按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
three thousand dollars；〃 said El…Soo。 〃Take it； Tommy； for the Company。
And here are four old men； Tommy。 You know them。 And here is one
thousand dollars。 Take it； and see that the old men are never hungry and
never without tobacco。〃
Tommy scooped the gold into separate sacks。 Six thousand dollars
remained on the table。 El…Soo thrust the scoop into the heap； and with a
sudden turn whirled the contents out and down to the Yukon in a golden
shower。 Porportuk seized her wrist as she thrust the scoop a second time
into the heap。
〃It is mine；〃 she said calmly。 Porportuk released his grip； but he
gritted his teeth and scowled darkly as she continued to scoop the gold
into the river till none was left。
The crowd had eyes for naught but Akoon； and the rifle of Porportuk's
man lay across the hollow of his arm； the muzzle directed at Akoon a yard
away； the man's thumb on the hammer。 But Akoon did nothing。
〃Make out the bill of sale；〃 Porportuk said grimly。
And Tommy made out the till of sale； wherein all right and title in the
woman El…Soo was vested in the man Porportuk。 El…Soo signed the
document； and Porportuk folded it and put it away in his pouch。 Suddenly
his eyes flashed； and in sudden speech he addressed El…Soo。
〃But it was not your father's debt；〃 he said； 〃What I paid was the price
for you。 Your sale is business of to…day and not of last year and the years
before。 The ounces paid for you will buy at the post to…day seventeen
dollars of flour； and not sixteen。 I have lost a dollar on each ounce。 I
have lost six hundred and twenty…five dollars。〃
El…Soo thought for a moment； and saw the error she had made。 She
smiled； and then she laughed。
〃You are right；〃 she laughed； 〃I made a mistake。 But it is too late。
98
… Page 99…
LOST FACE
You have paid； and the gold is gone。 You did not think quick。 It is your
loss。 Your wit is slow these days； Porportuk。 You are getting old。〃
He did not answer。 He glanced uneasily at Akoon； and was reassured。
His lips tightened； and a hint of cruelty came into his face。 〃Come；〃 he
said； 〃we will go to my house。〃
〃Do you remember the two things I told you in the spring？〃 El…Soo
asked； making no movement to accompany him。
〃My head would be full with the things women say； did I heed them；〃
he answered。
〃I told you that you would be paid；〃 El…Soo went on carefully。 〃And
I told you that I would never be your wife。〃
〃But that was before the bill of sale。〃 Porportuk crackled the paper
between his fingers inside the pouch。 〃I have bought you before all the
world。 You belong to me。 You will not deny that you belong to me。〃
〃I belong to you；〃 El…Soo said steadily。
〃I own you。〃
〃You own me。〃
Porportuk's voice rose slightly and triumphantly。 〃As a dog； I own
you。〃
〃As a dog you own me；〃 El…Soo continued calmly。 〃But； Porportuk；
you forget the thing I told you。 Had any other man bought me； I should
have been that man's wife。 I should have been a good wife to that man。
Such was my will。 But my will with you was that I should never be your
wife。 Wherefore； I am your dog。〃
Porportuk knew that he played with fire； and he resolved to play firmly。
〃Then I speak to you； not as El…Soo； but as a dog；〃 he said； 〃and I tell you
to come with me。〃 He half reached to grip her arm； but with a gesture
she held him back。
〃Not so fast； Porportuk。 You buy a dog。 The dog runs away。 It is
your loss。 I am your dog。 What if I run away？〃
〃As the owner of the dog； I shall beat you〃
〃When you catch me？〃
〃When I catch you。〃
〃Then catch me。〃
99
… Page 100…
LOST FACE
He reached swiftly for her； but she eluded him。 She laughed as she
circled around the table。 〃Catch her！〃 Porportuk commanded the Indian
with the rifle； who stood near to her。 But as the Indian stretched forth his
arm to her； the Eldorado king felled him with a fist blow under the ear。
The rifle clattered to the ground。 Then was Akoon's chance。 His eyes
glittered； but he did nothing。
Porportuk was an old man； but his cold nights retained for him his
activity。 He did not circle the table。 He came across suddenly； over the
top of the table。 El…Soo was taken off her guard。 She sprang back with
a sharp cry of alarm； and Porportuk would have caught her had it not been
for Tommy。 Tommy's leg went out； Porportuk tripped and pitched
forward on the ground。 El…Soo got her start。
〃Then catch me；〃 she laughed over her shoulder； as she fled away。
She ran lightly and easily； but Porportuk ran swiftly and savagely。 He
outran her。 In his youth he had been swiftest of all the young men。 But
El…Soo dodged in a willowy； elusive way。 Being in native dress； her feet
were not cluttered with skirts； and her pliant body curved a flight that
defied the gripping fingers of Porportuk。
With laughter and tumult； the great crowd scattered out to see the
chase。 It led through the Indian encampment； and ever dodging； circling；
and reversing； El…Soo and Porportuk appeared and disappeared among the
tents。 El…Soo seemed to balance herself against the air with her arms；
now one side； now on the other； and sometimes her body； too； leaned out
upon the air far from the perpendicular as she achieved her sharpest curves。
And Porportuk； always a leap behind； or a leap this side or that； like a lean
hound strained after her。
They crossed the open ground beyond the encampment and
disappeared in the forest。 Tana…naw Station waited their reappearance；
and long and vainly it waited。
In the meantime Akoon ate and slept； and lingered much at the
steamboat landing； deaf to the rising resentment of Tana…naw Station in
that he did nothing。 Twenty…four hours later Porportuk returned。 He was
tired and savage。 He spoke to no one but Akoon； and with him tried to
pick a quarrel。 But Akoon shrugged his shoulders and walked away。
100
… Page 101…
LOST FACE
Porportuk did not waste time。 He outfitted half a dozen of the young
men； selecting the best trackers and travellers； and at their head plunged
into the forest。
Next day the steamer Seattle； bound up river； pulled in to the shore and
wooded up。 When the lines were cast off and she churned out from the
bank； Akoon was on board in the pilot…house。 Not many hours afterward；
when it was his turn at the wheel； he saw a small birchbark canoe put off
from the shore。 There was only one person in it。 He studied it carefully；
put the wheel over； and slowed down。
The captain entered the pilot…house。 〃What's the matter？〃 he
demanded。 〃The water's good。〃
Akoon grunted。 He saw a larger canoe leaving the bank； and in it
were a number of persons。 As the Seattle lost headway； he put the wheel
over some more。
The captain fumed。 〃It's only a squaw；〃 he protested。
Akoon did not grunt。 He was all eyes for the squaw and the pursuing
canoe。 In the latter six paddles were flashing； while the squaw paddled
slowly。
〃You'll be aground；〃 the captain protested； seizing the wheel。
But Akoon countered his strength on the wheel and looked him in the
eyes。 The captain slowly released the spokes。
〃Queer beggar；〃 he sniffed to himself。
Akoon held the Seattle on the edge of the shoal water and waited till
he saw the squaw's fingers clutch the forward rail。 Then he signalled for
full speed ahead and ground the wheel over。 The large canoe was very
near； but the gap between it and the steamer was widening。
The squaw laughed and leaned over the rail。
〃Then catch me； Porpo