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was a Russian countthis was straight； and he wasn't a professional piano…
player or anything of the sort。 He played the violin and the piano； and he
sangsang wellbut it was for his own pleasure and for the pleasure of
those he sang for。 He had money； tooand right here let me say that
Flush of Gold never cared a rap for money。 She was fickle； but she was
never sordid。
〃But to be getting along。 She was plighted to Dave； and Dave was
coming up on the first steamboat to get herthat was the summer of '98；
and the first steamboat was to be expected the middle of June。 And Flush
of Gold was afraid to throw Dave down and face him afterwards。 It was
all planned suddenly。 The Russian music…player； the Count； was her
obedient slave。 She planned it； I know。 I learned as much from old
Victor afterwards。 The Count took his orders from her； and caught that
first steamboat down。 It was the Golden Rocket。 And so did Flush of
Gold catch it。 And so did I。 I was going to Circle City； and I was
flabbergasted when I found Flush of Gold on board。 I didn't see her
name down on the passenger list。 She was with the Count fellow all the
time； happy and smiling； and I noticed that the Count fellow was down on
the list as having his wife along。 There it was； stateroom； number； and all。
The first I knew that he was married； only I didn't see anything of the
wife 。 。 。 unless Flush of Gold was so counted。 I wondered if they'd got
married ashore before starting。 There'd been talk about them in Dawson；
you see； and bets had been laid that the Count fellow had cut Dave out。
〃I talked with the purser。 He didn't know anything more about it than
I did； he didn't know Flush of Gold； anyway； and besides； he was almost
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rushed to death。 You know what a Yukon steamboat is； but you can't
guess what the Golden Rocket was when it left Dawson that June of 1898。
She was a hummer。 Being the first steamer out； she carried all the scurvy
patients and hospital wrecks。 Then she must have carried a couple of
millions of Klondike dust and nuggets； to say nothing of a packed and
jammed passenger list； deck passengers galore； and bucks and squaws and
dogs without end。 And she was loaded down to the guards with freight
and baggage。 There was a mountain of the same on the fore…lower…deck；
and each little stop along the way added to it。 I saw the box come aboard
at Teelee Portage； and I knew it for what it was； though I little guessed the
joker that was in it。 And they piled it on top of everything else on the
fore…lower…deck； and they didn't pile it any too securely either。 The mate
expected to come back to it again； and then forgot about it。 I thought at the
time that there was something familiar about the big husky dog that
climbed over the baggage and freight and lay down next to the box。 And
then we passed the Glendale； bound up for Dawson。 As she saluted us； I
thought of Dave on board of her and hurrying to Dawson to Flush of Gold。
I turned and looked at her where she stood by the rail。 Her eyes were
bright； but she looked a bit frightened by the sight of the other steamer；
and she was leaning closely to the Count fellow as for protection。 She
needn't have leaned so safely against him； and I needn't have been so sure
of a disappointed Dave Walsh arriving at Dawson。 For Dave Walsh
wasn't on the Glendale。 There were a lot of things I didn't know； but was
soon to knowfor instance； that the pair were not yet married。 Inside
half an hour preparations for the marriage took place。 What of the sick
men in the main cabin； and of the crowded condition of the Golden Rocket；
the likeliest place for the ceremony was found forward； on the lower deck；
in an open space next to the rail and gang…plank and shaded by the
mountain of freight with the big box on top and the sleeping dog beside it。
There was a missionary on board； getting off at Eagle City； which was the
next step； so they had to use him quick。 That's what they'd planned to do；
get married on the boat。
〃But I've run ahead of the facts。 The reason Dave Walsh wasn't on
the Glendale was because he was on the Golden Rocket。 It was this way。
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After loiterin' in Dawson on account of Flush of Gold； he went down to
Mammon Creek on the ice。 And there he found Dusky Burns doing so
well with the claim； there was no need for him to be around。 So he put
some grub on the sled； harnessed the dogs； took an Indian along； and
pulled out for Surprise Lake。 He always had a liking for that section。
Maybe you don't know how the creek turned out to be a four…flusher； but
the prospects were good at the time； and Dave proceeded to build his cabin
and hers。 That's the cabin we slept in。 After he finished it； he went off on
a moose hunt to the forks of the Teelee； takin' the Indian along。
〃And this is what happened。 Came on a cold snap。 The juice went
down forty； fifty； sixty below zero。 I remember that snapI was at Forty
Mile； and I remember the very day。 At eleven o'clock in the morning the
spirit thermometer at the N。 A。 T。 & T。 Company's store went down to
seventy…five below zero。 And that morning； near the forks of the Teelee；
Dave Walsh was out after moose with that blessed Indian of his。 I got it
all from the Indian afterwardswe made a trip over the ice together to
Dyea。 That morning Mr。 Indian broke through the ice and wet himself to
the waist。 Of course he began to freeze right away。 The proper thing
was to build a fire。 But Dave Walsh was a bull。 It was only half a mile
to camp； where a fire was already burning。 What was the good of
building another？ He threw Mr。 Indian over his shoulderand ran with
himhalf a milewith the thermometer at seventy…five below。 You know
what that means。 Suicide。 There's no other name for it。 Why； that buck
Indian weighed over t