to　her　an　open　book；　yet　Prince　caught　the　appreciative　twinkle　in　her
  eye　as　she　read　the　Rules　of　the　Camp。　These　rules　had　been　fathered
  by　the　Unquenchable　Bettles　at　a　time　when　his　blood　ran　high；　and
  were　remarkable　for　the　terse　simplicity　of　their　humor。　Prince　always
  turned　them　to　the　wall　before　the　arrival　of　ladies；　but　who　could
  suspect　that　this　native　wife…　Well；　it　was　too　late　now。
  This；　then；　was　the　wife　of　Axel　Gunderson；　a　woman　whose　name　and
  fame　had　traveled　with　her　husband's；　hand　in　hand；　through　all　the
  Northland。　At　table；　Malemute　Kid　baited　her　with　the　assurance　of
  an　old　friend；　and　Prince　shook　off　the　shyness　of　first
  acquaintance　and　joined　in。　But　she　held　her　own　in　the　unequal
  contest；　while　her　husband；　slower　in　wit；　ventured　naught　but
  applause。　And　he　was　very　proud　of　her；　his　every　look　and　action
  revealed　the　magnitude　of　the　place　she　occupied　in　his　life。　He　of
  the　Otter　Skins　ate　in　silence；　forgotten　in　the　merry　battle；　and
  long　ere　the　others　were　done　he　pushed　back　from　the　table　and　went
  out　among　the　dogs。　Yet　all　too　soon　his　fellow　travelers　drew　on
  their　mittens　and　parkas　and　followed　him。
  There　had　been　no　snow　for　many　days；　and　the　sleds　slipped　along
  the　hard…packed　Yukon　trail　as　easily　as　if　it　had　been　glare　ice。
  Ulysses　led　the　first　sled；　with　the　second　came　Prince　and　Axel
  Gunderson's　wife；　while　Malemute　Kid　and　the　yellow…haired　giant
  brought　up　the　third。
  'It's　only　a　hunch；　Kid；'　he　said；　'but　I　think　it's　straight。
  He's　never　been　there；　but　he　tells　a　good　story；　and　shows　a　map　I
  heard　of　when　I　was　in　the　Kootenay　country　years　ago。　I'd　like　to
  have　you　go　along；　but　he's　a　strange　one；　and　swore　point…blank　to
  throw　it　up　if　anyone　was　brought　in。　But　when　I　come　back　you'll
  get　first　tip；　and　I'll　stake　you　next　to　me；　and　give　you　a　half
  share　in　the　town　site　besides。'
  'No！　no！'　he　cried；　as　the　other　strove　to　interrupt。　'I'm　running
  this；　and　before　I'm　done　it'll　need　two　heads。　If　it's　all　right；
  why；　it'll　be　a　second　Cripple　Creek；　man；　do　you　hear？…　a　second
  Cripple　Creek！　It's　quartz；　you　know；　not　placer；　and　if　we　work　it
  right　we'll　corral　the　whole　thing…　millions　upon　millions。　I've　heard
  of　the　place　before；　and　so　have　you。　We'll　build　a　town…　thousands　of
  workmen…　good　waterways…　steamship　lines…　big　carrying　trade…
  light…draught　steamers　for　head　reaches…　survey　a　railroad；　perhaps…
  sawmills…　electric…light　plant…　do　our　own　banking…　commercial
  company…　syndicate…　Say！　Just　you　hold　your　hush　till　I　get　back！'
  The　sleds　came　to　a　halt　where　the　trail　crossed　the　mouth　of　Stuart
  River。　An　unbroken　sea　of　frost；　its　wide　expanse　stretched　away
  into　the　unknown　east。　The　snowshoes　were　withdrawn　from　the
  lashings　of　the　sleds。　Axel　Gunderson　shook　hands　and　stepped　to　the
  fore；　his　great　webbed　shoes　sinking　a　fair　half　yard　into　the
  feathery　surface　and　packing　the　snow　so　the　dogs　should　not　wallow。
  His　wife　fell　in　behind　the　last　sled；　betraying　long　practice　in
  the　art　of　handling　the　awkward　footgear；　The　stillness　was　broken
  with　cheery　farewells；　the　dogs　whined；　and　He　of　the　Otter　Skins
  talked　with　his　whip　to　a　recalcitrant　wheeler。
  An　hour　later　the　train　had　taken　on　the　likeness　of　a　black
  pencil　crawling　in　a　long；　straight　line　across　a　mighty　sheet　of
  foolscap。
  II
  One　night；　many　weeks　later；　Malemute　Kid　and　Prince　fell　to　solving
  chess　problems　from　the　torn　page　of　an　ancient　magazine。　The　Kid
  had　just　returned　from　his　Bonanza　properties　and　was　resting　up
  preparatory　to　a　long　moose　hunt。　Prince；　too；　had　been　on　creek　and
  trail　nearly　all　winter；　and　had　grown　hungry　for　a　blissful　week　of
  cabin　life。
  'Interpose　the　black　knight；　and　force　the　king。　No；　that　won't
  do。　See；　the　next　move…'
  'Why　advance　the　pawn　two　squares？　Bound　to　take　it　in　transit；
  and　with　the　bishop　out　of　the　way…'
  'But　hold　on！　That　leaves　a　hole；　and…'
  'No；　it's　protected。　Go　ahead！　You'll　see　it　works。'
  It　was　very　interesting。　Somebody　knocked　at　the　door　a　second
  time　before　Malemute　Kid　said；　'Come　in。'　The　door　swung　open。
  Something　staggered　in。　Prince　caught　one　square　look　and　sprang　to
  his　feet。　The　horror　in　his　eyes　caused　Malemute　Kid　to　whirl　about；
  and　he；　too；　was　startled；　though　he　had　seen　bad　things　before。　The
  thing　tottered　blindly　toward　them。　Prince　edged　away　till　he
  reached　the　nail　from　which　hung　his　Smith　&　Wesson。
  'My　God！　what　is　it？'　he　whispered　to　Malemute　Kid。
  'Don't　know。　Looks　like　a　case　of　freezing　and　no　grub；'　replied　the
  Kid；　sliding　away　in　the　opposite　direction。　'Watch　out！　It　may　be
  mad；'　he　warned；　coming　back　from　closing　the　door。
  The　thing　advanced　to　the　table。　The　bright　flame　of　the　slush
  lamp　caught　its　eye。　It　was　amused；　and　gave　voice　to　eldritch　cackles
  which　betokened　mirth。　Then；　suddenly；　he…　for　it　was　a　man…　swayed
  back；　with　a　hitch　to　his　skin　trousers；　and　began　to　sing　a
  chantey；　such　as　men　lift　when　they　swing　around　the　capstan　circle
  and　the　sea　snorts　in　their　ears：
  Yan…kee　ship　come　down　de　ri…ib…er；
  Pull！　my　bully　boys！　Pull！
  D'yeh　want…　to　know　de　captain　ru…uns　her？
  Pull！　my　bully　boys！　Pull！
  Jon…a…than　Jones　ob　South　Caho…li…in…a；
  Pull！　my　bully…
  He　broke　off　abruptly；　tottered　with　a　wolfish　snarl　to　the　meat
  shelf；　and　before　they　could　intercept　was　tearing　with　his　teeth　at　a
  chunk　of　raw　bacon。　The　struggle　was　fierce　between　him　and　Malemute
  Kid；　but　his　mad　strength　left　him　as　suddenly　as　it　had　come；　and
  he　weakly　surrendered　the　spoil。　Between　them　they　got　him　upon　a
  stool；　where　he　sprawled　with　half　his　body　across　the　table。　A
  small　dose　of　whiskey　strengthened　him；　so　that　he　could　dip　a　spoon
  into　the　sugar　caddy　which　Malemute　Kid　placed　before　him。　After　his
  appetite　had　been　somewhat　cloyed；　Prince；　shuddering　as　he　did　so；
  passed　him　a　mug　of　weak　beef　tea。
  The　creature's　eyes　were　alight　with　a　somber　frenzy；　which　blazed
  and　waned　with　every　mouthful。　There　was　very　little　skin　to　the　face。
  The　face；　for　that　matter；　sunken　and　emaciated；　bore　little
  likeness　to　human　countenance。　Frost　after　frost　had　bitten　deeply；
  each　depositing　its　stratum　of　scab　upon　the　half…healed　scar　that
  went　before。　This　dry；　hard　surface　was　of　a　bloody…black　color；
  serrated　by　grievous　cracks　wherein　the　raw　red　flesh　peeped　forth。
  His　skin　garments　were　dirty　and　in　tatters；　and　the　fur　of　one　side
  was　singed　and　burned　away；　showing　where　he　had　lain　upon　his　fire。
  Malemute　Kid　pointed　to　where　the　sun…tanned　hide　had　been　cut　away；
  strip　by　strip…　the　grim　signature　of　famine。
  'Who…　are…　you？'　slowly　and　distinctly　enunciated　the　Kid。
  The　man　paid　no　heed。
  'Where　do　you　come　from？'
  'Yan…kee　ship　come　down　de　ri…ib…er；'　was　the　quavering　response。
  'Don't　doubt　the　beggar　came　down　the　river；'　the　Kid　said；
  shaking　him　in　an　endeavor　to　start　a　more　lucid　flow　of　talk。
  But　the　man　shrieked　at　the　contact；　clapping　a　hand　to　his　side
  in　evident　pain。　He　rose　slowly　to　his　feet；　half　leaning　on　the
  table。
  'She　laughed　at　me…　so…　with　the　hate　in　her　eye；　and　she…　would…
  not…　come。'
  His　voice　died　away；　and　he　was　sinking　back　when　Malemute　Kid
  gripped　him　by　the　wrist　and　shouted；　'Who？　Who　would　not　come？'
  'She；　Unga。　She　laughed；　and　struck　at　me；　so；　and　so。　And　then…'
  'Yes？'
  'And　then…'
  'And　then　what？'
  'And　then　he　lay　very　still　in　the　snow　a　long　time。　He　is…　still
  in…　the…　snow。'
  The　two　men　looked　at　each　other　helplessly。
  'Who　is　in　the　snow？'
  'She；　Unga。　She　looked　at　me　with　the　hate　in　her　eye；　and　then…'
  'Yes；　yes。'
  'And　then　she　took　the　knife；　so；　and　once；　twice…　she　was　weak。　I
  traveled　very　slow。　And　there　is　much　gold　in　that　place；　very　much
  gold。'
  'Where　is　Unga？'　For　all　Malemute　Kid　knew；　she　might　be　dying　a
  mile　away。　He　shook　the　man　savagely；　repeating　again　and　again；
  'Where　is　Unga？　Who　is　Unga？'
  'She…　is…　in…　the…　snow。'
  'Go　on！'　The　Kid　was　pressing　his　wrist　cruelly。
  'So…　I…　would…　be…　in…　the　snow…　but…　I…　had…　a…　debt…　to…　pay。
  It…　was…　heavy…　I…　had…　a…　debt…　to…　pay…　a…　debt…　to…　pay　I…　had…'
  The　faltering　monosyllables　ceased　as　he　fumbled　in　his　pouch　and　drew
  forth　a　buckskin　sack。　'A…　debt…　to…　pay…　five…　pounds…　of…　gold…
  grub…　stake…　Mal…　e…　mute…　Kid…　I…'　The　exhausted　head　dropped　upon
  the　table；　nor　could　Malemute　Kid　rouse　it　again。
  'It's　Ulysses；'　he　said　quietly；　tossing　the　bag　of　dust　on　the
  table。　'Guess　it's　all　day　with　Axel　Gunderson　and　the　woman。　Come　on；
  let's　get　him　between　the　blankets。　He's　Indian；　he'll　pull　through
  and　tell　a　tale　besides。'
  As　they　cut　his　garments　from　him；　near　his　right　breast　could　be
  seen　two　unhealed；　hard…lippe