And so they passed through Canyon City, beyond which there is no
God, the packers say, and up to Sheep Camp, which is far up in the
mountains on the timber line, and beyond which there lies a frozen
desolation that supports no living thing--not even the scrubby
spruce that can exist on the bare rock in lower altitudes. Here they
disappeared from view, because the horses do not go past Sheep Camp,
the trail being too rough; and the packers, not seeing them, could
bring no word.
Now, there were hotels of a fashion in Dyea at this time, but the
entire downstairs part was usually made into one room, and used as a
bar, dance-hall, and gambling house. So when Harrison came back down
the trail two weeks later at three o’clock in the morning, he had to
elbow his way up to the bar in the Comique to ask for a room. The
first bartender looked at him inquiringly, for he had seen the
Harrisons on the trail, and the teamsters had said they must be over
the summit by now. His curiosity got the better of him.
“Are you the party that went up with a little blonde lady three
weeks ago?” he asked.
“I may be,” said Harrison.
“She seemed kind of light for this country,” pursued the bartender.
“Hope she’s standing it all right. Did she come down with you?”
“I brought her with me,” said Harrison.
“Isn’t she coming in? She doesn’t have to pass through the saloon
here if she don’t like. She can----”
Harrison’s hand went to his forehead. “She’s dead,” he said.
A teamster came in the side door and spoke to him, and he followed
the man out. So did two of the dance-hall girls and the first
bartender. Outside in one of the big freighting sleds lay Mrs.
Harrison. Her flaxen hair waved as in life over the girlish face,
hard now as marble and colder. The moon shone full upon her, and a
snow crystal hung here and there on the little fur parkee that she
wore. She might have been a marble Madonna there in the moonlight.
Through the open door came the noise of the next waltz. One of the
girls slipped in, and the orchestra stopped. Quickly a little group
began to gather, but Harrison did not move. He seemed as in a
trance, staring open-eyed, mistily, at the frozen woman in the sled.
Presently, Blanche, the girl who had stopped the music, touched him
on the arm.
“I know there is nothing much I can do for you,” she said. “I know
how it feels; but I thought perhaps you’d like to bring her inside,
and you can have my room till you--till the funeral.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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