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paid。〃
〃How？〃
〃I know not how； but I shall find out how。 Now go； and bother me no
more。 If you do〃she hesitated to find fitting penalty〃if you do； I shall
have you rolled in the snow again as soon as the first snow flies。〃
This was still in the early spring； and a little later El…Soo surprised the
country。 Word went up and down the Yukon from Chilcoot to the Delta；
and was carried from camp to camp to the farthermost camps； that in June；
when the first salmon ran； El…Soo； daughter of Klakee…Nah； would sell
herself at public auction to satisfy the claims of Porportuk。 Vain were the
attempts to dissuade her。 The missionary at St。 George wrestled with her；
but she repliedOnly 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。
〃My father wanders in the thick and endless forests；〃 said El…Soo。
〃And there will he wander； with the lost souls crying； till the debt be paid。
Then； and not until then； may he go on to the house of the Great Father。〃
〃And you believe this？〃 Sister Alberta asked。
〃I do not know；〃 El…Soo made answer。 〃It was my father's belief。〃
Sister Alberta shrugged her shoulders incredulously。
〃Who knows but that the things we believe come true？〃 El…Soo went
on。 〃Why not？ The next world to you may be heaven and harps 。 。 。
because you have believed heaven and harps； to my father the next world
may be a large house where he will sit always at table feasting with God。〃
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〃And you？〃 Sister Alberta asked。 〃What is your next world？〃
El…Soo hesitated but for a moment。 〃I should like a little of both；〃
she said。 〃I should like to see your face as well as the face of my father。〃
The day of the auction came。 Tana…naw Station was populous。 As
was their custom； the tribes had gathered to await the salmon…run； and in
the meantime spent the time in dancing and frolicking； trading and
gossiping。 Then there was the ordinary sprinkling of white adventurers；
traders； and prospectors； and； in addition； a large number of white men
who had come because of curiosity or interest in the affair。
It had been a backward spring； and the salmon were late in running。
This delay but keyed up the interest。 Then； on the day of the auction； the
situation was made tense by Akoon。 He arose and made public and
solemn announcement that whosoever bought El…Soo would forthwith and
immediately die。 He flourished the Winchester in his hand to indicate the
manner of the taking…off。 El…Soo was angered thereat； but he refused to
speak with her； and went to the trading post to lay in extra ammunition。
The first salmon was caught at ten o'clock in the evening； and at
midnight the auction began。 It took place on top of the high bank
alongside the Yukon。 The sun was due north just below the horizon； and
the sky was lurid red。 A great crowd gathered about the table and the two
chairs that stood near the edge of the bank。 To the fore were many white
men and several chiefs。 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。 I am twenty years
old and a maid。 I will be a good wife to the man who buys me。 If he is
a white man； I shall dress in the fashion of white women； if he is an Indian；
I shall dress as〃she hesitated a moment〃a squaw。 I can make my own
clothes； and sew； and wash； and mend。 I was taught for eight years to do
these things at Holy Cross Mission。 I can read and write English； and I
know how to play the organ。 Also I can do arithmetic and some algebra
a little。 I shall be sold to the highest bidder； and to him I will make out a
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bill of sale of myself。 I forgot to say that I can sing very well； and that I
have never been sick in my life。 I weigh one hundred and thirty…two
pounds； my father is dead and I have no relatives。 Who wants me？〃
She looked over the crowd with flaming audacity and stepped down。
At Tommy's request she stood upon the chair again； while he mounted the
second chair and started the bidding。
Surrounding El…Soo stood the four old slaves of her father。 They
were age…twisted and palsied； faithful to their meat； a generation out of the
past that watched unmoved the antics of younger life。 In the front of the
crowd were several Eldorado and Bonanza kings from the Upper Yukon；
and beside them； on crutches； swollen with scurvy； were two broken
prospectors。 From the midst of the crowd； thrust out by its own
vividness； appeared the face of a wild…eyed squaw from the remote regions
of the Upper Tana…naw； a strayed Sitkan from the coast stood side by side
with a Stick from Lake Le Barge； and； beyond； a half…dozen French…
Canadian voyageurs； grouped by themselves。 From afar came the faint
cries of myriads of wild…fowl on the nesting… grounds。 Swallows were
skimming up overhead from the placid surface of the Yukon； and robins
were singing。 The oblique rays of the hidden sun shot through the smoke；
high…dissipated from forest fires a thousand miles away； and turned the
heavens to sombre red； while the earth shone red in the reflected glow。
This red glow shone in the faces of all； and made everything seem
unearthly and unreal。
The bidding began slowly。 The Sitkan； who was a stranger in the
land and who had arrived only