The Purple Flame

by Roy J. Snell

  CHAPTER V PLANNING A PERILOUS JOURNEY

  The house in which the girls lived was a cunningly built affair. Eightlong poles, brought from the distant river, had been lashed together atone end. Then they had all been raised to an upright position and spreadapart like the pole of an Indian's tepee. Canvas was spread over thiscircle of poles. That there might be more room in the tent, curved willowbranches were lashed to the poles. These held the canvas away in acircle. After this had been accomplished the whole inside was lined withdeerskins. Only an opening at the top was left for the passing of smokefrom the Yukon stove. The stove stood in the front center of the house.Back of it was a platform six by eight feet. This platform was surroundedon all four sides and above by a second lining of deerskin. This platformformed the floor and the deerskins the walls of a little room within theskin house. This was the sleeping room of Marian and Patsy.

  A more cozy place could scarcely be imagined. Even with the thermometerat forty below, and the wind howling about the igloo, this room was warmas toast. With the sleeping bag for a bed, and with a heavy deerskin rugand blankets piled upon them, the girls could sleep in perfect comfort.

  In this cozy spot, with one arm thrown loosely about her cousin's neck,Marian lay that night for a full five minutes in perfect silent repose.

  "Patsy," she said, as her arm suddenly tightened about her cousin's neckin an affectionate hug, "would you be terribly afraid to stay here all byyourself with the Eskimos?"

  "How--how long?" Patsy faltered.

  "I don't know exactly. Perhaps a week, perhaps three. In the Arctic onenever knows. Things happen. There are blizzards; rivers can not becrossed; there is no food to be had; who knows what may happen?"

  "Why, no," said Patsy slowly, "with Attatak here I think I shouldn'tmind."

  "I think," said Marian with evident reluctance, "that I should takeAttatak with me. I'd like to take old Terogloona. He'd be more help; butat a time like this he can't leave the herd. He's absolutelyfaithful--would give his life for us. Father once saved him from drowningwhen a skin boat was run down by a motor launch. An Eskimo neverforgets."

  "How strangely you talk," said Patsy suddenly. "Is--is the purple flameas serious an affair as that?"

  "Oh, no!" answered Marian. "That may become serious. They may be killingour deer, but we haven't caught them at it. That, for the present, isjust an interesting mystery."

  "But what are you--where are you going?"

  "Listen, Patsy," said Marian thoughtfully; "do you remember the radiomessage we picked up three days ago--the one from the Government Agent,sent from Nome to Fairbanks?"

  Patsy did remember. She had spent many interesting hours listening in onthe compact but powerful radio set her father had presented to her as aparting gift.

  "Yes," she said, "I remember."

  "When did he say he was leaving Nome?"

  "The 5th."

  "That means he'll be at the Siman's trading station on about the 12th.And Siman's is the spot on the Nome-Fairbanks trail that is nearest tous. By fast driving and good luck I can get there before him."

  "But why should you?" persisted Patsy.

  Then Marian confided to her cousin the new trouble they were facing, thealmost certain loss of their range, with all the calamities that wouldfollow.

  "If only I can see the Agent before he passes on to Fairbanks I am surehe would deputize someone to come over here and compel Scarberry to takehis herd from our range. If I can't do that, then I don't see that wehave a single chance. We might as well--as well--" there was a catch inher voice--"as well make Scarberry a present of our herd and go on ourway back to Nome. We'd be flat broke; not a penny in the world! Andfather--father would not have a single chance for a fresh start. But wewill be ruined soon enough if we try to put up a fight all by ourselves,for Scarberry's too strong; he's got three herders to our one. The Agentis our only chance."

  For a long time after this speech all was silence, and Marian wasbeginning to think that Patsy had gone to sleep. Then she felt her softwarm hand steal into hers as she whispered:

  "No, I'm not afraid. I--I'll stay, and I'll do all I can to keep thatthief and his deer off our range until you get back. I'll do it, too! Seeif I don't!"

  Patsy's southern fighting blood was up. At such a time she felt equal toanything.

  "All right, old dear; only be careful." Marian gave her a rousing hug,then whispered as she drew the deerskins about her:

  "Go to sleep now. I must be away before dawn."