the faith of men-第22章

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flour　and　bacon；　and　beads；　and　bright　scarlet　cloths　for　her　fancy

work。　　And　further；　and　unwittingly；　she　came　to　the　post　of　Twenty

Mile　to　make　a　lonely　man　more　lonely；　make　him　reach　out　empty

arms　in　his　sleep。　　For　Neil　Bonner　was　only　a　man。　　When　she　first

came　into　the　store；　he　looked　at　her　long；　as　a　thirsty　man　may

look　at　a　flowing　well。　　And　she；　with　the　heritage　bequeathed　her

by　Spike　O'Brien；　imagined　daringly　and　smiled　up　into　his　eyes；

not　as　the　swart…skinned　peoples　should　smile　at　the　royal　races；

but　as　a　woman　smiles　at　a　man。　　The　thing　was　inevitable；　only；　he

did　not　see　it；　and　fought　against　her　as　fiercely　and　passionately

as　he　was　drawn　towards　her。　　And　she？　　She　was　Jees　Uck；　by

upbringing　wholly　and　utterly　a　Toyaat　Indian　woman。



She　came　often　to　the　post　to　trade。　　And　often　she　sat　by　the　big

wood　stove　and　chatted　in　broken　English　with　Neil　Bonner。　　And　he

came　to　look　for　her　coming；　and　on　the　days　she　did　not　come　he

was　worried　and　restless。　　Sometimes　he　stopped　to　think；　and　then

she　was　met　coldly；　with　a　resolve　that　perplexed　and　piqued　her；

and　which；　she　was　convinced；　was　not　sincere。　　But　more　often　he

did　not　dare　to　think；　and　then　all　went　well　and　there　were　smiles

and　laughter。　　And　Amos　Pentley；　gasping　like　a　stranded　catfish；

his　hollow　cough　a…reek　with　the　grave；　looked　upon　it　all　and

grinned。　　He；　who　loved　life；　could　not　live；　and　it　rankled　his

soul　that　others　should　be　able　to　live。　　Wherefore　he　hated

Bonner；　who　was　so　very　much　alive　and　into　whose　eyes　sprang　joy

at　the　sight　of　Jees　Uck。　　As　for　Amos；　the　very　thought　of　the

girl　was　sufficient　to　send　his　blood　pounding　up　into　a

hemorrhage。



Jees　Uck；　whose　mind　was　simple；　who　thought　elementally　and　was

unused　to　weighing　life　in　its　subtler　quantities；　read　Amos

Pentley　like　a　book。　　She　warned　Bonner；　openly　and　bluntly；　in　few

words；　but　the　complexities　of　higher　existence　confused　the

situation　to　him；　and　he　laughed　at　her　evident　anxiety。　　To　him；

Amos　was　a　poor；　miserable　devil；　tottering　desperately　into　the

grave。　　And　Bonner；　who　had　suffered　much；　found　it　easy　to　forgive

greatly。



But　one　morning；　during　a　bitter　snap；　he　got　up　from　the

breakfast…table　and　went　into　the　store。　　Jees　Uck　was　already

there；　rosy　from　the　trail；　to　buy　a　sack　of　flour。　　A　few　minutes

later；　he　was　out　in　the　snow　lashing　the　flour　on　her　sled。　　As　he

bent　over　he　noticed　a　stiffness　in　his　neck　and　felt　a　premonition

of　impending　physical　misfortune。　　And　as　he　put　the　last　half…

hitch　into　the　lashing　and　attempted　to　straighten　up；　a　quick

spasm　seized　him　and　he　sank　into　the　snow。　　Tense　and　quivering；

head　jerked　back；　limbs　extended；　back　arched　and　mouth　twisted　and

distorted；　he　appeared　as　though　being　racked　limb　from　limb。

Without　cry　or　sound；　Jees　Uck　was　in　the　snow　beside　him；　but　he

clutched　both　her　wrists　spasmodically；　and　as　long　as　the

convulsion　endured　she　was　helpless。　　In　a　few　moments　the　spasm

relaxed　and　he　was　left　weak　and　fainting；　his　forehead　beaded　with

sweat；　and　his　lips　flecked　with　foam。



〃Quick！〃　he　muttered；　in　a　strange；　hoarse　voice。　　〃Quick！

Inside！〃



He　started　to　crawl　on　hands　and　knees；　but　she　raised　him　up；　and；

supported　by　her　young　arm；　he　made　faster　progress。　　As　he　entered

the　store　the　spasm　seized　him　again；　and　his　body　writhed

irresistibly　away　from　her　and　rolled　and　curled　on　the　floor。

Amos　Pentley　came　and　looked　on　with　curious　eyes。



〃Oh；　Amos！〃　she　cried　in　an　agony　of　apprehension　and　helplessness；

〃him　die；　you　think？〃　　But　Amos　shrugged　his　shoulders　and

continued　to　look　on。



Bonner's　body　went　slack；　the　tense　muscles　easing　down　and　an

expression　of　relief　coming　into　his　face。　　〃Quick！〃　he　gritted

between　his　teeth；　his　mouth　twisting　with　the　on…coming　of　the

next　spasm　and　with　his　effort　to　control　it。　　〃Quick；　Jees　Uck！

The　medicine！　　Never　mind！　　Drag　me！〃



She　knew　where　the　medicine…chest　stood；　at　the　rear　of　the　room

beyond　the　stove；　and　thither；　by　the　legs；　she　dragged　the

struggling　man。　　As　the　spasm　passed　he　began；　very　faint　and　very

sick；　to　overhaul　the　chest。　　He　had　seen　dogs　die　exhibiting

symptoms　similar　to　his　own；　and　he　knew　what　should　be　done。　　He

held　up　a　vial　of　chloral　hydrate；　but　his　fingers　were　too　weak

and　nerveless　to　draw　the　cork。　　This　Jees　Uck　did　for　him；　while

he　was　plunged　into　another　convulsion。　　As　he　came　out　of　it　he

found　the　open　bottle　proffered　him；　and　looked　into　the　great

black　eyes　of　the　woman　and　read　what　men　have　always　read　in　the

Mate…woman's　eyes。　　Taking　a　full　dose　of　the　stuff；　he　sank　back

until　another　spasm　had　passed。　　Then　he　raised　himself　limply　on

his　elbow。



〃Listen；　Jees　Uck！〃　he　said　very　slowly；　as　though　aware　of　the

necessity　for　haste　and　yet　afraid　to　hasten。　　〃Do　what　I　say。

Stay　by　my　side；　but　do　not　touch　me。　　I　must　be　very　quiet；　but

you　must　not　go　away。〃　　His　jaw　began　to　set　and　his　face　to　quiver

and　distort　with　the　fore…running　pangs；　but　he　gulped　and

struggled　to　master　them。　　〃Do　not　got　away。　　And　do　not　let　Amos

go　away。　　Understand！　　Amos　must　stay　right　here。〃



She　nodded　her　head；　and　he　passed　off　into　the　first　of　many

convulsions；　which　gradually　diminished　in　force　and　frequency。

Jees　Uck　hung　over　him　remembering　his　injunction　and　not　daring　to

touch　him。　　Once　Amos　grew　restless　and　made　as　though　to　go　into

the　kitchen；　but　a　quick　blaze　from　her　eyes　quelled　him；　and　after

that；　save　for　his　laboured　breathing　and　charnel　cough；　he　was

very　quiet。



Bonner　slept。　　The　blink　of　light　that　marked　the　day　disappeared。

Amos；　followed　about　by　the　woman's　eyes；　lighted　the　kerosene

lamps。　　Evening　came　on。　　Through　the　north　window　the　heavens　were

emblazoned　with　an　auroral　display；　which　flamed　and　flared　and

died　down　into　blackness。　　Some　time　after　that；　Neil　Bonner

roused。　　First　he　looked　to　see　that　Amos　was　still　there；　then

smiled　at　Jees　Uck　and　pulled　himself　up。　　Every　muscle　was　stiff

and　sore；　and　he　smiled　ruefully；　pressing　and　prodding　himself　as

if　to　ascertain　the　extent　of　the　ravage。　　Then　his　face　went　stern

and　businesslike。



〃Jees　Uck；〃　he　said；　〃take　a　candle。　　Go　into　the　kitchen。　　There

is　food　on　the　tablebiscuits　and　beans　and　bacon；　also；　coffee　in

the　pot　on　the　stove。　　Bring　it　here　on　the　counter。　　Also；　bring

tumblers　and　water　and　whisky；　which　you　will　find　on　the　top　shelf

of　the　locker。　　Do　not　forget　the　whisky。〃



Having　swallowed　a　stiff　glass　of　the　whisky；　he　went　carefully

through　the　medicine　chest；　now　and　again　putting　aside；　with

definite　purpose；　certain　bottles　and　vials。　　Then　he　set　to　work

on　the　food；　attempting　a　crude　analysis。　　He　had　not　been　unused

to　the　laboratory　in　his　college　days　and　was　possessed　of

sufficient　imagination　to　achieve　results　with　his　limited

materials。　　The　condition　of　tetanus；　which　had　marked　his

paroxysms；　simplified　matters；　and　he　made　but　one　test。　　The

coffee　yielded　nothing；　nor　did　the　beans。　　To　the　biscuits　he

devoted　the　utmost　care。　　Amos；　who　knew　nothing　of　chemistry；

looked　on　with　steady　curiosity。　　But　Jees　Uck；　who　had　boundless

faith　in　the　white　man's　wisdom；　and　especially　in　Neil　Bonner's

wisdom；　and　who　not　only　knew　nothing　but　knew　that　she　knew

nothing　watched　his　face　rather　than　his　hands。



Step　by　step　he　eliminated　possibilities；　until　he　came　to　the

final　test。　　He　was　using　a　thin　medicine　vial　for　a　tube；　and　this

he　held　between　him　and　the　light；　watching　the　slow　precipitation

of　a　salt　through　the　solution　contained　in　the　tube。　　He　said

nothing；　but　he　saw　what　he　had　expected　to　see。　　And　Jees　Uck；　her

eyes　riveted　on　his　face；　saw　something　too；something　that　made

her　spring　like　a　tigress　upon　Amos；　and　with　splendid　suppleness

and　strength　bend　his　body　back　across　her　knee。　　Her　knife　was　out

of　its　sheaf　and　uplifted；　glinting　in　the　lamplight。　　Amos　was

snarling；　but　Bonner　intervened　ere　the　blade　could　fall。



〃That's　a　good　girl；　Jees　Uck。　　But　never　mind。　　Let　him　go！〃



She　dropped　the　man　obediently；　though　with　protest　writ　large　on

her　face；　and　his　body　thudded　to　the　floor。　　Bonner　nudged　him

with　his　moccasined　foot。



〃Get　up；　Amos！〃　he　commanded。　　〃You've　got　to　pack　an　outfit　yet

to…night　and　hit　the　trail。〃



〃You　don't　mean　to　say〃　Amos　blurted　savagely。



〃I　mean　to　say　that　you　tried　to　kill　me；〃　Neil　went　on　in　cold；

even　tones。　　〃I　mean　to　say　that　you　killed　Birdsall；　for　all　the

Company　believes　he　killed　himself。　　You　used　strychnine　in　my

case。　　God　knows　with　what　you　fixed　him。　　Now　I　can't　hang　you。

You're　too　near　dead　as　it　is。　　But　Twenty　Mile　is　too　small　for

the　pair　of　us；　and　you've　got　to　mush。　　It's　two　hundred　miles　to

Holy　Cross。　　You　can　make　it　if　you're　careful　not　to　over…exert。

I'll　give　you　grub；　a　sled；　and　three　dogs。　　You'll　be　as　safe　as

if　you　were　in　jail；　for　you　can't　get　out　of　the　country。　　And

I'll　give　you　one　chance。　　You're　almost　dead。　　Very　well。　　I　shall

send　no　word　to　the　Company　until　the　spring。　　In　the　meantime；　the

thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　die。　　Now　MUSH！〃



〃You　go　to　bed！〃　Jees　Uck　insisted；　when　Amos　had　churned　away　into

the　night　towards　Holy　Cross。　　〃You　sick　man　yet；　Neil。〃



〃And　you're　a　good　girl；　Jees　Uck；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　here's　my

hand　on　it。　　But　you　must　go　home。〃



〃You　don't　like　me；〃　she　said　simply。



He　smiled；　helped　her　on　with　her　PARKA；　and　led　her　to　the　door。

〃Only　too　well；　Jees　Uck；〃　he　said　softly；　〃only　too　well。〃



After　that　the　pall　of　the　Arctic　night　fell　deeper　and　blacker　on

the　land。　　Neil　Bonner　discovered　that　he　had　failed　to　put　proper

valuation　upon　even　the　sullen　face　of　the　murderous　and　death…

stricken　Amos。　　It　became　very　lonely　at　Twenty　Mile。　　〃For　the

love　of　God；　Prentiss；　send　me　a　man；〃　he　wrote　to　the　agent　at

Fort　Hamilton；　three　hundred　miles　up　river。　　Six　weeks　later　the

Indian　messenger　brought　back　a　reply。　　It　was　characteristic：

〃Hell。　　Both　feet　frozen。　　Need　him　myselfPrentiss。〃



To　make　matters　worse；　most　of　the　Toyaats　were　in　the　back　country

on　the　flanks　of　a　caribou　herd；　and　Jees　Uck　was　with　them。

Removing　to　a　distance　seemed　to　bring　her　closer　than　ever；　and

Neil　Bonner　found　himself　picturing　her；　day　by　day；　in　camp　and　on

trail。　　It　is　not　good　to　be　alone。　　Often　he　went　out　of　the　quiet

store；　bare…headed　and　frantic；　and　shook　his　fist　at　the　blink　of

day　that　came　over　the　southern　sky…line。　　And　on　still；　cold

nights　he　left　his　bed　and　stumbled　into　the　frost；　where　he

assaulted　the　silence　at　the　top　of　his　lungs；　as　though　it　were

some　tangible；　sentiment　thing　that　he　might　arouse；　or　he　shouted

at　the　sleeping　dogs　till　they　howled　and　howled　again。　　One　shaggy

brute　he