_(Mail Carrier tries to get to stove, but is blocked by miners, who are demanding: "What's the news?" "How's the trail?" "Any letters for me?" "And me?" "And me?" "Where did you meet O'Brien? He left ten days ago." "How's the ice on Thirty Mile River?" etc.y etc. To all of which Mail Carrier replies by waving his arms and thrusting through the crowd till he gets to stove, over which he holds his Face.)_ _(Dave Harney enters from left, still in towering rage, but his jace lights up, as though struck by a sudden thought when he catches sight oj Mail Carrier. He strides over, clutches Mail Carrier by the arm and draws him to one side.)_ DAVE HARNEY _(In a whisper.)_ Got a noospaper? MAIL CARRIER _(Nods head.)_ DAVE HARNEY How many? MAIL CARRIER _(Holds up one finger.)_ DAVE HARNEY I'll give you twenty dollars for it. MAIL CARRIER _(Shakes head.)_ DAVE HARNEY _(Bidding rapidly, each bid being met by a shake of Mail Carrier's head.)_ Twenty-five. Thirty. Thirty-five. Forty. Fifty. MAIL CARRIER _(Nods head and goes back to stove.)_ _(Freda walks forward toward stove and beckons to Sitka Charley, who leaves group about stove and comes to her.)_ FREDA Tell the Mail Carrier I want to speak to him, Charley. SITKA CHARLEY _(Obediently.)_ Urn. _(Sitka Charley crosses to stove, where Mail Carrier is pulling the ice from his mouth.)_ Freda want talk some with you. MAIL CARRIER _(Turning to look at Freda, nods head and mumbles incoherently, at same time starting to go to Freda and still pulling ice jrom mouth. He shakes hands with Freda and speaks thickly at first.)_ How do do, Freda. FREDA How do you do, Joe. What kind of a trip did you have? MAIL CARRIER Pretty rough, but I made good time just the same. Passed everything in sight. FREDA That is what I wanted to ask you about. Did you pass the outfit of a girl, or, rather, of a young woman? MAIL CARRIER Coming in by herself, with a dog-puncher and an Indian? FREDA Yes. Where did you pass her? MAIL CARRIER Yesterday afternoon, about three o'clock. They were making camp early. She was pretty tired from the looks of her. FREDA When should she get in? MAIL CARRIER I talked with the dog-puncher. He said they'd camp to-night at Mooseback and come in tomorrow. That's twenty-five miles, and if they don't start too late, they'll make Dawson by the middle of the day. FREDA What kind of a girl is she? MAIL CARRIER Good. How do you mean? FREDA I mean what kind of a looking girl is she? How did she strike you? MAIL CARRIER Oh, one of the soft and clingy kind, I guess I'd call her. You know, the kind that needs lots of cuddling and petting. Pretty, yes, danged pretty. Blue eyes, wavy hair, and all the rest--trembly lips and teary eyes--smily and weepy, you know, all in the same moment. But, gee! Freda, I can't stand here gassin' all day. I got about a thousand dollars' worth of letters to deliver--a dollar apiece and cheap at the price. I'll see you later. So long.