Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-03-08
Copyright by Jack London

pleted, Kah-Chucte and Gowhee pro-
ceeded to take care of their feet. Their
ice-bound mOccasins were sadly worn
by much travel, and the sharp ice of
the river jams had cut them to rags.
Their Siwash socks were similarly
conditioned, and when these had been
thawed and removed, the dead-white
tips of the toes, in the various stages
of modification, told their simple tale
OF the trail.
Leaving the two to the drying of
their foOtgear, Sitka Charley turned
back over the course he had come.
He, too, had mighty longing to sit by
the fire and tend his complaining flesh,
but the honor and the law forbade.
He tOiled painfully over the frozen
field, each step a protest, every mus
Gle in revolt. Several times, where the
open water between the jams had re-
Gently crusted, he was fcrced to miser-
ably accelerate his movements as the
fragile footing swayed and threatened
beneath him. In such places death
was quick and easy; but it was not
his desire to endure more.
His deepening anxiety vanished as
two Indians dragged into view round
bend in the river. They staggered
and painted like men under heavy bur-
dens; yet the packs on their backs
were a matter of but few pounds. He
questioned them eagerly, and their re-
plies seemed to relieve him. He hur-
ried on. Next came two white men,
supporting between them woman.
They also behaved as though drunken,
and their limbs shook with weakness.
But the woman leaned lightly upon
them, choosing to carry herself for
ward with her own strength. At sight
Of her, a flash of Joy cast its fleeing
light across Sitka Charley's face. He
cherished d very great regard for Mrs.
Eppingwell. He had seen many white
women, but this was the first to travel
the trail with him. When Captain Ep-
pingwell proposed the hazardous un-
dertaking and made him an offer for
his services, he had shaken his head
gravely; for 1T was an unknown jour-
ney through the dismal businesses of
the Northland, and he knew it to be
Of the kind that try to the uttermOst
the souls of men. But when he learn
ed that the captains wife was to ac-
company them, he had refused fatty
to have anything further to do with
1t. Had IT been a woman of his own
race he would have narDOred no Objec-
tons; but these women of the North
land-nO, no, they were too soft, too
tender, for such enterprises.
Sitka Charley did not know this kind
Of woman. Five minutes before, he
did not even dream Of taking charge
Of the expedition; but when she came
to hin with her wonderful smile and
her straight clean English, and talked
to the point, without pleading or per-
suading, he had incontinently yielded.
Had there been a sOftness and appeal
voice, a taking advantage of sex, he
would have stiffened to steel; instead
her clear-searching eyes and clear
ringing voice, her utter frankneSs and
tacit assumption Of equality, had rob-
bed him of his reason. He felt, then,
that this was q new breed of woman /;
and ere they had been trail mates for
many days, he knew why the sons Of
such women mastered the land and
sea, and why the sons of his own wOm-
ankind could not prevail against them.
Tender and soft! Day after day he
watched her, muscle-weary, exhausted,
indomitable, and the words beat in up
on him in a perennial refrain. Tender
and soft! He knew her feet had been
born to easy paths and sunny lands,
strangers to the mOccasined pain Of the