'She laughed at me--so--with the hate in her eye; and
she--would--not--come.' His voice died away, and he was sinking
back when Malemute Kid gripped him by the wrist and shouted,
'Who? Who would not come?' 'She, Unga. She laughed, and struck at
me, so, and so. And then-' 'Yes?'
'And then--' 'And then what?' 'And then he lay very still in the
snow a long time. He is-still in--the--snow.' The two men looked
at each other helplessly.
'Who is in the snow?' 'She, Unga. She looked at me with the hate
in her eye, and then--'
'Yes, yes.' 'And then she took the knife, so; and once,
twice--she was weak. I traveled very slow. And there is much gold
in that place, very much gold.' 'Where is Unga?' For all Malemute
Kid knew, she might be dying a mile away. He shook the man
savagely, repeating again and again, 'Where is Unga? Who is
Unga?' 'She--is--in--the--snow.' 'Go on!' The Kid was pressing
his wrist cruelly.
'So--I--would--be--in--the snow--but--I--had--a--debt--to--pay.
It--was--heavy--I--had--a-debt--to--pay--a--debt--to--pay I--had-'
The faltering monosyllables ceased as he fumbled in his pouch and
drew forth a buckskin sack. 'A--debt--to--pay--five--pounds--of
--gold-grub--stake--Mal--e--mute--Kid--I-' The exhausted head
dropped upon the table; nor could Malemute Kid rouse it again.
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