| Show CHAPTER XV Continued Lucky studied the speaker curiously curiously curiously curi curi- there was a n pe peculiar uliar hostile gleam in his small colorless eyes Medicine 1 every hour and a n steady fire you say You dont don't rigger to get much sleep do you Non No But Dut me me Im I'm strong feller tener I r can sleep p ha hang In gln up by de ear if I got to Wha ts t.'s the big idea IdE-a Eh Doret was frankly sled Wat you ou mean beeg Idea Iden What expect to get out of all this 1 The French Canadians Canadian's face flushed he raised his head and met mat the gaze of the two men There was an air of dignity about him as tie said Deres plenty ting in dis wor won we don get pay for You didn't no pay yesterday when you run de Wite Orse to save sa dis gal an her papa did you Vial Val Im I'm backwoodsman river man I aint dam Dis is Js my ray countree were we're friens frien's together Ion long tam tarn I love it an an it loves me Ilove I love Jove de birds and an an friens frien's wit me rae also Bout Bou spring tam wen de grub she's short shor i ide de Canada Jays dey come to vis visit I me an an I 1 feed dem I fin tin deres dere's squirrels squirrel's nest onder my tent an mister squirrel creep out of his hole summer is come Dat feller teller hes he's h he steal my food tood an at he set longde m my stove for tor eat him You tink tink I hurt dose ii tIng ring Yo You spose I 1 mak dem pay lay for Tor wat wa I dey eat was soaring as only hi his free soul could soar he hex indicated the tent at his back whence issued issue the sound of Rouletta Kirbys Kirby's ceaseless ceaseless cease cease- less murmurings Dig Dis gal gal she's she's tiny snowbird wl wit broken wing flea Blen I 1 fix her herwin win wIng de bes' bes I can I mak make Tier her well an an anI I teach her to fly again Dats Dat's all Broad and Bridges had listened at attentively at- at their faces Impassive Lucky was the first to speak Lettys a n t good girl She's different to these others others- interrupted with a gestur tur tut- of Impatience It aint mak n no difference if it she's good or bad She's seek Men the Kid have done some som heavy an wed we'd about decided de de- de- de elded to get et a high stool stool- and take tak turns out Lettys Letty's game Justo just Jus to see that her bets bets went as they laid but I 1 got a hunch youre you're a square guy What think I Kid Iid Mr Bridges nodded his head slow slow- ly L I I got the same hunch The point is this he be explained We cant can't very well throw the Countess Count Count- ess we ess-we we got some of her outfit outfit and and anYhow how wed we'd be about as handy around an invalid as a cub cui bears I think well we'll bow out But if Preachy if ever we hear a kick from Vom that gal well we'll foller you like a track Wont Won't we Lucky Well VelI foller him to hell bell Mr Broad feelingly declared Gravely ceremoniously the callers callers callers call call- ers shook hands wi with th Doret then they returned whence they had come They went their way Rouletta's Rouletta's Rou- Rou lettas letta's delirium continued Po- Po leons leon's problems increased ased dall dally daily meanwhile however the life Ufe of the North did not slacken a single pulse pulse- pulse beat bea 1 Never since their earnest associations associations associations had Tom Linton and Jerry Quirk found themselves In such ab ab- ab i I solute accord in such complete harmony har bar mony of understanding as during the days that immediately followed their reconciliation Each man Undertook undertook undertook un un- to outdo the other in po polIteness politeness po- po each man forced himself tobe tobe to tobe be considerate and strove at nt whatever whatever what what- ever expense fo to himself to lighten the others other's burden all aU of their relations re re- re lations were characterized by elabOrate elaborate elaborate lab e-lab- orate an almost Victorian mid I courtesy A friendly rivalry in self self- sacrifice existed between them they quarreled good over the dish washing that disgusting rite which tries the patience e of every grown man when there was wood to be cut they battled with each other for tor the ax as But Dut there is a limit to politeness unfailing sunshine grows tedious and end so does a monotonous exercise of magnanimity While it had been an easy matter mat mat- ter to cut their rowboat In two the process of ot splicing It together again had required patience and Ingenuity ity and It had resulted in delay By the time they arrived at Miles Mlles Canyon Canyon Canyon Can Can- yon therefore the season was far tar advanced and both men without knowing it were in a condition of ot mind to welcome any sort of ot ofa a n squall that would serve to freshen the unbearably unbearably un un- un- un bearably stagnant atmosphere of amiability In which they were slowly slow slow- ly Iy suffocating Here for tor the first time the re results results re- re suits of their quarrel arose to em- em barass them they could find no pilot who would risk his life in a craft so badly put together as theirs After repeated discouragements the partners took counsel with each other reluctantly they agreed that they were up against against- it Seems like Ive I've about ruined mined us Mr Quirk acknowledged You Why Jerry It was my ray fault we cut put the old ship in n two Mr Linton declared The former speaker remonstrated gently Now Tom its it's Just like you to take take- the blame but it was my doln's I instigated that fratricidal fratricidal fratricidal strife strite Sweetly but firmly Linton differed with his p partner It aint often otten that youre you're wrong Jerry old boy boy it it aint more than once once or twice in a n lifetime but lifetime but youre you're wrong now Im I'm the guilty wretch and Id I'd ought to hang for tor It My rotten temper tern tem per per per- Pshaw You got one of the nicest dispositions I ever see see In In a man Youre You're sweeter n a a I mon I pecked at you till tm your core was exposed Im I'm a thorn inthe Inthe in inthe I the flesh Tom and folks wouldn't criticize you none for doln doin awa away with me Youre way off I climbed you with my spurs spurs- Now Torn Tom Sadly Mr Quirk wagged his gray head I dont don't often otten argue with anybody es especially especially especially es- es with you but the damnable idea of ot our spoils originated In m my evil mind and Im I'm goin to pay the pay the penalty Ill I'll ride this whitepine white whitepine whitepine pine outlaw through by myself You ear him down till tm I get both feet in the stirrups then turn him a Joose Ill I'll tin finish Ish settin up and I wont won't pull leather How you talk Boats aint like horses it'll take a n good oarsman to navigate those rapids rapids- Well Vell 1 Quirk looked up quickly Im a good o oarsman There was wasa a momentary pa pause se fAint Int I Mr Linton hastily remedied his slip Blip of ot the tongue Youre a abear abear abear bear h he asserted with feeling I dont don't know as I ever ever saw a better boatman than you for your weight and experience but but theres there's theres a few thIngs about b bb boats ats ts that you never had lad the chance to pick up you beIng being be- be Ing sort ort of a cactus and arid alkali sailor For or Instance when you want a boat to go go gee you have nave to pull on the off ott oar Its It's plumb opposite to the way you steer a horse Sure Didn't I figger that out for the both of us s Me most had hada a runaway maw r till I dop doped d it out I I Now this was a n a plain perversion of fact tact for it was vas Tom who had made mad the discovery Mr Linton was about to so state the matter when he r reflected that doubtless Jerrys Jerry's intentions were honest and that hat his tailing falling memory was wase vas to blame for tor the misstatement It was annoying to be robbed of the credit creditor for tor or an Important discovery of course ourse course but Tom swallowed his re resentment re- re The point is this he said with witha a resumption of f geniality Yo oud d get all wet in them rapids Jerry you and nd you know what that means Id I'd d rather take a chance on drownIng drown- drown lag Ing ng myself myse-It than to nurse you through another bad cold It was a perfectly sincere speech an an indirect expression of ot deep concern that reflected no little credIt cred- cred It upon the speakers speaker's generosity Tom was exasperated therefore when Jerry by some characteristic process of f crooked reasoning man aged to misinterpret it Plaintively the tie latter said I spose I 1 am ant a handicap to you Tom Torn Youre You're mighty orm ormy or ormy m my not to throw it Jt up to tome tome torae me rae any oftener than you do I dont don't throw it up to you none I never did No Jerry Ill I'll row the boat oat You go overland and keep your our feet teet dry dryl I I lot of good that would do Mr lr Quirk spoke morosely Id starve stary to o death walkin around if it you lost the he grub This struck Tom Linton as a n very I narrow arrow narrow a very selfish way of lookIng looking look- look I I Ing ng at the matter He had taken no such uch view of f Jerrys Jerry's offer fer he bad had L thought bought less about the grub than about bout his partners partner's safety It was I Ian In an n inconsiderate and unfeeling re- re re-j re j j mark After a n moment he said I You know I dont don't throw things I ip up to you JOu ou Jerry I 1 aint that kind i I Mr Ir Quirk stirred uneasily You You 1 didn't mean to say that did you I j What Jerry would have answered answered answered's I Is s uncertain for tor his attention at the moment was attracted by a stranger I Iwho Iwho who strode down the bank and now I accosted him and his partner Jointly Bon Boa Jour said the newcomer Tm Im lookin for buy some lemon emon You got some no Mr Quirk spoke Irritably Sure i I Weve We've got a few tew but they aint for sale ale I The stranger stranger Quirk Quirk remembered him as the Frenchman Doret whom he be had seen at nt Sheep Camp Camp smiled smiled confidently Oh yes Every is for tor sale If you pay nough for tor him said he ho Now this fellow tellow had broken the thread of conversation into which a n vague undertone of ot acrimony was creeping n a conversation that gave every indication of ot developing into an agreeable and soul satisfying difference of opinion If not even Into a n loud and spoken free-spoken argument argument ment of the old sort To have the promise of an nn invigorating quarrel frustrated by an nn Idiotic di diversion diversion diversion di- di version concerning lemons caused both old men to tu turn n their up pent-up exasperation upon the speaker Weve got use for our lemons and were we're going to keep them said Tom Were Yere lemon eaters lemon eaters full of acid acid that's that's us We wouldn't give lemon aid to nobody Jerry grinned in malicious enjoyment of his own wit You got how bow many persisted Oh bout enough lebbe l a I dozen or two I buy em Deres Dere's poor lady lady lady- Tom cut in brusquely Y You U wont won't buy anything here Dont Don't tellus tellus tell tellus us your troubles Weve We've got enough of our own and poverty aint among the number Wat trouble you got eh eb Me Im I'm de trouble man I fix fixem fixem fixem em Sourly the partners explained their difficulty When understood understood understood un un- un- un he lie smiled again more widely I Good I mak bargain wit you que ck Me Im I'm pilot of de bes' bes an anI I tak your boat trough for dose lemon The elderly men sat up they exchanged exchanged ex ex- changed startled glances mean it Z ZIm Im goin have dose lemon Cant you buy any in the saloons No Val Wai wat you ou say I Tom inquired of his partner Reckon you can get along without em Jerry 2 Why I been savin sa em for tor you Then its it's a go One ting you do for tor me eh oh t hesitated momentarily Its goin tak tam tarn for fin tin dam fool tool to hep me row dat da bateau but but I I fin him you set et up wit Hl lil see k gal while Im I'm gone What In a few words he made known the condition of affairs at his camp I I and the old men agreed readily enough With undisguised relief they clambered stiffly out of their boat bunt and followed the French Canadian CanadIan Canadian Can Can- adian up the trail As S they tiled up the slope exclaimed i i De Dc doctor hes he's go to Dawson I an tree free day his gal been in de do head Every hour medicine all de tam tarn fire in de do II I stove Im I'm half halt sleep Well set up with her as long as I I you want Torn TOOl volunteered BeIng Being Being Be ing p. p family man myself Im I'm a regular regular reg reg- ular r nurse i Me re t too o J ry exclaimed I never had no family but I allus been ba handy dy around bosses and 1 is the same as people only bigger bigger bigger- Mr Linton stifled a laugh at this remark show you said h he You leave It to me me Jerry I Well aint they No They are too Plumb different The argument waxed hot it had reached its height when laid a finger upon his lips demanding silence On tiptoe he led Jed the two I Imen men into his tent When he le had iss issued ed instructions Instructions Instructions' and left in search of a a boatman the partners seated themselves awkwardly their caps caps' In their hands Curiously apprehensively apprehensively ap ap- ap- ap th they y studied the fever flushed face of the delirious girl I aint she Jerry whis whis- 0 pored I ITom I Tom nodded sick all allright allright allright right too he said In a similar tone Then after a moment Ive been I thinking about them lemons Were We're getting about a hundred dollars a a dozen for tor em Kind of rotten trick under the circumstances Im I'm sorry you rou ou put it up to that feller teller the way you did Mr Quirk Quirt stiffened his eyes widened widened widened wid wid- ened in astonishment Me I didn't put it up to him You done It They're your lemons How figure they're mine You bought em didn't you I paid for tor em If that's what you mean but but- butI I bought em for tor you I same as I bought that liquor Youve You've I et most of em and youve you've drank most of the whisky You needed ItI it I th than n I dId did Jerry and Ive I've al always always nl- nl ways considered Now tiny any reference any reflection reflection tion upon his physical limitations however remote or Indirect aroused Jerrys Jerry's Instant Ire At it again aint you he cried testily I spose you'll forget about that whisky in four or five years I hope so so- so Sh h Sh Tom made a a. gesture commanding silence for or jerry jerry had nau nau I i I II I I I i commanding silence for or jerry jerry had nau nau unconsciously raised his voice vole What ails alls you he lie Inquired sweetly ails me Jerry muttered under his breath the trou trou- ble Youre You're allus like It did like like I had one foot In the grave and was gaspin my last Im I'm hard hardas as a hickory nut I could throw you down and set on you Did you ever give lemons to sick folks Tom Inquired in his turn Sure Thousands Now this was such an outrageous exaggeration that Linton was was imI im- im impelled to exclaim Rats You never saw a thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand sick folks I didn't say so I said Id I'd given thousands lemons of lemons Oh Tom filled tilled ii his pipe and lit It wh whereupon his partner breathed a a. sibilant warning Put Pit out that smudge aim to strangle the girl With a guilty start the of offender tender quenched the fire with his thumb The idea of ot sheep-dip sheep Ina in ina ina a sickroom Mr Quirk went on With his his' cap he fanned violently at atthe atthe atthe the fumes You dont don't have to blow her out 0 of bed Tom growled Clumsily he drew the blankets closer beneath I Ithe the sick girls girl's chin but in so doing he again excited his companions companion opposition I Here Jerry protested up with fever You blanket em when they've got chills Gently he removed the covers from RoulE Rouletta's Rouletta's Rou- Rou lE |
