IN the lives of countries there are crises where, for a breath, destinies lie in the laps of the gods and are jumbled1, heads or tails. Thus are marked distinctive2 cycles like the seven ages of a man, and though, perhaps, they are too subtle to be perceived at the time, yet, having swung past the shadowy milestones3, the epochs disclose themselves.
Such a period in the progress of the Far Northwest was the nineteenth day of July, although to those concerned in the building of this new empire the day appealed only as the date of the coming of the law. All Nome gathered on the sands as lighters4 brought ashore5 Judge Stillman and his following. It was held fitting that the Senator should be the ship to safeguard the dignity of the first court and to introduce Justice into this land of the wild.
The interest awakened6 by His Honor was augmented7 by the fact that he was met on the beach by a charming girl, who flung herself upon him with evident delight.
“That’s his niece,” said some one. “She came up on the first boat—name’s Chester—swell looker, eh?”
Another new-comer attracted even more notice than the limb of the law; a gigantic, well-groomed man, with keen, close-set eyes, and that indefinable easy movement and polished bearing that come from confidence, health, and travel. Unlike the others, he did not dally9 on the beach nor display much interest in his surroundings; but, with purposeful frown strode through the press, up into the heart of the city. His companion was Struve’s partner, Dunham, a middle-aged10, pompous11 man. They went directly to the offices of Dunham & Struve, where they found the white-haired junior partner.
“Mighty glad to meet you, Mr. McNamara,” said Struve. “Your name is a household word in my part of the country. My people were mixed up in Dakota politics somewhat, so I’ve always had a great admiration12 for you and I’m glad you’ve come to Alaska. This is a big country and we need big men.”
“Trouble,” said Struve, ruefully; “well, I wonder if I did. Miss Chester brought me your instructions O. K. and I got busy right off. But, tell me this—how did you get the girl to act as messenger?”
“There was no one else to send,” answered McNamara. “Dunham intended sailing on the first boat, but he was detained in Washington with me, and the Judge had to wait for us at Seattle. We were afraid to trust a stranger for fear he might get curious and examine the papers. That would have meant—” He moved his hand eloquently15.
Struve nodded. “I see. Does she know what was in the documents?”
“Decidedly not. Women and business don’t mix. I hope you didn’t tell her anything.”
“No; I haven’t had a chance. She seemed to take a dislike to me for some reason. I haven’t seen her since the day after she got here.”
“The Judge told her it had something to do with preparing the way for his court,” said Dunham, “and that if the papers were not delivered before he arrived it might cause a lot of trouble—litigation, riots, bloodshed, and all that. He filled her up on generalities till the girl was frightened to death and thought the safety of her uncle and the whole country depended on her.”
“Well,” continued Struve, “it’s dead easy to hire men to jump claims and it’s dead easy to buy their rights afterwards, particularly when they know they haven’t got any—but what course do you follow when owners go gunning for you?”
McNamara laughed.
“Who did that?”
“A benevolent16, silver-haired old Texan pirate by the name of Dextry. He’s one half owner in the Midas and the other half mountain-lion; as peaceable, you’d imagine, as a benediction17, but with the temperament18 of a Geronimo. I sent Galloway out to relocate the claim, and he got his notices up in the night when they were asleep, but at 6 A.M. he came flying back to my room and nearly hammered the door down. I’ve seen fright in varied19 forms and phases, but he had them all, with some added starters.
“ ‘Hide me out, quick!’ he panted.
“ ‘What’s up?’ I asked.
“ ‘I’ve stirred up a breakfast of grizzly20 bear, small-pox, and sudden death and it don’t set well on my stummick. Let me in.’
“I had to keep him hidden three days, for this gentle-mannered old cannibal roamed the streets with a cannon21 in his hand, breathing fire and pestilence22.”
“No; all the rest are Swedes and they haven’t got the nerve to fight. They couldn’t lick a spoon if they tried. These other men are different, though. There are two of them, the old one and a young fellow. I’m a little afraid to mix it up with them, and if their claim wasn’t the best in the district, I’d say let it alone.”
“I’ll attend to that,” said McNamara.
Struve resumed:
“Yes, gentlemen, I’ve been working pretty hard and also pretty much in the dark so far. I’m groping for light. When Miss Chester brought in the papers I got busy instanter. I clouded the title to the richest placers in the region, but I’m blamed if I quite see the use of it. We’d be thrown out of any court in the land if we took them to law. What’s the game—blackmail?”
“Humph!” ejaculated McNamara. “What do you take me for?”
“Well, it does seem small for Alec McNamara, but I can’t see what else you’re up to.”
“Within a week I’ll be running every good mine in the Nome district.”
McNamara’s voice was calm but decisive, his glance keen and alert, while about him clung such a breath of power and confidence that it compelled belief even in the face of this astounding24 speech.
In spite of himself, Wilton Struve, lawyer, rake, and gentlemanly adventurer, felt his heart leap at what the other’s daring implied. The proposition was utterly25 past belief, and yet, looking into the man’s purposeful eyes, he believed.
“That’s big—awful big—too big,” the younger man murmured. “Why, man, it means you’ll handle fifty thousand dollars a day!”
Dunham shifted his feet in the silence and licked his dry lips.
“Of course it’s big, but Mr. McNamara’s the biggest man that ever came to Alaska,” he said.
“And I’ve got the biggest scheme that ever came north, backed by the biggest men in Washington,” continued the politician. “Look here!” He displayed a type-written sheet bearing parallel lists of names and figures. Struve gasped26 incredulously.
“Those are my stockholders and that is their share in the venture. Oh, yes; we’re incorporated—under the laws of Arizona—secret, of course; it would never do for the names to get out. I’m showing you this only because I want you to be satisfied who’s behind me.”
“Lord! I’m satisfied,” said Struve, laughing nervously27. “Dunham was with you when you figured the scheme out and he met some of your friends in Washington and New York. If he says it’s all right, that settles it. But say, suppose anything went wrong with the company and it leaked out who those stockholders are?”
“There’s no danger. I have the books where they will be burned at the first sign. We’d have had our own land laws passed but for Sturtevant of Nevada, damn him. He blocked us in the Senate. However, my plan is this.” He rapidly outlined his proposition to the listeners, while a light of admiration grew and shone in the reckless face of Struve.
“By heavens! you’re a wonder!” he cried, at the close, “and I’m with you body and soul. It’s dangerous—that’s why I like it.”
“Dangerous?” McNamara shrugged28 his shoulders. “Bah! Where is the danger? We’ve got the law—or rather, we are the law. Now, let’s get to work.”
It seemed that the Boss of North Dakota was no sluggard29. He discarded coat and waistcoat and tackled the documents which Struve laid before him, going through them like a whirlwind. Gradually he infected the others with his energy, and soon behind the locked doors of Dunham & Struve there were only haste and fever and plot and intrigue30.
As Helen Chester led the Judge towards the flamboyant31, three-storied hotel she prattled32 to him light-heartedly. The fascination33 of a new land already held her fast, and now she felt, in addition, security and relief. Glenister saw them from a distance and strode forward to greet them.
He beheld34 a man of perhaps threescore years, benign35 of aspect save for the eyes, which were neither clear nor steady, but had the trick of looking past one. Glenister thought the mouth, too, rather weak and vacillating; but the clean-shaven face was dignified36 by learning and acumen37 and was wrinkled in pleasant fashion.
“My niece has just told me of your service to her,” the old gentleman began. “I am happy to know you, sir.”
“Besides being a brave knight38 and assisting ladies in distress39, Mr. Glenister is a very great and wonderful man,” Helen explained, lightly. “He owns the Midas.”
“Indeed!” said the old man, his shifting eyes now resting full on the other with a flash of unmistakable interest. “I hear that is a wonderful mine. Have you begun work yet?”
“No. We’ll commence sluicing40 day after to-morrow. It has been a late spring. The snow in the gulch41 was deep and the ground thaws42 slowly. We’ve been building houses and doing dead work, but we’ve got our men on the ground, waiting.”
“I am greatly interested. Won’t you walk with us to the hotel? I want to hear more about these wonderful placers.”
“Well, they are great placers,” said the miner, as the three walked on together; “nobody knows how great because we’ve only scratched at them yet. In the first place the ground is so shallow and the gold is so easy to get, that if nature didn’t safeguard us in the winter we’d never dare leave our claims for fear of ‘snipers.’ They’d run in and rob us.”
“It’s hard to tell, sir; but we expect to average five thousand a day from the Midas alone, and there are other claims just as good.”
“Your title is all clear, I dare say, eh?”
“Absolutely, except for one jumper, and we don’t take him seriously. A fellow named Galloway relocated us one night last month, but he didn’t allege45 any grounds for doing so, and we could never find trace of him. If we had, our title would be as clean as snow again.” He said the last with a peculiar46 inflection.
“You wouldn’t use violence, I trust?”
“Sure! Why not? It has worked all right heretofore.”
“But, my dear sir, those days are gone. The law is here and it is the duty of every one to abide47 by it.”
“Well, perhaps it is; but in this country we consider a man’s mine as sacred as his family. We didn’t know what a lock and key were in the early times and we didn’t have any troubles except famine and hardship. It’s different now, though. Why, there have been more claims jumped around here this spring than in the whole length and history of the Yukon.”
They had reached the hotel, and Glenister paused, turning to the girl as the Judge entered. When she started to follow, he detained her.
“I came down from the hills on purpose to see you. It has been a long week—”
“Don’t talk that way,” she interrupted, coldly. “I don’t care to hear it.”
“See here—what makes you shut me out and wrap yourself up in your haughtiness48? I’m sorry for what I did that night—I’ve told you so repeatedly. I’ve wrung49 my soul for that act till there’s nothing left but repentance50.”
“It is not that,” she said, slowly. “I have been thinking it over during the past month, and now that I have gained an insight into this life I see that it wasn’t an unnatural51 thing for you to do. It’s terrible to think of, but it’s true. I don’t mean that it was pardonable,” she continued, quickly, “for it wasn’t, and I hate you when I think about it, but I suppose I put myself into a position to invite such actions. No; I’m sufficiently52 broad-minded not to blame you unreasonably53, and I think I could like you in spite of it, just for what you have done for me; but that isn’t all. There is something deeper. You saved my life and I’m grateful, but you frighten me, always. It is the cruelty in your strength, it is something away back in you—lustful, and ferocious54, and wild, and crouching55.”
“It is my local color, maybe—absorbed from this country. I’ll try to change, though, if you want me to. I’ll let them rope and throw and brand me. I’ll take on the graces of civilization and put away revenge and ambition and all the rest of it, if it will make you like me any better. Why, I’ll even promise not to violate the person of our claim-jumper if I catch him; and Heaven knows that means that Samson has parted with his locks.”
There are no clubs nor marts where men foregather for business in the North—nothing but the saloon, and this is all and more than a club. Here men congregate58 to drink, to gamble, and to traffic.
It was late in the evening when Glenister entered the Northern and passed idly down the row of games, pausing at the crap-table, where he rolled the dice59 when his turn came. Moving to the roulette-wheel, he lost a stack of whites, but at the faro “lay-out” his luck was better, and he won a gold coin on the “high-card.” Whereupon he promptly60 ordered a round of drinks for the men grouped about him, a formality always precedent61 to overtures62 of general friendship.
As he paused, glass in hand, his eyes were drawn63 to a man who stood close by, talking earnestly. The aspect of the stranger challenged notice, for he stood high above his companions with a peculiar grace of attitude in place of the awkwardness common in men of great stature64. Among those who were listening intently to the man’s carefully modulated65 tones, Glenister recognized Mexico Mullins, the ex-gambler who had given Dextry the warning at Unalaska. As he further studied the listening group, a drunken man staggered uncertainly through the wide doors of the saloon and, gaining sight of the tall stranger, blinked, then approached him, speaking with a loud voice:
“Well, if ’tain’t ole Alec McNamara! How do, ye ole pirate!”
McNamara nodded and turned his back coolly upon the new-comer.
McNamara continued his calm discourse67 till he received a vicious whack68 on the shoulder; then he turned for a moment to interrupt his assailant’s garrulous69 profanity:
“Don’t bother me. I am engaged.”
“Ye won’ talk to me, eh? Well, I’m goin’ to talk to you, see? I guess you’d listen if I told these people all I know about you. Turn around here.”
His voice was menacing and attracted general notice. Observing this, McNamara addressed him, his words dropping clear, concise70, and cold:
“Don’t talk to me. You are a drunken nuisance. Go away before something happens to you.”
Again he turned away, but the drunken man seized and whirled him about, repeating his abuse, encouraged by this apparent patience.
“Your pardon for an instant, gentlemen.” McNamara laid a large white and manicured hand upon the flannel71 sleeve of the miner and gently escorted him through the entrance to the sidewalk, while the crowd smiled.
As they cleared the threshold, however, he clenched72 his fist without a word and, raising it, struck the sot fully14 and cruelly upon the jaw73. His victim fell silently, the back of his head striking the boards with a hollow thump74; then, without even observing how he lay, McNamara re-entered the saloon and took up his conversation where he had been interrupted. His voice was as evenly regulated as his movements, betraying not a sign of anger, excitement, or bravado75. He lit a cigarette, extracted a note-book, and jotted76 down certain memoranda77 supplied him by Mexico Mullins.
All this time the body lay across the threshold without a sign of life. The buzz of the roulette-wheel was resumed and the crap-dealer began his monotonous78 routine. Every eye was fixed79 on the nonchalant man at the bar, but the unconscious creature outside the threshold lay unheeded, for in these men’s code it behooves80 the most humane81 to practise a certain aloofness82 in the matter of private brawls83.
Having completed his notes, McNamara shook hands gravely with his companions and strode out through the door, past the bulk that sprawled84 across his path, and, without pause or glance, disappeared.
A dozen willing, though unsympathetic, hands laid the drunkard on the roulette-table, where the bartender poured pitcher85 upon pitcher of water over him.
“He ain’t hurt none to speak of,” said a bystander; then added, with enthusiasm:
“But say! There’s a man in this here camp!”
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1
jumbled
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| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
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distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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milestones
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| n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑 | |
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lighters
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| n.打火机，点火器( lighter的名词复数 ) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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fin
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| n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼 | |
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dally
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| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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pestilence
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| n.瘟疫 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sluggard
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| n.懒人；adj.懒惰的 | |
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intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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flamboyant
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| adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的 | |
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prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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benign
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| adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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acumen
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| n.敏锐，聪明 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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sluicing
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| v.冲洗( sluice的现在分词 )；（指水）喷涌而出；漂净；给…安装水闸 | |
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gulch
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| n.深谷，峡谷 | |
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thaws
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| n.（足以解冻的）暖和天气( thaw的名词复数 )；（敌对国家之间）关系缓和v.（气候）解冻( thaw的第三人称单数 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
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anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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allege
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| vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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wryly
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| adv. 挖苦地，嘲弄地 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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congregate
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| v.(使)集合，聚集 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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modulated
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| 已调整[制]的，被调的 | |
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dorsal
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| adj.背部的，背脊的 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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garrulous
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| adj.唠叨的，多话的 | |
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concise
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| adj.简洁的，简明的 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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72
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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74
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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75
bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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jotted
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| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
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memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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behooves
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| n.利益，好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 ) | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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82
aloofness
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| 超然态度 | |
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83
brawls
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| 吵架，打架( brawl的名词复数 ) | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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