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〃Then what in…？〃
〃Overwork。〃
John Bellew laughed harshly and incredulously。
〃Honest？〃
Again came the laughter。
〃Men are the products of their environment；〃 Kit proclaimed； pointing
at the other's glass。 〃Your mirth is thin and bitter as your drink。〃
〃Overwork！〃 was the sneer。 〃You never earned a cent in your life。〃
〃You bet I haveonly I never got it。 I'm earning five hundred a week
right now； and doing four men's work。〃
〃Pictures that won't sell？ Orerfancy work of some sort？ Can
you swim？〃
〃I used to。〃
〃Sit a horse？〃
〃I have essayed that adventure。〃
John Bellew snorted his disgust。
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〃I'm glad your father didn't live to see you in all the glory of your
gracelessness；〃 he said。 〃Your father was a man； every inch of him。 Do
you get it？ A Man。 I think he'd have whaled all this musical and artistic
tomfoolery out of you。〃
〃Alas！ these degenerate days；〃 Kit sighed。
〃I could understand it； and tolerate it；〃 the other went on savagely； 〃if
you succeeded at it。 You've never earned a cent in your life； nor done a
tap of man's work。〃
〃Etchings； and pictures； and fans；〃 Kit contributed unsoothingly。
〃You're a dabbler and a failure。 What pictures have you painted？
Dinky water…colours and nightmare posters。 You've never had one
exhibited； even here in San Francisco…〃
〃Ah； you forget。 There is one in the jinks room of this very club。〃
〃A gross cartoon。 Music？ Your dear fool of a mother spent
hundreds on lessons。 You've dabbled and failed。 You've never even
earned a five…dollar piece by accompanying some one at a concert。 Your
songs？rag…time rot that's never printed and that's sung only by a pack of
fake Bohemians。〃
〃I had a book published oncethose sonnets； you remember；〃 Kit
interposed meekly。
〃What did it cost you？〃
〃Only a couple of hundred。〃
〃Any other achievements？〃
〃I had a forest play acted at the summer jinks。〃
〃What did you get for it？〃
〃Glory。〃
〃And you used to swim； and you have essayed to sit a horse！〃 John
Bellew set his glass down with unnecessary violence。 〃What earthly
good are you anyway？ You were well put up； yet even at university you
didn't play football。 You didn't row。 You didn't…〃 〃I boxed and
fencedsome。〃
〃When did you last box？〃
〃Not since； but I was considered an excellent judge of time and
distance； only I waser…〃
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Smoke Bellew
〃Go on。〃
〃Considered desultory。〃
〃Lazy； you mean。〃
〃I always imagined it was an euphemism。〃
〃My father； sir； your grandfather； old Isaac Bellew； killed a man with a
blow of his fist when he was sixty…nine years old。〃
〃The man？〃
〃No； youryou graceless scamp！ But you'll never kill a mosquito at
sixty…nine。〃
〃The times have changed； oh； my avuncular。 They send men to state
prisons for homicide now。〃
〃Your father rode one hundred and eighty…five miles； without sleeping；
and killed three horses。〃
〃Had he lived to…day； he'd have snored over the course in a Pullman。〃
The older man was on the verge of choking with wrath； but swallowed
it down and managed to articulate：
〃How old are you？〃
〃I have reason to believe…〃
〃I know。 Twenty…seven。 You finished college at twenty…two。
You've dabbled and played and frilled for five years。 Before God and
man； of what use are you？ When I was your age I had one suit of
underclothes。 I was riding with the cattle in Colusa。 I was hard as
rocks； and I could sleep on a rock。 I lived on jerked beef and bear…meat。
I am a better man physically right now than you are。 You weigh about one
hundred and sixty…five。 I can throw you right now； or thrash you with my
fists。〃
〃It doesn't take a physical prodigy to mop up cocktails or pink tea；〃 Kit
murmured deprecatingly。 〃Don't you see； my avuncular； the times have
changed。 Besides； I wasn't brought up right。 My dear fool of a mother…
〃
John Bellew started angrily。
〃…As you described her； was too good to me； kept me in cotton wool
and all the rest。 Now； if when I was a youngster I had taken some of
those intensely masculine vacations you go in forI wonder why you
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Smoke Bellew
didn't invite me sometimes？ You took Hal and Robbie all over the
Sierras and on that Mexico trip。〃
〃I guess you were too Lord Fauntleroyish。〃
〃Your fault； avuncular； and my dearermother's。 How was I to
know the hard？ I was only a chee…ild。 What was there left but etchings
and pictures and fans？ Was it my fault that I never had to sweat？〃
The older man looked at his nephew with unconcealed disgust。 He
had no patience with levity from the lips of softness。
〃Well； I'm going to take another one of those what…you…call masculine
vacations。 Suppose I asked you to come along？〃
〃Rather belated； I must say。 Where is it？〃
〃Hal and Robert are going in to Klondike； and I'm going to see them
across the Pass and down to the Lakes； then return…〃
He got no further； for the young man had sprung forward and gripped
his hand。
〃My preserver！〃
John Bellew was immediately suspicious。 He had not dreamed the
invitation would be accepted。
〃You don't mean it；〃 he said。
〃When do we start？〃
〃It will be a hard trip。 You'll be in the way。〃
〃No； I won't。 I'll work。 I've learned to work since I went on the
Billow。〃
〃Each man has to take a year's supplies in with him。 There'll be such
a jam the Indian packers won't be able to handle it。 Hal and Robert will
have to pack their outfits across themselves。 That's what I'm going along
forto help them pack。 It you come you'll have to do the same。〃
〃Watch me。〃
〃You can't pack；〃 was the objection。
〃When do we start？〃
〃To…morrow。〃
〃You needn't take it to yourself that your lecture on the hard has done
it；〃 Kit said； at parting。 〃I just had to get away； somewhere； anywhere；
from O'Hara。〃
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〃Who is O'Hara？ A Jap？〃
〃No； he's an Irishman； and a slave…driver； and my best friend。 He's
the editor and proprietor and all…around big squeeze of the Billow。 What
he says goes。 He can make ghosts walk。〃
That night Kit Bellew wrote a note to O'Hara。
〃It's only a several weeks' vacation；〃 he explained。 〃You'll have to
get some gink to dope out instalments for that serial。 Sorry； old man； but
my health demands it。 I'll kick in twice as hard when I get back。〃
II。
Kit Bellew landed through the madness of the Dyea beach； congested
with thousand…pound outfits of thousands of men。 This immense mass of
luggage and food； flung ashore in mountains by the steamers； was
beginning slowly to dribble up the Dyea valley and across Chilcoot。 It was
a portage of twenty…eight miles； and could be accomplished only on the
backs of men。 Despite the fact that the Indian packers had jumped the
freight from eight cents a pound to forty； they were swamped with the
work； and it was plain that winter would catch the major portion of the
outfits on the wrong side of the divide。
Tenderest of the tender…feet was Kit。 Like many hundreds of others
he carried a big revolver swung on a cartridge…belt。 Of this； his uncle；
filled with memories of old lawless days； was likewise guilty。 But Kit