Зов предков
For the Love of a Man
Matthewsoninsistedthatthephraseincludedbreakingtherunnersfromthefrozengripofthesnow. Amajorityofthemenwhohadwitnessedthemakingofthebetdecidedinhisfavor,whereattheoddswentuptothreetooneagainstBuck.
Therewerenotakers. Notamanbelievedhimcapableofthefeat. Thorntonhadbeenhurriedintothewager,heavywithdoubt; andnowthathelookedatthesleditself,theconcretefact,withtheregularteamoftendogscurledupinthesnowbeforeit,themoreimpossiblethetaskappeared. Matthewsonwaxedjubilant.
"Threetoone!"heproclaimed. "I’lllayyouanotherthousandatthatfigure,Thornton. Whatd’yesay?"
Thornton’sdoubtwasstronginhisface,buthisfightingspiritwasaroused—thefightingspiritthatsoarsaboveodds,failstorecognizetheimpossible,andisdeaftoallsavetheclamorforbattle. HecalledHansandPetetohim. Theirsackswereslim,andwithhisownthethreepartnerscouldraketogetheronlytwohundreddollars. Intheebboftheirfortunes,thissumwastheirtotalcapital; yettheylaiditunhesitatinglyagainstMatthewson’ssixhundred.
Theteamoftendogswasunhitched,andBuck,withhisownharness,wasputintothesled. Hehadcaughtthecontagionoftheexcitement,andhefeltthatinsomewayhemustdoagreatthingforJohnThornton. Murmursofadmirationathissplendidappearancewentup.
