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dealer warm with blood a little bit in the face？ Why all men very
quiet？ … the man with yellow markers？ the man with white markers？
the man with red markers？ Why nobody talk？ Because very much
money。 Because last turn。〃
〃How do you know it is the last turn？〃 I asked。
〃The king is coppered； the seven is played open；〃 he answered。
〃Nobody bet on other cards。 Other cards all gone。 Everybody one
mind。 Everybody play king to lose； seven to win。 Maybe bank lose
twenty thousand dollars； maybe bank win。 Yes； that picture I
understand。〃
〃Yet you do not know the end！〃 I cried triumphantly。 〃It is the
last turn； but the cards are not yet turned。 In the picture they
will never be turned。 Nobody will ever know who wins nor who
loses。〃
〃And the men will sit there and never talk；〃 he said； wonder and
awe growing in his face。 〃And the lookout will lean forward； and
the blood will be warm in the face of the dealer。 It is a strange
thing。 Always will they sit there； always； and the cards will
never be turned。〃
〃It is a picture；〃 I said。 〃It is life。 You have seen things like
it yourself。〃
He looked at me and pondered； then said； very slowly： 〃No； as you
say； there is no end to it。 Nobody will ever know the end。 Yet is
it a true thing。 I have seen it。 It is life。〃
For a long time he smoked on in silence； weighing the pictorial
wisdom of the white man and verifying it by the facts of life。 He
nodded his head several times； and grunted once or twice。 Then he
knocked the ashes from his pipe； carefully refilled it； and after a
thoughtful pause； lighted it again。
〃Then have I； too； seen many pictures of life；〃 he began； 〃pictures
not painted； but seen with the eyes。 I have looked at them like
through the window at the man writing the letter。 I have seen many
pieces of life； without beginning； without end； without
understanding。〃
With a sudden change of position he turned his eyes full upon me
and regarded me thoughtfully。
〃Look you；〃 he said； 〃you are a painter…man。 How would you paint
this which I saw； a picture without beginning； the ending of which
I do not understand； a piece of life with the northern lights for a
candle and Alaska for a frame。〃
〃It is a large canvas；〃 I murmured。
But he ignored me； for the picture he had in mind was before his
eyes and he was seeing it。
〃There are many names for this picture；〃 he said。 〃But in the
picture there are many sun…dogs； and it comes into my mind to call
it 'The Sun…Dog Trail。' It was a long time ago； seven years ago；
the fall of '97； when I saw the woman first time。 At Lake
Linderman I had one canoe； very good Peterborough canoe。 I came
over Chilcoot Pass with two thousand letters for Dawson。 I was
letter carrier。 Everybody rush to Klondike at that time。 Many
people on trail。 Many people chop down trees and make boats。 Last
water； snow in the air； snow on the ground； ice on the lake； on the
river ice in the eddies。 Every day more snow； more ice。 Maybe one
day； maybe three days； maybe six days； any day maybe freeze…up
come； then no more water； all ice； everybody walk； Dawson six
hundred miles； long time walk。 Boat go very quick。 Everybody want
to go boat。 Everybody say； 'Charley； two hundred dollars you take
me in canoe；' 'Charley； three hundred dollars；' 'Charley； four
hundred dollars。' I say no； all the time I say no。 I am letter
carrier。
〃In morning I get to Lake Linderman。 I walk all night and am much
tired。 I cook breakfast； I eat； then I sleep on the beach three
hours。 I wake up。 It is ten o'clock。 Snow is falling。 There is
wind； much wind that blows fair。 Also； there is a woman who sits
in the snow alongside。 She is white woman； she is young； very
pretty； maybe she is twenty years old； maybe twenty…five years old。
She look at me。 I look at her。 She is very tired。 She is no
dance…woman。 I see that right away。 She is good woman； and she is
very tired。
〃'You are Sitka Charley；' she says。 I get up quick and roll
blankets so snow does not get inside。 'I go to Dawson；' she says。
'I go in your canoe … how much？'
〃I do not want anybody in my canoe。 I do not like to say no。 So I
say； 'One thousand dollars。' Just for fun I say it； so woman
cannot come with me； much better than say no。 She look at me very
hard； then she says； 'When you start？' I say right away。 Then she
says all right； she will give me one thousand dollars。
〃What can I say？ I do not want the woman； yet have I given my word
that for one thousand dollars she can come。 I am surprised。 Maybe
she make fun； too； so I say； 'Let me see thousand dollars。' And
that woman； that young woman； all alone on the trail； there in the
snow； she take out one thousand dollars； in greenbacks； and she put
them in my hand。 I look at money； I look at her。 What can I say？
I say； 'No； my canoe very small。 There is no room for outfit。'
She laugh。 She says； 'I am great traveller。 This is my outfit。'
She kick one small pack in the snow。 It is two fur robes； canvas
outside； some woman's clothes inside。 I pick it up。 Maybe thirty…
five pounds。 I am surprised。 She take it away from me。 She says；
'Come； let us start。' She carries pack into canoe。 What can I
say？ I put my blankets into canoe。 We start。
〃And that is the way I saw the woman first time。 The wind was
fair。 I put up small sail。 The canoe went very fast； it flew like
a bird over the high waves。 The woman was much afraid。 'What for
you come Klondike much afraid？' I ask。 She laugh at me； a hard
laugh； but she is still much afraid。 Also is she very tired。 I
run canoe through rapids to Lake Bennett。 Water very bad； and
woman cry out because she is afraid。 We go down Lake Bennett；
snow； ice； wind like a gale； but woman is very tired and go to
sleep。
〃That night we make camp at Windy Arm。 Woman sit by fire and eat
supper。 I look at her。 She is pretty。 She fix hair。 There is
much hair； and it is brown； also sometimes it is like gold in the
firelight； when she turn her head； so； and flashes come from it
like golden fire。 The eyes are large and brown； sometimes warm
like a candle behind a curtain； sometimes very hard and bright like
broken ice when sun shines upon it。 When she smile … how can I
say？ … when she smile I know white man like to kiss her； just like
that； when she smile。 She never do hard work。 Her hands are soft；
like baby's hand。 She is soft all over； like baby。 She is not
thin； but round like baby； her arm； her leg； her muscles； all soft
and round like baby。 Her waist is small； and when she stand up；
when she walk； or move her head or arm； it is … I do not know the
word … but it is nice to look at； like … maybe I say she is built
on lines like the lines of a good canoe； just like that； and when
she m