Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-14
.SILVERSHINE

n
his weary. bloodshot eyes star
q, ing in cold indifference at the
closed doors OF the cabins. Be-
hind him whimpered and whined his
mates-no, not his mates. for even
that camaraderie of the harness which
makes q dog team commonly stick
together through cold and curses, uyl-
derfeeding and i'll treatment. had no
part in his heart. It seemed nothing
lived in Silvershine's heart NUT saw
agery. The rest of the dogs feared
him with a wholesome fear that was
valuable to their master. since 1t pre-
cluded the fights that so often take
place between members of the best
teams going.
1t was a good team. a very good
team, picked and sifted from full
thirty dogs that had made 1t up at
times, for It ran .5o0-mile Journey
with deadly regularity and hauled
supplies to the tiny store at Lin
wells Landing, and Jacques Peraux.
who owned it. would have none but the
best. 1t had been brutal sitting.
that, for Peraux's hand was heavy and
his compassion nil.
He was even now inside the warm
store. where the red stove glowed,
stretching his palms to Its grateful
warmth his black eyes sparkling. his
white teeth shining under his small
mustache, while in direct defiance OF
all laws of custom his dogs shivered
In harness, stiffening from the last
exertion of the run. He was the only
driver in a radius of a thousand miles
who would so have neglected his
team.
pUT who was to say word to
Jacques PerauX concerning this?
Jacques Peraux, boring Of eye.
straight of mouth when the laugh
hardened. weighing 21o pounds with
out an ounce Of fat on his six-feet-
three?
No one
His dogs might freeze in their
watch the bright windows of the
cabins with piteous. eager eyes. and
though this and that one might look
at them with pity, yet that was all.
1T was this very thing which proved
their supremacy-these gaunt. hard
driven dogs-not care and full feeding
which made them good. but the fact
that they were good. were the best in
all that stretch of frozen country, In
spite Of their hardships.
Great gar" said Pierre lie Blanc.
he, he We nj
full belly?' !
The man to whom he spoke. Allen
Derwent, who owned the store at
Unveils Landing, shook his big
blond head and pulled his pipe in
silence. But Linda Derwent. big and
blond like her father, calm. and very
beautiful, came from behind the coun-
ter that day and watched them cover
the last long slope of snow at a rae
ing gait, and her china-blue eyes
clouded.
81 think that Jacques Peraux Is
great bully" she said sharply. "and
a worse brute than that splendid sill
YER king which runs in the lead"
So 1t was that on that very day
when Jacques was warming himself
and talking rapidly with a deal Of
delight in his own rather musical
voice the girl stepped to the window
and looked out on the team. Silver
shine had dropped in his tracks and
the rest had followed his example.
They were painting from the last dash
ing sweep UP the slope. and their
Quick breath ourled out on the cold
air like fairy plumes
SiIvershine had seen Linda Derwent
many times before, but suddenly and
for the first time he lifted his pale
eyes, that could glow so swiftly. and
looked at her face in the window.
Something flashed between them-a
vague, electric flash.
Tho girl swung from the window
and went out. closing the heavy door
behind her. Fearlessly, she went
straight up to Peraux's leader, bent
down and looked deep in his eyes.
At the closing of the door Peraux
sprang and opened 1t.
He was all laughter. but alert,
eager.
'Ma'amsellew he cried in his big
voice. Il advise that you come away
queck! Don't do dat!" sharply. as the
girl made a motion toward the dog.
AT Angels Lift he tear of feengar
for a woman who reach at heem!"
Linda Strengthened up and looked
at Peraux.
'Peraux," she said fatty. you're
the cruelest man in the Yukon. These
dogs are savage because you are
savage"
The man stopped in his tracks, his
dark cheeks flaming.
''So?, he asked. 1907"
7 NDA did reach the hand. fear
- lessly, and laid it on Silvershine's
broad head. The pale eyes glowed
like fox-fre for a second. and the
master clicked his tongue sharply.
But there was something In that
firm touch which bore out the mes
sage of the eyes through the window.
and the great gray husky suffered
1t In silence. The girl turned and
her with little curl to the lips be-
meath the small mustache.
1907" he said, wondering1y. "She
IL one beauty, dat OF Derwent girl,
and she theenk Jacques Peraux ees
cruel? Sacre bleu!'
Later inside the store the. driver
watched her with a new and lively
interest. She was free of all the lit
tie huddle Of cabins at Unveils
Handing free OF her fathers trading