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been sawed by hand from the standing timber of Lake Linderman； a few
hundred miles above； at the foot of Chilcoot。 In the boat were a pair of
oars and Arizona Jack's blankets。 Leclaire brought the grub； tied up in a
flour…sack； and put it on board。 As he did so； he whispered〃I gave you
good measure； Jack。 You done it with provocation。〃
〃Cast her off！〃 Arizona Jack cried。
Somebody untied the painter and threw it in。 The current gripped the
boat and whirled it away。 The murderer did not bother with the oars；
contenting himself with sitting in the stern…sheets and rolling a cigarette。
Completing it； he struck a match and lighted up。 Those that watched on
the bank could see the tiny puffs of smoke。 They remained on the bank
till the boat swung out of sight around the bend half a mile below。
Justice had been done。
The denizens of Red Cow imposed the law and executed sentences
without the delays that mark the softness of civilization。 There was no
law on the Yukon save what they made for themselves。 They were
compelled to make it for themselves。 It was in an early day that Red
Cow flourished on the Yukon1887and the Klondike and its populous
stampedes lay in the unguessed future。 The men of Red Cow did not
even know whether their camp was situated in Alaska or in the North…
west Territory； whether they drew breath under the stars and stripes or
under the British flag。 No surveyor had ever happened along to give
them their latitude and longitude。 Red Cow was situated somewhere
along the Yukon； and that was sufficient for them。 So far as flags were
concerned； they were beyond all jurisdiction。 So far as the law was
concerned； they were in No…Man's land。
They made their own law； and it was very simple。 The Yukon
executed their decrees。 Some two thousand miles below Red Cow the
Yukon flowed into Bering Sea through a delta a hundred miles wide。
Every mile of those two thousand miles was savage wilderness。 It was
true； where the Porcupine flowed into the Yukon inside the Arctic Circle
there was a Hudson Bay Company trading post。 But that was many
hundreds of miles away。 Also； it was rumoured that many hundreds of
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miles farther on there were missions。 This last； however； was merely
rumour； the men of Red Cow had never been there。 They had entered the
lone land by way of Chilcoot and the head…waters of the Yukon。
The men of Red Cow ignored all minor offences。 To be drunk and
disorderly and to use vulgar language were looked upon as natural and
inalienable rights。 The men of Red Cow were individualists； and
recognized as sacred but two things； property and life。 There were no
women present to complicate their simple morality。 There were only
three log…cabins in Red Cowthe majority of the population of forty men
living in tents or brush shacks； and there was no jail in which to confine
malefactors； while the inhabitants were too busy digging gold or seeking
gold to take a day off and build a jail。 Besides； the paramount question of
grub negatived such a procedure。 Wherefore； when a man violated the
rights of property or life； he was thrown into an open boat and started
down the Yukon。 The quantity of grub he received was proportioned to
the gravity of the offence。 Thus； a common thief might get as much as two
weeks' grub； an uncommon thief might get no more than half of that。 A
murderer got no grub at all。 A man found guilty of manslaughter would
receive grub for from three days to a week。 And Marcus O'Brien had
been elected judge； and it was he who apportioned the grub。 A man who
broke the law took his chances。 The Yukon swept him away； and he
might or might not win to Bering Sea。 A few days' grub gave him a
fighting chance。 No grub meant practically capital punishment； though
there was a slim chance； all depending on the season of the year。
Having disposed of Arizona Jack and watched him out of sight； the
population turned from the bank and went to work on its claimsall except
Curly Jim； who ran the one faro layout in all the Northland and who
speculated in prospect…holes on the sides。 Two things happened that day
that were momentous。 In the late morning Marcus O'Brien struck it。
He washed out a dollar； a dollar and a half； and two dollars； from three
successive pans。 He had found the streak。 Curly Jim looked into the hole；
washed a few pans himself； and offered O'Brien ten thousand dollars for
all rightsfive thousand in dust； and； in lieu of the other five thousand； a
half interest in his faro layout。 O'Brien refused the offer。 He was there
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to make money out of the earth； he declared with heat； and not out of his
fellow… men。 And anyway； he didn't like faro。 Besides； he appraised his
strike at a whole lot more than ten thousand。
The second event of moment occurred in the afternoon； when Siskiyou
Pearly ran his boat into the bank and tied up。 He was fresh from the
Outside； and had in his possession a four…months…old newspaper。
Furthermore； he had half a dozen barrels of whisky； all consigned to Curly
Jim。 The men of Red Cow quit work。 They sampled the whisky at a
dollar a drink； weighed out on Curly's scales； and they discussed the news。
And all would have been well； had not Curly Jim conceived a nefarious
scheme； which was； namely； first to get Marcus O'Brien drunk； and next；
to buy his mine from him。
The first half of the scheme worked beautifully。 It began in the early
evening； and by nine o'clock O'Brien had reached the singing stage。 He
clung with one arm around Curly Jim's neck； and even essayed the late
lamented Ferguson's song about the little birds。 He considered he was
quite safe in this； what of the fact that the only man in camp with artistic
feelings was even then speeding down the Yukon on the breast of a five…
mile current。
But the second half of the scheme failed to connect。 No matter how
much whisky was poured down his neck； O'Brien could not be brought to
realize that it was his bounden and friendly duty to sell his claim。 He
hesitated； it is true； and trembled now and again on the verge of giving in。
Inside his muddled head； however； he was chuckling to himself。 He was
up to Curly Jim's game； and liked the hands that were being dealt him。
The whisky was good。 It came out of one special barrel； and was about a
dozen times better than that in the other five barrels。
Siskiyou Pearly was dispensing drinks in the bar…room to the
remainder of the population of Red Cow； while O'Brien and Curly had out
their business orgy in the kitchen。 But there was nothing small about
O'Brien。 He went into the bar…room and returned with Mucluc Charley
and Percy Leclaire。
〃Business 'sociates of mine； business 'sociates；〃 he announced； with a
broad wink to them and a guileless grin to Curly。 〃Always trust their
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judgment； always trust 'em。 They're all right。 Give 'em some fire…water；
Curly； an' le's talk it over。〃
This was ringing in； but Curly Jim； making a swift revaluation of the
claim； and remembering that the last pan he washed had turned out seven
dollars； decided that it was worth the extra whisky； even if it was selling in
the o