Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-11

fea0y run l0tO Tue UdSlu
Don't be a hawgg" cried the second
man. "You amt the only one with a
poke. Gimme a chance at It"
Men crowded and jostled for the op
portunity to contribute. and when they
were satisfied Smoke hefted the heavy
basin with both hands and grinned.
ut will keep the whole tribe in grub
for the rest of the winter" he said
"Now for the dogs. Five light teams
that have some run in them"
A dozen teams were volunteered. and
the camp, as a committee Of the whole.
bickered and debated, accepted and re-
1ected
As fast as a team was selected its
owner, with half a dozen aids. depart.
ed to harness up and get ready.
One team was rejected because II had
come In tired that afternoon. One
owner contributed his team. but apollo
getcally exposed bandaged ankle that
prevented him from driving 1t This
team Smoke took, overriding the objec-
ton Of the crowd that he was played
out
Long Bill Haskell pointed out that,
while Fat Olsen's team was cracker
jack, Fat Olsen himself was an ele
phant Fat Olsen's 240 pounds Of heart
iness was indignant Tears Of anger
came into his eyes. and his Teutonic
explosions could not be stopped until
he was given a place in the heavy di
vision, the craps player jumping at the
chance to take out Olsen's light team.
Five teams were accepted and were
being harnessed and loaded. but only
four drivers had satisfied the commit.
tee Of the whole.
There's Cultus George" some one
cried. Hes a trail eater. and he's
fresh and rested"
All eyes turned upon the Indian. but
his face was expressionless. and he
said nothing.
you'll take a team~ Smoke said to
him.
Still the big Indian made no answer.
As with an electric thrill 1t ran through
all of them that something untoward
was impending. A restless shifting OF
the group took place, forming a circle
In which Smoke and Cultus George
faced each other. And Smoke realized
that by common consent be had been
made the representative Of bis fellows
In what was taking place.
Also be was angered- 1t was beyond
him that any human creature. wit
ness to the scramble of volunteers.
should hang back For another thing.
in what followed Smoke did not have
Cultus Georges point Of view-did not
dream that the Indian held back for
any reason save the selfish. mercenary
ona
"Of course you will take a team"
Smoke said
"How muchT Cultus George asked
A snarl, spontaneous and general.
grated In the thr0ats and twisted the
mouths of the miners.
.Wait a bit, boys" Smoke cried
Maybe he doesn't understand Look
here, George. Don't you see. nobody Is
charging anything. They're giving ev-
erything to save 200 Indians from
starving to death" He paused to let
1t sink home.
.uow much7" said Cultus George.
wait you fellows! Now. listen,
George. We don't want you to make
any mistake. These starving people
are your kind of people. They're an
other tribe. but they're Indians just
the same. Now. you've seen what the
white men are doing-coughing up
their dust, giving their dogs and sleds.
falling over one another to hit the
trail. Only the best men can 60 with
the first sheds. Look at Fat Olsen.
there. he was ready to fight because
they wouldn't let him 60. You ought
to be mighty proud because all men
think you a No. l musher. 1t isn't
case of how much, but how quick"
"How much" said Cultus George.
"Kill himp BUST his headT "Tar
and feathersr were several of the
cries in the wild medley that went up.
The spirit Of philanthropy and good
fellowship changed to brute savagery
on the instant.
In the storm center Cultus George
stood imperturbable. while Smoke
thrust back the flercest and shouted:
"Wait! Who's running this" The
clamor died away. "Fetch rope" he
added quietly.
Cultus George shrugged bis shoul'
ders. He knew this white man breed.
He had toiled on trail with 1t and eat
en- its -four and bacon and beans too
long not to know It II was a law
abiding breed. BE knew that thor
oughly. 1t always punished the man
who broke the law. But he bad bro
ken no law. He knew its law. he had
lived up to It He had neither muir
dered, stolen nor lied.
There was nothing in the white
mans law against cArging a price
and driving a bargain. They all charg.
ed price and drove bargains. he was
doing nothing more than that. and 1t
was the thing they had taught him.
Besides, If he wasn't good enough to
drink with them. then he was not good
enough to be charitable with them nor
to Join them in any Of their foolish d.
versions.
Neither Smoke nor any man there
giimpsed what lay in Cultus Georges
brain, behind his attitude and prompt.
ing his attitude. Though they did not
know It, they were as beclouded as he
In the matter Of mutual understanding.
To them he was a selfish brute; to him
they, were selfish brutes.
When. the rope was brought Long
Bill Haskell, Eat Olsen and the craps
player. with much awkwardness and
angry haste. got the slipnoose around
the Indians neck and rove the rope
over q rafter. At the other end doz-
en- men tailed on, ready to hoist away.
Nor bad Cultus George resisted. He
knew It for what 1t was-blun. The
whites were strong on bluff. Was not
draw poker their favorite game Did
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