Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-03-16

wouldn't have committed suicide"
III they did" Shorty objected
They certainly did. There are no
tracks besides their own. and each Is
powder burned smoke dragged the
corpse To one side and with the toe
Of his moccasin nosed revolver out
Of the snow into which IL had been
pressed by the body That's what did
the work told you we'd find some
thing
From the iooks of IL we amt start
ed yet Now. what'd two fat geexers
want to XIII themselves for?'
when we lind that out Wen have
found the rest OF your trouble" Smoke
answered Come on It's blowing
dari
quite dark II was when Smokes
snowShoe trippcd nim over body
He fi.l a.r,-. sled ou which lay an
other hody and when he had dug the
snow ont Of his neck and struck a
match be and shorty glimpsed third
body. wrapped IN blankets lying be
side a partially dug grave: also. ere
the match nickered out. they caught
sight of half dozen additional graves
"R-r.r-r," Shorty shivered Suicide
Camp All fed ap reckon they're
all dead
mo peeput that. smoke was look
ing farther along at dim glimmer OF
light And there's another highland
4 third one there. Come on Let's hike
No more corpses delayed them. and
In several minutes. over hard packed
trail. they were Ia camp
"It's city" Shorty whispered
There must be twenty cabins. An
not dog Amt that funny?
And thnt explains IL" Smoke whis.
pered back excitedly It's the Laura
sibiey outfit. Don't you rememberi
Came up the Yukon last fall ON the
Port Townsend No Went right by
Dswso without stopping The steam.
or must have landed them at the mouth
Of the creek"
Sure, I remember. They was hos
mons"
"No--vegetarians Smoke grinned
In the darkness They won't eat meat
and they wont work dogs"
Its all the same. ! knowed they
was somethin funny about EN- Had
the all wise steer TO the yellow. That
Laura Sibley was goin to take EN-
right 10 the spot where they'd all be
millionaires."
Yes: she was their seeress-had VI.
sions aud that sort OF stun | thought
they went up he NordenskJOld -"
Huh Listen to that
Shorty's hand ia the darkness went
out warningly to Smokes chest. and
together they listened TO a groan. deep
and long drawn. that came from one
OF the cabins Ere IL could die away
IL was taken up by another cabin and
another vast suspiratiOn of human
misery The effect was monstrous ana
Dightmarish
"B-r-r-r"' Shorty shivered. Its get
tin me goin Let's break in an Hno
what's eatin EN-
Smoke knocked at lighted cabin
and was followed in by Shorty In an
swer To the Come i'm of the voice
they heard groaning
whats the matterr' Smoke de
handed OF one whose blankets could
not hide his broad shoulders and mas
sively muscled body. but whose eyes
were pain racked and whose cheeks
we're hollow. SMALLPOX? What is M
In reply the man pointed al his
mouth. spreading black and swollen
lips In the effort. and Smoke recoiled
at the sight
"Scurvy." he muttered TO Shorty.
and the man confirmed the diagnosis
with a nod OF the head
Plenty OF gruby' Shorty asked.
Yep" was the answer from q man
In another bunk Help yourself
There's slathers OF IL. The cabin next
on the other side Is empty. Cache Is
right alongside. Wade into IL"
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 ef
pressed surprise that none had gone
that short distance down the trail to
nnd out for themselves What par
ticularly 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.
Its almost weird" Smoke contided
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 gel
scurvy." Shorty commended Its the
salt meat eaters that's supposed TO fall
for IL And they don't eat meat. salt
or fresh. raw or cooked. or any other
way"
Smoke shook bis head. II know
And it's vegetable diet that cures sour
Wy. No drugs will do II. 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"
NO. That the doctors do know.
Scurvy il not germ disease. Ii can't
be caught It's generated. AS near as
can get IL, It's due to an impoverished
condition OF the blood Its cause Is not