The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1918-02-07
THE ToMAHAWK, WHITE EARTH. MINI.

l. slant Malemute Kid and he had grip
ped hands. Though they had never
met, each had heard of the other, and
the recognition was mutual. A sweep
ing Introduction and q mug of punch
were forced upon him before he could
explain his errand.
"How long since that basket sled
with three men and eight dogs pass
sed?' he asked.
IAN even two days ahead. Are you
after them?"
Eyes; my team. Run them of under
my very nose, the cusses. I've gained
two days on them already-pick them
up on the next rum
Reckon they'll show spunk? asked
Belden in order to keep up the CONVEX
sation, for Malemute Kid already had
the coffeepot ON and was busily frying
bacon and moose meat.
The stranger significantly tapped his
revolvers.
"When'd yeh leave Dawson?'
"Twelve o'clock"
"Last night?" as a matter of course.
'Today."
A murmur of surprise passed round
the circle. And well it might, for it
was just midnight, and seventy five
miles of rough river trail was not to
be sneered at for twelve hours run.
The talk soon became impersOnal,
however, barking back to the trails OF
childhood. As the young stranger ate
of the rude fare Malemute Kid atten-
lively studied his face. Nor was he
long in deciding that it was fair, hon
est and open and that he liked it. Still
youthful, the lines had been firmly
traced by toll and hardship. Though
genial in conversation and mild when
at rest, the blue eyes gave promise of
the hard steel glitter which comes
when called into action, especially
against odds. The heavy jaw and
square cut chin demonstrated rugged
pertinacity and indomitability. Nor,
though the attributes of the lion were
there, was there wanting the certain
softness, the hint of womanliness,
which bespoke the emotional nature.
$50 thet's how me an the OF woman
got spliced,". said Belden, concluding
the exciting tale of his courtship.
"'Here we be, dad sez she. AN may
yeh be d. sez he to her, an then to
me: Jim, yeh-yeh git outen them good
buds o. yourn. I want a right peart
slice O. tibet forty acre plowed fore
dinner An then he turns on her an
SEE, AN yeh, Sal-yeh sail inter them
Dishes An then he sort o. SMILED
an kissed her. An was thet happy
but he seen me am roars out, 'Yeh,
Jim" An yeh bet 1 busted fer the
barn."
"Any kids waiting for You back in
the States?" asked the stranger.
"Nope. Sal died fore any come.
Thet's why I'm here" Belden alb
stractedly began to light his pipe,
which had failed to 60 out, and then
frightened up with, How bout yer
self, stranger-married man"
For reply he opened his watch. slip
ped it from the thong which served
for chain and passed it over. Belden
pri:1ed up the slush lamp. surveyed
the inside of the case critically and.
swearing admiringly to himself, hand
ed it over to Louis Savoy. With nu-
merous by garsv' he finally surren-
dered it to Prince, and they noticed
that his hands trembled and his eyes
took on a peculiar softness. And so
! it passed from horny hand to horny
| hand-the pasted photograph Of a wo-
man, the clinging kind that such men
fancy, with babe at the breast. Those
who had not yet seen the wonder were
Keen with curiosity; those who had be-
came silent and retrospective. They
| could face the pinch of famine, the
grip of scurvy or the quick death by
field or flood, but the pictured SEM
blance of a stranger woman and child
made women and children of them oil.
l. "Never have seen the youngster yet.
He's a boy, she says, and two years
DID, said the stranger as he received
the treasure back. A lingering mo-
ment he gazed upon it, then snapped
the case and turned away, but not
quick enough to hide the restrained
yush of tears.
Malemute Kid led him to a bunk
and babe him turn In.
Call me at 4, sharp. Don't fail me-,
were his last words, and a moment
later he was breathing in the heavi-
ness of exhausted sleep.
by :Iove. he's plucky chap!' COM
mented Prince. 'Three hours sleep
after sevcnty-ive miles with the dogs,
md then the trail again! Who IS he,
Kid?"
"Jack westondale. Been in going on
three years, with nothing but the name
Of working like horse. and any
amount of bad luck to his credit. 1
never knew him, but Sitka Charley
told me about him."
1T seems hard that q man with a
sweet young wife like his should be
putting in his years in this God for
saken hole, where every year counts
two on the outside"
"The trouble with him is clean grit
and stubbornness. He's cleaned up
twice with q stake, but lost 1t Dotn