Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-09-18

Aay9f VIII Nv
fought west. In the mid third day he
fell beneath a lone spruce beside a
wide stream that ran open and that
he knew must be the Klondlke Ere
blackness conquered him he unlashed
his pack. said goodby to the bright
world and rolled himself in the robes
Chipping. sleepy noises awoke him.
The long twilight was on. Above MIN
among the spruce bows were ptarml-
gan. Hunger bit him into instant ac-
tlOn. though the action was Infinitely
slow. Five minutes passed before he
was able to get his rife to his shout
der, and second five minutes passed
ere he dared. lying on his back and
aiming straight upward, to pull the
trigger. 1t was a clean miss. No bird
fell. but no bird few. They rutfied
and rustIed stupidly and drowsiy. His
shoulder panied him. A second shot
was spoiled by the involuntary vince
he made as he pulled trigger
The ptarmigan had not flown. He
doubled and redoubled the robe that
had covered him and bumped it in the
hollow between his right arm and his
side. Resting the butt Of the rife on
the fur. he fired again, and bird fell.
He clutched it greedily and found that
he had shot most of the meat from it.
The large caliber bullet had left little
else than mess of mangled feathers.
Still the ptarmigan did not fly. and
he decided that 1t was heads or moth
Ing. He fired only at heads. He re-
loaded and reloaded the magazine. He
missed; he hit. and the stupid ptarmi-
gan, that were loath to fly, fell upon
him In rain of foOd-liyes disrupted
that his life might feed and live.
The first he ate raw Then he rested
and slept, while his life assimilated the
life of 1t. In the darkness be awoke,
hungry, with strength to build a fire.
And until early dawn he cooked and
ate, crunching the bones to powder be-
tween his long idle teeth He slept,
awoke in the darkness of another
night and slept again to another sun.
He noted with surprise that the fire
cracked with fresh fuel and that a
blackened coffeepot steamed on the
edge OF the Goals. Beside the fire,
within arms length, sat Shorty, smok-
Ing brown paper cigarette and intent
ly watching him. Smokes lips moved,
but throat paralysis seemed to come
upon him. while his chest was suf-
fused with the menace of tears, He
reached out his hand for the cigarette
and drew the smoke deep into his
lungs again and again
81 have not smoked for a long time"
he said at last in low, calm voice.
For a very long time"
'Nor eaten, from your looks" Shorty
added grufIly.
Smoke nodded and waved his hand
at the ptarmigan feathers that lay all
about, mot until recently" he return.
ed. 'Do you know, I'd like cup of
coffee; also fapJaeks and strip of
bacon."
While the one cooked and the other
ate they told briefly what had hap.
pened to them in the days since their
separation.
"rhe KlOndlke was breakin' up"
Shorty concluded his recital, IAN we
just had to wait for open water. Two
polin' boats, six other men-you know
'em all, an crackerlacks-an' all kinds
of outfit. An we've sure been aeon.
ln'-polin', linin' up, an portagin'. But
the falls II stick em solid week.
Thats where | left 'em, a-cuttin' a
trail over the tops Of the bluffs for
the boats l just had sure natural
hunch to keep a-comin So ! fills q
pack with grub an starts. knew
I'd find you a-driftin' an all in."
Smoke nodded. well, let's get start.
ed he said.
But you're feeble as kid baby
You can't hike, What's the rushY
Shorty. am going after the biggest
thing In the Klondike, and can't wait
that's all, Start packing. It's the big
gest thing in the world. It's bigger
than lakes Of gold and mountains OF
gold, bigger than adventure and meal
eating ana bear killing"
Shorty sat with bulging eyes. "Ir
the name Of the Lord, what is it?" he
Querled husklly. "or are you just sim
ply loco%
mo, Tn all right, Perhaps fellow
mas to stop eating In order to see
things At any rate, have seen thing.
never dreamed were In the world.
know what woman ls-.now."
shorty's mouth opened, and about
the lips aud In the light Of the eye.
was the whimsical advertisement OF
the sneer forthcoming.
Don't, please" Smoke said gently
You don't know. rdo."
Shorty gulped and changed hi,
thought "Huhl / don't need ne
hunch to guess her name. The rest o.
em has gone up TO the drainin' OF Sur
prise lake, but Joy Gastell allowed sh,
wouldn't 10. She's stickin' arounC
Dawson waitin' to see IL come bacl
with you, An she sure swears IL
don't she'll sell her holdln's an hire
army OF gun lighters an go into In,
caribou country an knock the ever
laslin stutin' outa old Snass an hi,