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The Toil of Trace and Trail
AndthatCharles’ssister’stale-bearingtongueshouldberelevanttothebuildingofaYukonfire,wasapparentonlytoMercedes,whodisburdenedherselfofcopiousopinionsuponthattopic,andincidentallyuponafewothertraitsunpleasantlypeculiartoherhusband’sfamily. Inthemeantimethefireremainedunbuilt,thecamphalfpitched,andthedogsunfed.
Mercedesnursedaspecialgrievance—thegrievanceofsex. Shewasprettyandsoft,andhadbeenchivalrouslytreatedallherdays. Butthepresenttreatmentbyherhusbandandbrotherwaseverythingsavechivalrous. Itwashercustomtobehelpless. Theycomplained. Uponwhichimpeachmentofwhattoherwashermostessentialsex-prerogative,shemadetheirlivesunendurable. Shenolongerconsideredthedogs,andbecauseshewassoreandtired,shepersistedinridingonthesled. Shewasprettyandsoft,butsheweighedonehundredandtwentypounds—alustylaststrawtotheloaddraggedbytheweakandstarvinganimals. Sherodefordays,tilltheyfellinthetracesandthesledstoodstill. CharlesandHalbeggedhertogetoffandwalk,pleadedwithher,entreated,thewhilesheweptandimportunedHeavenwitharecitaloftheirbrutality.
Ononeoccasiontheytookheroffthesledbymainstrength.Theyneverdiditagain. Sheletherlegsgolimplikeaspoiledchild,andsatdownonthetrail. Theywentontheirway,butshedidnotmove.
