Only our faces were set to Salt Water, our souls
strained for Salt Water, and our feet carried us toward Salt Water. We
camped by the Tahkeena, and knew it not. Our eyes looked upon the White
Horse, but we saw it not. Our feet trod the portage of the Canyon, but
they felt it not. We felt nothing. And we fell often by the way, but we
fell, always, with our faces toward Salt Water.
"Our last grub went, and we had shared fair, Passuk and I, but she fell
more often, and at Caribou Crossing her strength left her. And in the
morning we lay beneath the one robe and did not take the trail. It was
in my mind to stay there and meet Death hand-in-hand with Passuk; for I
had grown old, and had learned the love of woman. Also, it was eighty
miles to Haines Mission, and the great Chilcoot, far above the timber-
line, reared his storm-swept head between. But Passuk spoke to me, low,
with my ear against her lips that I might hear. And now, because she
need not fear my anger, she spoke her heart, and told me of her love, and
of many things which I did not understand.
"And she said: 'You are my man, Charley, and I have been a good woman to
you.
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