the faith of men-第24章

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her　coin；　Toyaat　Indians　made　her　purchases；　and　sledded　them　up　to

her　house　in　the　dark。



In　February　the　first　post　came　in　over　the　ice；　and　John　Thompson

read　in　the　society　column　of　a　five…months…old　paper　of　the

marriage　of　Neil　Bonner　and　Kitty　Sharon。　　Jees　Uck　held　the　door

ajar　and　him　outside　while　he　imparted　the　information；　and；　when

he　had　done；　laughed　pridefully　and　did　not　believe。　　In　March；　and

all　alone；　she　gave　birth　to　a　man…child；　a　brave　bit　of　new　life

at　which　she　marvelled。　　And　at　that　hour；　a　year　later；　Neil

Bonner　sat　by　another　bed；　marvelling　at　another　bit　of　new　life

that　had　fared　into　the　world。



The　snow　went　off　the　ground　and　the　ice　broke　out　of　the　Yukon。

The　sun　journeyed　north；　and　journeyed　south　again；　and；　the　money

from　the　being　spent；　Jees　Uck　went　back　to　her　own　people。　　Oche

Ish；　a　shrewd　hunter；　proposed　to　kill　the　meat　for　her　and　her

babe；　and　catch　the　salmon；　if　she　would　marry　him。　　And　Imego　and

Hah　Yo　and　Wy　Nooch；　husky　young　hunters　all；　made　similar

proposals。　　But　she　elected　to　live　alone　and　seek　her　own　meat　and

fish。　　She　sewed　moccasins　and　PARKAS　and　mittenswarm；

serviceable　things；　and　pleasing　to　the　eye；　withal；　what　of　the

ornamental　hair…tufts　and　bead…work。　　These　she　sold　to　the　miners；

who　were　drifting　faster　into　the　land　each　year。　　And　not　only　did

she　win　food　that　was　good　and　plentiful；　but　she　laid　money　by；

and　one　day　took　passage　on　the　Yukon　Belle　down　the　river。



At　St。　Michael's　she　washed　dishes　in　the　kitchen　of　the　post。　　The

servants　of　the　Company　wondered　at　the　remarkable　woman　with　the

remarkable　child；　though　they　asked　no　questions　and　she　vouchsafed

nothing。　　But　just　before　Bering　Sea　closed　in　for　the　year；　she

bought　a　passage　south　on　a　strayed　sealing　schooner。　　That　winter

she　cooked　for　Captain　Markheim's　household　at　Unalaska；　and　in　the

spring　continued　south　to　Sitka　on　a　whisky　sloop。　　Later　on

appeared　at　Metlakahtla；　which　is　near　to　St。　Mary's　on　the　end　of

the　Pan…Handle；　where　she　worked　in　the　cannery　through　the　salmon

season。　　When　autumn　came　and　the　Siwash　fishermen　prepared　to

return　to　Puget　Sound；　she　embarked　with　a　couple　of　families　in　a

big　cedar　canoe；　and　with　them　she　threaded　the　hazardous　chaos　of

the　Alaskan　and　Canadian　coasts；　till　the　Straits　of　Juan　de　Fuca

were　passed　and　she　led　her　boy　by　the　hand　up　the　hard　pave　of

Seattle。



There　she　met　Sandy　MacPherson；　on　a　windy　corner；　very　much

surprised　and；　when　he　had　heard　her　story；　very　wrothnot　so

wroth　as　he　might　have　been；　had　he　known　of　Kitty　Sharon；　but　of

her　Jees　Uck　breathed　not　a　word；　for　she　had　never　believed。

Sandy；　who　read　commonplace　and　sordid　desertion　into　the

circumstance；　strove　to　dissuade　her　from　her　trip　to　San

Francisco；　where　Neil　Bonner　was　supposed　to　live　when　he　was　at

home。　　And；　having　striven；　he　made　her　comfortable；　bought　her

tickets　and　saw　her　off；　the　while　smiling　in　her　face　and

muttering　〃dam…shame〃　into　his　beard。



With　roar　and　rumble；　through　daylight　and　dark；　swaying　and

lurching　between　the　dawns；　soaring　into　the　winter　snows　and

sinking　to　summer　valleys；　skirting　depths；　leaping　chasms；

piercing　mountains；　Jees　Uck　and　her　boy　were　hurled　south。　　But

she　had　no　fear　of　the　iron　stallion；　nor　was　she　stunned　by　this

masterful　civilization　of　Neil　Bonner's　people。　　It　seemed；　rather；

that　she　saw　with　greater　clearness　the　wonder　that　a　man　of　such

godlike　race　had　held　her　in　his　arms。　　The　screaming　medley　of　San

Francisco；　with　its　restless　shipping；　belching　factories；　and

thundering　traffic；　did　not　confuse　her；　instead；　she　comprehended

swiftly　the　pitiful　sordidness　of　Twenty　Mile　and　the　skin…lodged

Toyaat　village。　　And　she　looked　down　at　the　boy　that　clutched　her

hand　and　wondered　that　she　had　borne　him　by　such　a　man。



She　paid　the　hack…driver　five　pieces　and　went　up　the　stone　steps　of

Neil　Bonner's　front　door。　　A　slant…eyed　Japanese　parleyed　with　her

for　a　fruitless　space；　then　led　her　inside　and　disappeared。　　She

remained　in　the　hall；　which　to　her　simply　fancy　seemed　to　be　the

guest…roomthe　show…place　wherein　were　arrayed　all　the　household

treasures　with　the　frank　purpose　of　parade　and　dazzlement。　　The

walls　and　ceiling　were　of　oiled　and　panelled　redwood。　　The　floor

was　more　glassy　than　glare…ice；　and　she　sought　standing　place　on

one　of　the　great　skins　that　gave　a　sense　of　security　to　the

polished　surface。　　A　huge　fireplacean　extravagant　fireplace；　she

deemed　ityawned　in　the　farther　wall。　　A　flood　of　light；　mellowed

by　stained　glass；　fell　across　the　room；　and　from　the　far　end　came

the　white　gleam　of　a　marble　figure。



This　much　she　saw；　and　more；　when　the　slant…eyed　servant　led　the

way　past　another　roomof　which　she　caught　a　fleeting　glanceand

into　a　third；　both　of　which　dimmed　the　brave　show　of　the　entrance

hall。　　And　to　her　eyes　the　great　house　seemed　to　hold　out　the

promise　of　endless　similar　rooms。　　There　was　such　length　and

breadth　to　them；　and　the　ceilings　were　so　far　away！　　For　the　first

time　since　her　advent　into　the　white　man's　civilization；　a　feeling

of　awe　laid　hold　of　her。　　Neil；　her　Neil；　lived　in　this　house；

breathed　the　air　of　it；　and　lay　down　at　night　and　slept！　　It　was

beautiful；　all　this　that　she　saw；　and　it　pleased　her；　but　she　felt；

also；　the　wisdom　and　mastery　behind。　　It　was　the　concrete

expression　of　power　in　terms　of　beauty；　and　it　was　the　power　that

she　unerringly　divined。



And　then　came　a　woman；　queenly　tall；　crowned　with　a　glory　of　hair

that　was　like　a　golden　sun。　　She　seemed　to　come　toward　Jees　Uck　as

a　ripple　of　music　across　still　water；　her　sweeping　garment　itself　a

song；　her　body　playing　rhythmically　beneath。　　Jees　Uck　herself　was

a　man　compeller。　　There　were　Oche　Ish　and　Imego　and　Hah　Yo　and　Wy

Nooch；　to　say　nothing　of　Neil　Bonner　and　John　Thompson　and　other

white　men　that　had　looked　upon　her　and　felt　her　power。　　But　she

gazed　upon　the　wide　blue　eyes　and　rose…white　skin　of　this　woman

that　advanced　to　meet　her；　and　she　measured　her　with　woman's　eyes

looking　through　man's　eyes；　and　as　a　man　compeller　she　felt　herself

diminish　and　grow　insignificant　before　this　radiant　and　flashing

creature。



〃You　wish　to　see　my　husband？〃　the　woman　asked；　and　Jees　Uck　gasped

at　the　liquid　silver　of　a　voice　that　had　never　sounded　harsh　cries

at　snarling　wolf…dogs；　nor　moulded　itself　to　a　guttural　speech；　nor

toughened　in　storm　and　frost　and　camp　smoke。



〃No；〃　Jees　Uck　answered　slowly　and　gropingly；　in　order　that　she

might　do　justice　to　her　English。　　〃I　come　to　see　Neil　Bonner。〃



〃He　is　my　husband；〃　the　woman　laughed。



Then　it　was　true！　　John　Thompson　had　not　lied　that　bleak　February

day；　when　she　laughed　pridefully　and　shut　the　door　in　his　face。　　As

once　she　had　thrown　Amos　Pentley　across　her　knee　and　ripped　her

knife　into　the　air；　so　now　she　felt　impelled　to　spring　upon　this

woman　and　bear　her　back　and　down；　and　tear　the　life　out　of　her　fair

body。　　But　Jees　Uck　was　thinking　quickly　and　gave　no　sign；　and

Kitty　Bonner　little　dreamed　how　intimately　she　had　for　an　instant

been　related　with　sudden　death。



Jees　Uck　nodded　her　head　that　she　understood；　and　Kitty　Bonner

explained　that　Neil　was　expected　at　any　moment。　　Then　they　sat　down

on　ridiculously　comfortable　chairs；　and　Kitty　sought　to　entertain

her　strange　visitor；　and　Jees　Uck　strove　to　help　her。



〃You　knew　my　husband　in　the　North？〃　Kitty　asked；　once。



〃Sure。　　I　wash　um　clothes；〃　Jees　Uck　had　answered；　her　English

abruptly　beginning　to　grow　atrocious。



〃And　this　is　your　boy？　　I　have　a　little　girl。〃



Kitty　caused　her　daughter　to　be　brought；　and　while　the　children；

after　their　manner；　struck　an　acquaintance；　the　mothers　indulged　in

the　talk　of　mothers　and　drank　tea　from　cups　so　fragile　that　Jees

Uck　feared　lest　hers　should　crumble　to　pieces　beneath　her　fingers。

Never　had　she　seen　such　cups；　so　delicate　and　dainty。　　In　her　mind

she　compared　them　with　the　woman　who　poured　the　tea；　and　there

uprose　in　contrast　the　gourds　and　pannikins　of　the　Toyaat　village

and　the　clumsy　mugs　of　Twenty　Mile；　to　which　she　likened　herself。

And　in　such　fashion　and　such　terms　the　problem　presented　itself。

She　was　beaten。　　There　was　a　woman　other　than　herself　better　fitted

to　bear　and　upbring　Neil　Bonner's　children。　　Just　as　his　people

exceeded　her　people；　so　did　his　womankind　exceed　her。　　They　were

the　man　compellers；　as　their　men　were　the　world　compellers。　　She

looked　at　the　rose…white　tenderness　of　Kitty　Bonner's　skin　and

remembered　the　sun…beat　on　her　own　face。　　Likewise　she　looked　from

brown　hand　to　whitethe　one；　work…worn　and　hardened　by　whip…handle

and　paddle；　the　other　as　guiltless　of　toil　and　soft　as　a　newborn

babe's。　　And；　for　all　the　obvious　softness　and　apparent　weakness；

Jees　Uck　looked　into　the　blue　eyes　and　saw　the　mastery　she　had　seen

in　Neil　Bonner's　eyes　and　in　the　eyes　of　Neil　Bonner's　people。



〃Why；　it's　Jees　Uck！〃　Neil　Bonner　said；　when　he　entered。　　He　said

it　calmly；　with　even　a　ring　of　joyful　cordiality；　coming　over　to

her　and　shaking　both　her　hands；　but　looking　into　her　eyes　with　a

worry　in　his　own　that　she　understood。



〃Hello；　Neil！〃　she　said。　　〃You　look　much　good。〃



〃Fine；　fine；　Jees　Uck；〃　he　answered　heartily；　though　secretly

studying　Kitty　for　some　sign　of　what　had　passed　between　the　two。

Yet　he　knew　his　wife　too　well　to　expect；　even　though　the　worst　had

passed；　such　a　sign。



〃Well；　I　can't　say　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you；〃　he　went　on。　　〃What's

happened？　　Did　you　strike　a　mine？　　And　when　did　you　get　in？〃



〃Oo…a；　I　get　in　to…day；〃　she　replied；　her　voice　instinctively

seeking　its　guttural　parts。　　〃I　no　strike　it；　Neil。　　You　known

Cap'n　Markheim；　Unalaska？　　I　cook；　his　house；　long　time。　　No　spend

money。　　Bime…by；　plenty。　　Pretty　good；　I　think；　go　down　and　see

White　Man's　Land。　　Very　fine；　White　Man's　Land；　very　fine；〃　she

added。　　Her　English　puzzled　him；　for　Sandy　and　he　had　sought；

constantly；　to　better　her　speech；　and　she　had　proved　an　apt　pupil。

Now　it　seemed　that　she　had　sunk　back　into　her　race。　　Her　face　was

guileless；　stolidly　guileless；　giving　no　cue。　　Kitty's　untroubled

brow　likewise　baffled　him。　　What　had　happened？　　How　much　had　been

said？　and　how　much　guessed？



While　he　wrestled　with　these　questions　and　while　Jees　Uck　wrestled

with　her　problemnever　had　he　looked　so　wonderful　and　greata

silence　fell。



〃To　think　that　you　knew　my　husband　in　Alaska！〃　Kitty　said　softly。



Knew　him！　　Jees　Uck　could　not　forbear　a　glance　at　the　boy　she　had

borne　him；　and　his　eyes　followed　hers　mechanically　to　the　window

where　played　the　two　children。　　An　iron　hand　seemed　to　tighten

across　his　forehead。　　His　knees　went　weak　and　his　heart　leaped　up

and　pounded　like　a　fist　against　his　breast。　　His　boy！　　He　had　never

dreamed　it！



Little　Kitty　Bonner；　fairylike