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for a week to come。 And yet there it was； right before my eyes； a cabin；
with a dim light in the window and smoke curling up from the chimney。
〃Why didn't you tell me〃 I began； but was interrupted by Lon； who
muttered
〃Surprise Lakeit lies up a small feeder half a mile on。 It's only a
pond。〃
〃Yes； but the cabinwho lives in it？〃
〃A woman；〃 was the answer； and the next moment Lon had rapped on
the door； and a woman's voice bade him enter。
〃Have you seen Dave recently？〃 she asked。
〃Nope；〃 Lon answered carelessly。 〃I've been in the other direction；
down Circle City way。 Dave's up Dawson way； ain't he？〃
The woman nodded； and Lon fell to unharnessing the dogs； while I
unlashed the sled and carried the camp outfit into the cabin。 The cabin
was a large； one…room affair； and the woman was evidently alone in it。
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She pointed to the stove； where water was already boiling； and Lon set
about the preparation of supper； while I opened the fish… bag and fed the
dogs。 I looked for Lon to introduce us； and was vexed that he did not； for
they were evidently old friends。
〃You are Lon McFane； aren't you？〃 I heard her ask him。 〃Why； I
remember you now。 The last time I saw you it was on a steamboat；
wasn't it？ I remember 。 。 。 〃
Her speech seemed suddenly to be frozen by the spectacle of dread
which； I knew； from the tenor I saw mounting in her eyes； must be on her
inner vision。 To my astonishment； Lon was affected by her words and
manner。 His face showed desperate； for all his voice sounded hearty and
genial； as he said …
〃The last time we met was at Dawson； Queen's Jubilee； or Birthday； or
somethingdon't you remember？the canoe races in the river； and the
obstacle races down the main street？〃
The terror faded out of her eyes and her whole body relaxed。 〃Oh；
yes； I do remember；〃 she said。 〃And you won one of the canoe races。〃
〃How's Dave been makin' it lately？ Strikin' it as rich as ever； I
suppose？〃 Lon asked； with apparent irrelevance。
She smiled and nodded； and then； noticing that I had unlashed the bed
roll； she indicated the end of the cabin where I might spread it。 Her own
bunk； I noticed； was made up at the opposite end。
〃I thought it was Dave coming when I heard your dogs；〃 she said。
After that she said nothing； contenting herself with watching Lon's
cooking operations； and listening the while as for the sound of dogs along
the trail。 I lay back on the blankets and smoked and watched。 Here was
mystery； I could make that much out； but no more could I make out。
Why in the deuce hadn't Lon given me the tip before we arrived？ I
looked at her face； unnoticed by her； and the longer I looked the harder it
was to take my eyes away。 It was a wonderfully beautiful face； unearthly；
I may say； with a light in it or an expression or something 〃that was never
on land or sea。〃 Fear and terror had completely vanished； and it was a
placidly beautiful face… …if by 〃placid〃 one can characterize that intangible
and occult something that I cannot say was a radiance or a light any more
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than I can say it was an expression。
Abruptly； as if for the first time； she became aware of my presence。
〃Have you seen Dave recently？〃 she asked me。 It was on the tip of
my tongue to say 〃Dave who？〃 when Lon coughed in the smoke that arose
from the sizzling bacon。 The bacon might have caused that cough； but I
took it as a hint and left my question unasked。 〃No； I haven't；〃 I
answered。 〃I'm new in this part of the country〃
〃But you don't mean to say；〃 she interrupted； 〃that you've never heard
of Daveof Big Dave Walsh？〃
〃You see；〃 I apologised； 〃I'm new in the country。 I've put in most of
my time in the Lower Country； down Nome way。〃
〃Tell him about Dave；〃 she said to Lon。
Lon seemed put out； but he began in that hearty； genial manner that I
had noticed before。 It seemed a shade too hearty and genial； and it
irritated me。
〃Oh； Dave is a fine man；〃 he said。 〃He's a man； every inch of him；
and he stands six feet four in his socks。 His word is as good as his bond。
The man lies who ever says Dave told a lie； and that man will have to fight
with me； too； as wellif there's anything left of him when Dave gets done
with him。 For Dave is a fighter。 Oh； yes； he's a scrapper from way back。
He got a grizzly with a '38 popgun。 He got clawed some； but he knew
what he was doin'。 He went into the cave on purpose to get that grizzly。
'Fraid of nothing。 Free an' easy with his money； or his last shirt an' match
when out of money。 Why； he drained Surprise Lake here in three weeks an'
took out ninety thousand； didn't he？〃 She flushed and nodded her head
proudly。 Through his recital she had followed every word with keenest
interest。 〃An' I must say；〃 Lon went on； 〃that I was disappointed sore on
not meeting Dave here to…night。〃
Lon served supper at one end of the table of whip…sawed spruce； and
we fell to eating。 A howling of the dogs took the woman to the door。 She
opened it an inch and listened。
〃Where is Dave Walsh？〃 I asked； in an undertone。
〃Dead；〃 Lon answered。 〃In hell； maybe。 I don't know。 Shut up。〃
〃But you just said that you expected to meet him here to…night；〃 I
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challenged。
〃Oh； shut up； can't you；〃 was Lon's reply； in the same cautious
undertone。
The woman had closed the door and was returning； and I sat and
meditated upon the fact that this man who told me to shut up received
from me a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars a month and his board。
Lon washed the dishes； while I smoked and watched the woman。 She
seemed more beautiful than everstrangely and weirdly beautiful； it is true。
After looking at her steadfastly for five minutes； I was compelled to come
back to the real world and to glance at Lon McFane。 This enabled me to
know； without discussion； that the woman； too； was real。 At first I had
taken her for the wife of Dave Walsh； but if Dave Walsh were dead； as
Lon had said； then she could be only his widow。
It was early to bed； for we faced a long day on the morrow； and as Lon
crawled in beside me under the blankets； I ventured a question。
〃That woman's crazy； isn't she？〃
〃Crazy as a loon；〃 he answered。
And before I could formulate my next question； Lon McFane； I swear；
was off to sleep。 He always went to sleep that wayjust crawled into the
blankets； closed his eyes； and was off； a demure little heavy breathing
rising on the air。 Lon never snored。
And in the morning it was quick breakfast； feed the dogs； load the sled；
and hit the trail。 We said good…bye as we pulled out； and the woman
stood in the doorway and watched us off。 I carried the vision of her
unearthly beauty away with me； just under my eyelids； and all I had to do；
any time； was to close them and see her again。 The way was unbroken；
Surprise Lake being far off the travelled trails； and Lon and I took turn
about at beating down the feathery snow with our big； webbed shoes so
that the dogs could travel。 〃But you said you expected to meet Dave
Walsh at the cabin；〃 trembled on the tip of my tongue a score of times。 I
did not utter it。 I could wait until we knocked off in the middle of the
day。 And when the middle of the day came； we went right on； for； as Lon
explained； there was a camp of moose hunters at the forks of the Teelee；
and we could make there by dark。 But we didn't make there by dark； for
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