II plumb forgot that man | was to
meet In the Tivoh. He's got some
spoiled bacon he'll sell for a dollar an
Il half a pound. We can feed it to the
dogs. So long.
Hardly had Shorty left the place
when fur clad man entered through
the double storm doors. His face light
ed ut sight Of Smoke. who recognized
him as Rreck. the man whose boat
they had run through the Box canyon
and the White Horse rapids.
II heard you were in town.. Breck
said hurriediy. Been looking for you
for half an hour. Come outside; /
| want to talk with you"
As they emerged smoke drew off
one mitten. lighted match and glanc-
| ed at the thermometer that hung be-
| side the door, He remittened his max
ed hand hastily. as II the frost had
burned him.
| What did It sayT Breck asked
"Sixty below. An hour ago it was
only SO. Don't tell me it's stampede"
1T is.' Breck whispered back eau
tiously. You know Squaw creek
empties in on the other side the Yn-
kon. thirty miles up:"
Nothing doing there was Smokes
Judgment. ut was prospected years
ago.
"Su were all the other rich creeks
Listen: It's big. Only eight to twenty
feet to bedrock. There won't be j
cIaim that doesn't run to half ii million
/ It's a dead secret. Two or three of my
close friends let me In on it. tolo
my wife right away that was going
to find you before started. Now. sc
long. My packs hidden down the
hank. In fact. when they told me the,
made me promise not to pull out unit
Dawson was asleep. Yon know wha
1t means II you're seen with STAN
| peding outfit. Get your partner ant
follow. You ought to stake fourth o.
ffth claim from Discovery. Don't for
get-Squaw creek. It's the third afte
you pass Swede creek
When Smoke entered the little cabil
on the hillside back of Dawson h'
heard a heavy. familiar breathing,
law. go to bed" Shorty mumbled a
Smoke shook his shoulder.
Kick into your clothes Smok
said. We've got to stake a couple o
claims
Shorty sat up and started to explode
Ssh" Smoke warned. 'Tt's BIZ
strike. Squaw creek. Breck gave NJ
the tip. Shallow bedrock. Gold frou
the grass roots down. Come on. Wei
sling a couple Of light packs togethe
and pull out"
With small stampedins packs on thei
backs they closed the door benin
} them and started down the hill. Short
fioundered off turn Of the trail int
deep snow and raised his voice i
blessing Of the date of the week an
month and year.
Cant you keep stiIi?" Smoke chic
ed. you'll have all Dawson awak
} and after u.s.
"Huh. See the light in that cabin
= An In that one over there? An hea
that door slam? Oh. sure. Dawson
asleep: Them lights? Just buryil
their dead. They amt stampedin
betcher life they amt"
by the time they reached the mai
street a hundred men were in line b.
hind them. and while they sought
the deceptive starlight for the ira
that dipped down the bank to the rive
more men could be heard arrivin
Shorty slipped and shot down tt
! thirty foot chute into the soft snoy
Smoke followed. knocking him over 1
be was rising TO his feet The ne.
moment they were scrambling Wild
out Ut the way OF the hurtling bodis
OF those that followed.
.If,s a snra Sfamnade" Shorty q