按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
described him； 〃a partner with Lawrence Pentfield （whom San Francisco
society has not yet forgotten）； and interested with that gentleman in other
rich； Klondike properties。〃 Further； and at the end； he read； 〃It is
whispered that Mr。 and Mrs。 Hutchinson will； after a brief trip east to
Detroit； make their real honeymoon journey into the fascinating Klondike
country。〃
〃I'll be back again； keep my place for me；〃 Pentfield said； rising to his
feet and taking his sack； which meantime had hit the blower and came
back lighter by five hundred dollars。
He went down the street and bought a Seattle paper。 It contained the
same facts； though somewhat condensed。 Corry and Mabel were
indubitably married。 Pentfield returned to the Opera House and resumed
his seat in the game。 He asked to have the limit removed。
〃Trying to get action；〃 Nick Inwood laughed； as he nodded assent to
the dealer。 〃I was going down to the A。 C。 store； but now I guess I'll stay
and watch you do your worst。〃
This Lawrence Pentfield did at the end of two hours' plunging； when
the dealer bit the end off a fresh cigar and struck a match as he announced
that the bank was broken。 Pentfield cashed in for forty thousand； shook
hands with Nick Inwood； and stated that it was the last time he would ever
39
… Page 40…
The Faith of Men
play at his game or at anybody's else's。
No one knew nor guessed that he had been hit； much less hit hard。
There was no apparent change in his manner。 For a week he went about
his work much as he had always done； when he read an account of the
marriage in a Portland paper。 Then he called in a friend to take charge of
his mine and departed up the Yukon behind his dogs。 He held to the Salt
Water trail till White River was reached； into which he turned。 Five days
later he came upon a hunting camp of the White River Indians。 In the
evening there was a feast； and he sat in honour beside the chief； and next
morning he headed his dogs back toward the Yukon。 But he no longer
travelled alone。 A young squaw fed his dogs for him that night and
helped to pitch camp。 She had been mauled by a bear in her childhood and
suffered from a slight limp。 Her name was Lashka； and she was diffident
at first with the strange white man that had come out of the Unknown；
married her with scarcely a look or word； and now was carrying her back
with him into the Unknown。
But Lashka's was better fortune than falls to most Indian girls that
mate with white men in the Northland。 No sooner was Dawson reached
than the barbaric marriage that had joined them was re… solemnized； in the
white man's fashion； before a priest。 From Dawson； which to her was all
a marvel and a dream； she was taken directly to the Bonanza claim and
installed in the square…hewed cabin on the hill。
The nine days' wonder that followed arose not so much out of the fact
of the squaw whom Lawrence Pentfield had taken to bed and board as out
of the ceremony that had legalized the tie。 The properly sanctioned
marriage was the one thing that passed the community's comprehension。
But no one bothered Pentfield about it。 So long as a man's vagaries did no
special hurt to the community； the community let the man alone； nor was
Pentfield barred from the cabins of men who possessed white wives。 The
marriage ceremony removed him from the status of squaw…man and placed
him beyond moral reproach； though there were men that challenged his
taste where women were concerned。
No more letters arrived from the outside。 Six sledloads of mails had
40
… Page 41…
The Faith of Men
been lost at the Big Salmon。 Besides； Pentfield knew that Corry and his
bride must by that time have started in over the trail。 They were even
then on their honeymoon tripthe honeymoon trip he had dreamed of for
himself through two dreary years。 His lip curled with bitterness at the
thought； but beyond being kinder to Lashka he gave no sign。
March had passed and April was nearing its end； when； one spring
morning； Lashka asked permission to go down the creek several miles to
Siwash Pete's cabin。 Pete's wife； a Stewart River woman； had sent up
word that something was wrong with her baby； and Lashka； who was pre…
eminently a mother…woman and who held herself to be truly wise in the
matter of infantile troubles； missed no opportunity of nursing the children
of other women as yet more fortunate than she。
Pentfield harnessed his dogs； and with Lashka behind took the trail
down the creek bed of Bonanza。 Spring was in the air。 The sharpness
had gone out of the bite of the frost and though snow still covered the land；
the murmur and trickling of water told that the iron grip of winter was
relaxing。 The bottom was dropping out of the trail； and here and there a
new trail had been broken around open holes。 At such a place； where
there was not room for two sleds to pass； Pentfield heard the jingle of
approaching bells and stopped his dogs。
A team of tired…looking dogs appeared around the narrow bend；
followed by a heavily…loaded sled。 At the gee…pole was a man who
steered in a manner familiar to Pentfield； and behind the sled walked two
women。 His glance returned to the man at the gee…pole。 It was Corry。
Pentfield got on his feet and waited。 He was glad that Lashka was with
him。 The meeting could not have come about better had it been planned；
he thought。 And as he waited he wondered what they would say； what
they would be able to say。 As for himself there was no need to say
anything。 The explaining was all on their side； and he was ready to listen
to them。
As they drew in abreast； Corry recognized him and halted the dogs。
With a 〃Hello； old man；〃 he held out his hand。
Pentfield shook it； but without warmth or speech。 By this time the
41
… Page 42…
The Faith of Men
two women had come up； and he noticed that the second one was Dora
Holmes。 He doffed his fur cap； the flaps of which were flying； shook
hands with her； and turned toward Mabel。 She swayed forward； splendid
and radiant； but faltered before his outstretched hand。 He had intended to
say； 〃How do you do； Mrs。 Hutchinson？〃but somehow； the Mrs。
Hutchinson had choked him； and all he had managed to articulate was the
〃How do you do？〃
There was all the constraint and awkwardness in the situation he could
have wished。 Mabel betrayed the agitation appropriate to her position；
while Dora； evidently brought along as some sort of peacemaker； was
saying：…
〃Why； what is the matter； Lawrence？〃
Before he could answer； Corry plucked him by the sleeve and drew
him aside。
〃See here； old man； what's this mean？〃 Corry demanded in a low tone；
indicating Lashka with his eyes。
〃I can hardly see； Corry； where you can have any concern in the
matter；〃 Pentfield answered mockingly。
But Corry drove straight to the point。
〃What is that squaw doing on your sled？ A nasty job you've given
me to explain all this away。 I only hope it can be explained away。 Who is
she？ Whose squaw is she？〃
Then Lawrence Pentfield delivered his stroke； and he delivered it with
a certain calm elation of spirit that seemed somewhat to compensate for
the wrong that had been done him。
〃She is my squaw；〃 he said； 〃Mrs。 Pentfield； if you please。〃
Corry Hutchinson gasped； and Pentfield left him and returned to the
two women。 Mabel； with a worried expression on her face； seemed
holding herself aloof