The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1918-01-17

OnronQs
But worse than his comrades pain was
the dumb anguish in the woman's face,
the blended look of hopeful, hopeless
query. Little was said. Those of the
northland are early taught the futilty
of words and the inestimable value Of
deeds. With the temperature at 65
below zero man cannot lie many min
utes in the snow and live. So the sled
lashings were cut and the sufferer,
rolled in furs, laid on a couch Of
boughs. Before him roared fire,
built of the very wood which wrought
the mishap. Behind and partially over
him was stretched the primitive fly
piece of canvas which caught the
radiating heat and threw it back and
down upon him, a trick which men
may know who study physics at the
fount.
And men who have shared their bed
with death know when the call is
sounded. Mason was terribly crushed.
The most cursOry examination reveal
ed it. Els right arm, leg and back
were broken, his limbs were paralyzed
from the hips, and the likelihood Of
internal injuries was large. An occa-
sional moan was his only sign Of life.
No hope. Nothing to be done. The
pitiless night crept slowly by, Ruth's
portion the despairing stoicism Of her
race, and Malemute Kid adding new
lines to his face of bronze. In fact,
Mason suffered least of all, for he
spent his time In eastern Tennessee,
in the Great Smoky mountains, living
over the scenes Of his childhood. And
most pathetic was tho melody Of his
long forgotten southern vernacular as
he raved of swimming holes and coon
hunts and watermelon raids. It was
as Greek to Ruth, but the Kid under
stood and felt-felt as only one can
feel who has been shut out for years
from all that civilization means.
Morning brought consciousness to
tho stricken man, and Malemute KID
lent closer to catch his whispers.
.sY0u remember when we foregath-
cred on the Tanana, four years come
next ice run? I didn't care 30 much
for her then. It was more like she
was pretty, and there was smack
of excitement about 1t, think. But,
d. ye know, I've come to think heap
Of her. She's been a good wife to me,
always ut my shoulder In the pinch.
And when 1t comes to trading you
know there isn't her equal. D. ye rec
ollect the time she shot the Moosehorn
rapids to pull you and me OF that
rock, the bullets whipping the water
like hailstones, and the time Of the
famine at Nuklukyeto, or when she
raced the ice run to bring the news?
Yes, she's been q good wife to me,
letter'n that other one. Didn't know
I'd been there? Never told you. Ell!
Well, tried it once down in the
States. That's why I'm here. Been
raised together too. came away to
give her q chance for divorce. She
got It.
But that's got nothing to do with
Ruth. I had thought Of cleaning up
and pulling for the Outside next year,
Eer and but It's too late. Don't send
her back to her people, KID. les beast
" hard for q woman to 20 back.
Think Of it-nearly four years on our
bacon and beans and -four and dried
fruit, and then to 50 back to- her nsh
and earibool It's not good for her to
have tried our wars, to come to know
they're better'n her peoples, and then
rcturn to them. Take care Of her, Kid.
WIZ don't you-bue 1a.AYoo alWayu