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promised a couple of hundred thousand for the next winter。 Then；
summer bein' on and the ground sloshy； he took a trip up the Yukon to
Dawson to see what Carmack's strike looked like。 And there he saw
Flush of Gold。 I remember the night。 I shall always remember。 It was
something sudden； and it makes one shiver to think of a strong man with
all the strength withered out of him by one glance from the soft eyes of a
weak； blond； female creature like Flush of Gold。 It was at her dad's cabin；
old Victor Chauvet's。 Some friend had brought Dave along to talk over
town sites on Mammon Creek。 But little talking did he do； and what he
did was mostly gibberish。 I tell you the sight of Flush of Gold had sent
Dave clean daffy。 Old Victor Chauvet insisted after Dave left that he had
been drunk。 And so he had。 He was drunk； but Flush of Gold was the
strong drink that made him so。
〃That settled it； that first glimpse he caught of her。 He did not start
back down the Yukon in a week； as he had intended。 He lingered on a
month； two months； all summer。 And we who had suffered understood；
and wondered what the outcome would be。 Undoubtedly； in our minds； it
seemed that Flush of Gold had met her master。 And why not？ There
was romance sprinkled all over Dave Walsh。 He was a Mammon King；
he had made the Mammon Creek strike； he was an old sour dough； one of
the oldest pioneers in the landmen turned to look at him when he went
by； and said to one another in awed undertones； 'There goes Dave Walsh。'
And why not？ He stood six feet four； he had yellow hair himself that
curled on his neck； and he was a bulla yellow…maned bull just turned
thirty…one。
〃And Flush of Gold loved him； and； having danced him through a
whole summer's courtship； at the end their engagement was made known。
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The fall of the year was at hand； Dave had to be back for the winter's work
on Mammon Creek； and Flush of Gold refused to be married right away。
Dave put Dusky Burns in charge of the Mammon Creek claim； and
himself lingered on in Dawson。 Little use。 She wanted her freedom a
while longer； she must have it； and she would not marry until next year。
And so； on the first ice； Dave Walsh went alone down the Yukon behind
his dogs； with the understanding that the marriage would take place when
he arrived on the first steamboat of the next year。
Now Dave was as true as the Pole Star； and she was as false as a
magnetic needle in a cargo of loadstone。 Dave was as steady and solid as
she was fickle and fly…away； and in some way Dave； who never doubted
anybody； doubted her。 It was the jealousy of his love； perhaps； and
maybe it was the message ticked off from her soul to his； but at any rate
Dave was worried by fear of her inconstancy。 He was afraid to trust her
till the next year； he had so to trust her； and he was pretty well beside
himself。 Some of it I got from old Victor Chauvet afterwards； and from
all that I have pieced together I conclude that there was something of a
scene before Dave pulled north with his dogs。 He stood up before the old
Frenchman； with Flush of Gold beside him； and announced that they were
plighted to each other。 He was very dramatic； with fire in his eyes； old
Victor said。 He talked something about 'until death do us part'； and old
Victor especially remembered that at one place Dave took her by the
shoulder with his great paw and almost shook her as he said： 'Even unto
death are you mine； and I would rise from the grave to claim you。' Old
Victor distinctly remembered those words 'Even unto death are you mine；
and I would rise from the grave to claim you。' And he told me afterwards
that Flush of Gold was pretty badly frightened； and that he afterwards took
Dave to one side privately and told him that that wasn't the way to hold
Flush of Goldthat he must humour her and gentle her if he wanted to
keep her。
〃There is no discussion in my mind but that Flush of Gold was
frightened。 She was a savage herself in her treatment of men； while men
had always treated her as a soft and tender and too utterly…utter something
that must not be hurt。 She didn't know what harshness was 。 。 。 until
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Dave Walsh； standing his six feet four； a big bull； gripped her and pawed
her and assured her that she was his until death； and then some。 And
besides； in Dawson； that winter； was a music…playerone of those
macaroni…eating； greasy…tenor…Eye…talian… dago propositionsand Flush of
Gold lost her heart to him。 Maybe it was only fascinationI don't know。
Sometimes it seems to me that she really did love Dave Walsh。 Perhaps
it was because he had frightened her with that even…unto…death； rise…from…
the…grave stunt of his that she in the end inclined to the dago music…player。
But it is all guesswork； and the facts are； sufficient。 He wasn't a dago； he
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