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Updated: June 14, 2025
Runnion kicked him savagely, and cursed him, while the crowd murmured approval. "Le' me see him," said Lee, elbowing his way through the others. Fixing his one eye upon the wretch, he spoke impressively. "You're the first downright thief I ever seen. Was you hungry?" "No, he's got plenty," answered one of the tenderfeet, who had evidently arrived on the boat with the darky.
"It wasn't exactly my doin's," replied the miner. "Stark asked me to let Runnion come 'long, bein' as he had grub-staked him, and he seemed so set on it that I ackeressed. You see, it's the first chance I ever had to pay him back for a favor he done me in the Cassiar country. There's plenty of land to go around."
"An' now I'm goin' to tear into some of them beans I smell a bilin' in yonder." The others followed, although Stark and Runnion looked black and had little to say. It was an uncomfortable meal every one was ill at ease; Gale, in particular, was quiet, and ate less than any of them.
But there was no time for further talk now, for the others were close upon them. As they came into view, Gale exclaimed: "Well, if he hasn't brought Runnion along!" "Humph!" grunted Doret. "I don' t'ink much of dat feller. Wat's de matter wit' 'No Creek, anyhow?" The three new arrivals dropped down upon the moss to rest, for the up-trail was heavy and the air sultry inside the forest.
Runnion finally asked Gale, who had sunk limply upon the edge of the bunk; but when the old man undertook to answer his words were unintelligible, and he shook his head helplessly. Stark laid his finger on the hole that the bullet had bored in the log close to where he was sitting, and laughed. "Never mind, old man, it missed me by six inches. You know there never was a bullet that could kill me.
Almost the next instant he was on his feet again, saying to the trader, as he had said it a score of times already: "Runnion comes to me, Gale! You understand he's mine, don't you?" The old man nodded. "Yes! You can take him." "Well, who do I git?" asked Lee. "You can't come along," the trader said. "We may have to follow the hound clean to the States. Think of your mine "
But evidently Poleon meant no violence, for he allowed the passion to run from him freely until it had spent its vigor, then said to Runnion: "M'sieu, eider you are brave man or dam' fool." "What do you mean, Frenchy?" said the man addressed, uneasily. "Somebody goin' die for w'at you say jus' now.
"I, for one, wouldn't stand for it." "Nor I," agreed Runnion. "I don't see how you'd help yourself," the trader remarked. "One man's got as good a right as another." "I guess I'd help myself, all right," Stark laughed, significantly, as did Runnion, who added: "Lee is entitled to put in anybody he wants on his own discovery, and if anybody tries to get ahead of us there's liable to be trouble."
I'm going to Father Barnum's house." "No, you're not, and I didn't misunderstand him. He wants to get you outside, all right, but I reckon you'd rather go as Mrs. Runnion than as the sweetheart of Ben Stark." "Are you crazy?" the girl cried. "Mr. Stark kindly offered to help me reach the Father at his Mission. I'm nothing to him, and I'm certainly not going to be anything to you.
Once Runnion gained the high point, he would be able to command a view of both reaches of the river, and could make signals to attract the first steamboat that chanced to come along. Without doubt a craft of some sort would pass from one direction or the other by to-morrow at latest, or, if not, she and Poleon could send back succor to him from the first habitation they encountered.
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