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Yet am I no longer young, nor am I minded to run these old legs of mine through all the years that remain to me. El-Soo can run fast and well. She is a deer. This I know, for I have seen and run after her. It is not good that a wife should run so fast. I paid for her a heavy price, yet does she run away from me. Akoon paid no price at all, yet does she run to him.
It was slow work, and, while the weighing went on, Akoon was closely watched by all. "He but waits till the money is paid," one said; and the word went around and was accepted, and they waited for what Akoon should do when the money was paid. And Porportuk's man with the rifle waited and watched Akoon. The weighing was finished, and the gold-dust lay on the table in three dark-yellow heaps.
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.
And while Tommy's "Going going going " dominated the air, the slave went up to Akoon and spoke in a low voice in his ear. Akoon made no sign that he had heard, though El-Soo watched him anxiously. "Gone!" Tommy's voice rang out. "To Porportuk, for twenty-six thousand dollars." Porportuk glanced uneasily at Akoon. All eyes were centred upon Akoon, but he did nothing.
And most prominently to the fore, rifle in hand, stood Akoon. Tommy, at El-Soo's request, served as auctioneer, but she made the opening speech and described the goods about to be sold. She was in native costume, in the dress of a chief's daughter, splendid and barbaric, and she stood on a chair, that she might be seen to advantage. "Who will buy a wife?" she asked. "Look at me.
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 birch-bark 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.
"Only the debts to God are settled in the next world. The debts of men are of this world, and in this world are they settled." Akoon wrestled with her, but she replied, "I do love thee, Akoon; but honour is greater than love, and who am I that I should blacken my father?" Sister Alberta journeyed all the way up from Holy Cross on the first steamer, and to no better end.
No matter how many times it is brought back, each time it will run away again. When we have such dogs, we sell them. El-Soo is like a dog that runs away. I will sell her. Is there any man of the council that will buy?" The old men coughed and remained silent "Akoon would buy," Porportuk went on, "but he has no money. Wherefore I will give El-Soo to him, as he said, without price.
He looked again, and said reluctantly, "And five hundred." "Twenty-six thousand," Porportuk snapped. The king shook his head and refused to meet Tommy's pleading eye. In the meantime Akoon had edged close to Porportuk. El-Soo's quick eye noted this, and, while Tommy wrestled with the Eldorado king for another bid, she bent, and spoke in a low voice in the ear of a slave.
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