Part 8 (1/2)
”That very finger,” he h it somehow clinched the proof of ownershi+p and the bond of affection
He was still gazing at his extended finger when Madge began to speak
”But the dog,” she said ”You haven't considered the dog”
Skiff Miller looked puzzled
”Have you thought about him?” she asked
”Don't knohat you're drivin' at,” was the response
”Maybe the dog has soe went on ”Maybe he has his likes and desires You have not considered hiive him no choice It has never entered your ht prefer California to Alaska You consider only what you like You do with him as you would with a sack of potatoes or a bale of hay”
This was a neay of looking at it, and Miller was visibly ie of his indecision
”If you really love him, ould be happiness to hied
Skiff Miller continued to debate with hilance of exultation to her husband, who looked back warm approval
”What do you think?” the Klondiker suddenly demanded
It was her turn to be puzzled ”What do you mean?” she asked
”D'ye think he'd sooner stay in California?”
She nodded her head with positiveness ”I aain debated with hiaze in a judicial way over the ood worker He's done a heap of work for me He never loafed on me, an' he was a joe-dandy at haot a head on hi but talk He knohat you say to him Look at ' was lying at Skiff Miller's feet, head close down on paws, ears erect and listening, and eyes that were quick and eager to follow the sound of speech as it fell from the lips of first one and then the other
”An' there's a lot of work in 'ood for years to come An' I do like him I like him like hell”
Once or twice after that Skiff Miller opened hisFinally he said: ”I'll tell you what I'll do Your re's worked hard, and ht to choose Anye'll leave it up to hiht here settin' down
I'll say good-by and walk off casual-like If he wants to stay, he can stay If he wants to come with me, let 'm come I won't call 'm to come an' don't you call 'e, and added, ”Only you must play fair No persuadin' after an, but Skiff Miller broke in on her assurances
”I know the ways of women,” he announced ”Their hearts is soft When their hearts is touched they're likely to stack the cards, look at the bottoin' your pardon, eneral”
”I don't kno to thank you,” Madge quavered
”I don't see as you've got any call to thank me,” he replied ”Brown ain't decided yet Now you won't o away slow? It's no ht inside a hundred yards” - Madge agreed, and added, ”And I pro to influence hi,” Skiff Miller said in the ordinary tones of one departing
At this change in his voice, Wolf lifted his head quickly, and still ot to his feet when the s, resting his fore paws on her hip and at the sa Skiff Miller's hand When the latter shook hands with Walt, Wolf repeated his act, resting his weight on Walt and licking both men's hands
”It ain't no picnic, I can tell you that,” were the Klondiker's last words, as he turned and went slowly up the trail
For the distance of twenty feet Wolf watched hi for the man to turn and retrace his steps Then, with a quick lohine, Wolf sprang after hiht his hand between his teeth with reluctant tenderness, and strove gently toin this, Wolf raced back to where Walt Irvine sat, catching his coat-sleeve in his teeth and trying vainly to drag hian to wax He desired ubiquity He wanted to be in two places at the same time, with the old master and the new, and steadily the distance between the short nervous leaps and twists, noard one, noard the other, in painful indecision, not knowing his ownquick sharp whines and beginning to pant
He sat down abruptly on his haunches, thrusting his nose upward, themovements were in unison with the recurrent spasms that attacked the throat, each spas one And in accord with jerks and spasan to vibrate, at first silently, accos, then sounding a low, deep note, the lowest in the register of the human ear All this was the nervous and
But just as the hoas on the verge of bursting from the full throat, the wide-openedand steadily at the retreating man Suddenly Wolf turned his head, and over his shoulder just as steadily regarded Walt
The appeal was unanswered Not a word nor a sign did the dog receive, no suggestion and no clew as to what his conduct should be
A glance ahead to where the old ain He sprang to his feet with a whine, and then, struck by a new idea, turned his attention to Madge Hitherto he had ignored her, but now, bothhiled his head in her lap, nudging her ar for favors He backed away fro and prancing, half rearing and striking his fore paws to the earth, struggling with all his body, fro tail, to express the thought that was in him and that was denied him utterance
This, too, he soon abandoned He was depressed by the coldness of these humans who had never been cold before No response could he draw froet They did not consider hiazed after the oldthe curve In a one froht onward, slowly and h possessed of no interest in as occurring behind his back
And in this fashi+on he went out of view Wolf waited for hi h turned to stone - withal stone quick with eagerness and desire He barked once, and waited Then he turned and trotted back to Walt Irvine He sniffed his hand and dropped down heavily at his feet, watching the trail where it curved e down the mossy-lipped stone see noise Save for the reat yellow butterflies drifted silently through the sunshi+ne and lost theazed triuot upon his feet Decision and deliberation lance at the man and woman His eyes were fixed up the trail He had made up his mind They knew it And they knew, so far as they were concerned, that the ordeal had just begun
He broke into a trot, and Madge's lips pursed, for sound that it was the will of her to send forth But the caressing sound was not made She was impelled to look at her husband, and she saw the sternness hich he watched her The pursed lips relaxed, and she sighed inaudibly
Wolf's trot broke into a run Wider and wider were the leaps heout straight behind hione
THE SUN-DOG TRAIL
SITKA CHARLEY shtfully at the POLICE GAZETTE illustration on the wall For half an hour he had been steadily regarding it, and for half an hour I had been slyly watching hi on in that mind of his, and, whatever it was, I kneell worth knowing He had lived life, and seen things, and perfor of his back upon his own people, and, in so far as it was possible for an Indian, beco a white man even in his mental processes As he phrased it hi us, by our fires, and become one of us He had never learned to read nor write, but his vocabulary was remarkable, and more remarkable still was the completeness hich he had assumed the white s
We had struck this deserted cabin after a hard day on trail The dogs had been fed, the supper dishes washed, the bedsthat most delicious hour that comes each day, and but once each day, on the Alaskan trail, the hour when nothing intervenes between the tired body and bed save the s pipe Some former denizen of the cabin had decorated its walls with illustrations torn froazines and newspapers, and it was these illustrations that had held Sitka Charley's attention from the moment of our arrival two hours before He had studied theain, and I could see that there was uncertainty in his mind, and bepuzzlement
”Well?” I finally broke the silence
He took the pipe from his mouth and said siain re it to point at the POLICE GAZETTE illustration
”That picture - what does it mean? I do not understand”