CHAPTER XXI FADING HOPES
Just at dawn of a wonderfully crisp morning, Marian found herselffollowing her reindeer over a trail that had recently been travelled by adog team. She was just approaching the Trading Station where thequestions that haunted her tired brain would be answered.
Since leaving the cabin in the forest above the rapids, she and Attatakhad travelled almost day and night. A half hour for a hasty lunch hereand there, an hour or two for sleep and for permitting the deer to feed;that was all they had allowed themselves.
An hour earlier, Marian had felt that she could not travel another mile.Then they had come upon the trail of the dog team, and realizing thatthey were nearing their goal, her blood had quickened like a marathonracer's at the end of his long race. No longer feeling fatigue, she urgedher weary reindeer forward. Contrary to her usually cautious nature, sheeven cast discretion to the winds and drove her deer straight toward thesettlement. That there were dogs which might attack her deer she knewright well. That they were not of the species that attacked deer, or thatthey were chained, was her hope.
So, with her heart throbbing, she rounded a sudden turn to find herselfwithin sight of a group of low-lying cabins that at one time had been asmall town.
Now, as her aged host had said, it was a town in name only. She knew thisat a glance. One look at the chimneys told her the place was all butdeserted.
"No smoke," she murmured.
"Yes, one smoke," Attatak said, pointing.
It was true. From one long cabin there curled a white wreath of smoke.
For a moment Marian hesitated. No dogs had come out to bark, yet theymight be there.
"You stay with the deer," she said to Attatak. "Tether them strongly tothe sleds. If dogs come, beat them off."
She was away like an arrow. Straight to that cabin of the one smoke shehurried. She caught her breath as she saw a splendid team of dogsstanding at the door. Someone was going on a trip. The sled was loadedfor the journey. Was it the Agent's sled? Had she arrived in time?
She did not have long to wait before knowing. She had come within tenfeet of the cabin when a tall, deep-chested man opened the door andstepped out. She caught her breath. Instantly she knew him. It was theAgent.
He, in turn, recognized her, and with cap in hand and astonishmentshowing in his eyes, he advanced to meet her.
"You here!" he exclaimed. "Why Marian Norton, you belong in Nome."
"Once I did," she smiled, "but now I belong on the tundra with our herd.It is the herd that has brought me here. May I speak to you about it?"
"Certainly you may. But you look tired and hungry. The Trader has apiping Mulligan stew on the stove. It will do you good. Come inside."
An Indian boy, who made his home with the Trader, was dispatched torelieve Attatak of her watch, and Marian sat down to enjoy a deliciousrepast.
There are some disappointments that come to us so gradually that, thoughthe matters they effect are of the utmost importance, we are not greatlyshocked when at last their full meaning is unfolded to us. It was so withMarian. She had dared and endured much to reach this spot. She hadarrived at the critical moment. An hour later the Agent would have beengone. The Agent was her friend. Ready to do anything he could to helpher, he would gladly have gone back with her to assist in defending herrights. But duty called him over another trail. He had no one, absolutelyno one to send from this post to execute his orders.
"Of course," he said after hearing her story, "I can give you a note tothat outlaw, Scarberry, but he'd pay no attention to it."
"He'd tear it up and throw it in my face," asserted Marian stoutly.
"I'll tell you what I'll do," said the Agent, rising and walking thefloor. "There is Ben Neighbor over at the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain.His cabin is only three days travel from your camp. He's a good man, anda brave one. He is a Deputy Marshal. If I give you a note to him, he willserve you as well as I could."
"Would we need take a different trail home?"
"Why? Which way did you come?"
Marian described their course. The Agent whistled. "It's a wonder youdidn't perish!"
"Here," he said, "is a rough map of the country. I will mark out thecourse to Ben's cabin. You'll find it a much safer way."
"Oh, all right," she said slowly. "Thanks. That's surely the best way."
She was thinking of the treasure left at the cabin. She had hoped toreturn by that route and claim it. Now that hope was gone.