The White Trail: A Story of the Early Days of Klondike

Front matter

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Preface

The White Trail is a story from life, and not a single character mentioned therein has been created to fulfil the purpose of the storyteller's art. From a traveller this may be taken either as an apology for his own demerits of diction, or as an incentive to the reader to accept much of his statements in their truer light of realism. May I venttu-e to put forth both pleas?

The early days of Klondike are yet of comparatively recent period, and round them clings the glamor of modem romance — most rare attraction in these days when we are over apt to assume that all stirring episodes must of necessity belong to a bygone age. It is generally admitted that the great rush to the sub-Arctic El Dorado remains unparalleled in goldfields' history. The difficulties which the striving pioneers had to face were even more deadly than Qf can be truly described, and in this narrative the

^ dangers of the trail have rather been minimized than

exaggerated. ^^ It is no wish of mine to glorify the search for gold,

^ though, if it must be obtained, surely the crust of the C^l earth )delds up its store without contaminating the Cv? seeker. Archibald Ralston did not desire riches for the mere sake of riches; he sought only the means whereby a noble end might be achieved. Gold he

VI

Preface found truly, in the Indian creek of Too-much-gold, but it was gold of another kind, a non-material kind, that made him rich indeed; for the gold of human nature, of faithful comradeship, is stu-ely beyond all price.

The story deals with an actual journey, and with an actual people. The main incidents throughout may be accepted as having actually occurred, though in a few cases they are somewhat modified, and the descriptions of the country are as nearly as possible geographically and geologically correct, viewed back over a lapse of eleven years. Incidentally I may say that the dog Dave was my own dog.

If The White Trail may serve in any way to encourage energy and initiative, and a broader sympathy for human kind, in the youth of our land, then its mission will be fully accomplished, and its author more than gratified.

Alexander Macdonald.

Contents

OBAPTBB PAGE

I. Ralston Bbothers . . 1

II. A Youthful Ambassador 16

Chapter I

The firm of Ralston Brothers was not a large one. Their office occupied one dingy room on the second floor of a commercial tenement in Wellington Street, Glasgow, while their factory, so-called, was merely an adjacent room in which two, and sometimes four, skilled workmen labored in the production of certain delicate forms of mechanism which afterwards, as the fates decreed, might or might not be recognized by the engineering world as useful, and perhaps even remarkable, inventions. The inscription on the smoked-glass doorway of the office, through which one had to pass in order to reach the inner workroom or laboratory, gave some indefinite clue to the business carried on within; it read: " Ralston Brothers, Engineers and Inventors."

The history of the firm was a somewhat strange one. At the very beginning of its career the scientific world was profoundly interested in a new theory in dynamics which emanated from the brain of Ralph Ralston, the elder of the two brothers. The theory, indeed, was borne out by a working demonstration of its practical utility in the shape of a small model, which did all that, according to preconceived . laws, it had no right to do. Still, the graybeards, whose dictum is always more or less final in the initial stage of all things new, reserved their condemnatory criticism for quite a considerable time. The model was all right, and did everything claimed for it, but the theory — ah, there was the trouble! the theory simply set at naught many time-honored textbook laws, and surely it could not possibly be correct. While these learned men were cogitating deeply over the subject, and even making guarded statements to the technical press on the matter, it occurred to an enterprising editor of a scientific journal to ask: ** Who is this Ralston, and what is the firm Ralston Brothers? " His interview promptly obtained for him the desired information, and then the astoimding discovery was given to the world that Ralph Ralston was but a young man, only twenty-three in fact, while his brother, Archie, was barely eighteen. The interviewer, with the kindliest intentions in the world, had thought fit to dilate on the youthf ulness of the young inventors. Then were the vials of wrath unloosed on the yoimg engineers* heads; the graybeards aforementioned suddenly came to the definite conclusion that Ralston's theory was all wrong. And what right had mere boys to intrude their views in the domain of the learned and the wise? Their prestmiption was to be severely condemned. So it happened that from that time to the period at which this story opens, just one year, the model had continued working in a comer of the laboratory where it was built, but the theory of its evolution was forgotten by the outside world — until it should be rediscovered in the years to come.

Meanwhile the inventive brain of the elder Ralston had not been inactive, and numerous useful contrivances continued to be built imder his tireless supervision. Some of these f oimd purchasers at moderate figures, others did not, and the profits of the successful went largely towards the expenses of the unsuccessful, leaving but a small reward at the year's end for the upkeep of a home.

Those who knew the two Ralstons intimately — and they were few — understood and appreciated the end for which the young lads strove. When Richard Ralston, the father, died, leaving as hostages to fortune a widow, two sons, and a daughter, people said it was just what might have been expected of him, reasoning on the well-worn assumption that a rolling stone gathers no moss; and Dick Ralston had certainly earned a reputation as a wanderer before settling down in Glasgow as a consulting engineer. He could speak most entertainingly of the work he had accomplished in distant lands, of bridge building in South America, railway construction in Australia, and sundry similar works carried on in remote comers of the earth; but somehow the people he met in his more conventional capacity in the great engineering city did not seem to want any railways laid or bridges built, for Richard Ralston, C. E., though famous abroad, was in the land of his boyhood like the prophet of old. What people did not know was that he had returned to the scene of his own early experience with the one idea of having his children educated in a city famous for the erudition of its professors and masters; and latterly it seemed that his entire interest in life was centred in their progress; and they certainly did not disappoint the broken man. The boys' special training had been in the sciences; their desire for knowledge in this direction seemed insatiable. Ralph, the confidant of his father, appeared to realize, even in these early years, the gravity of his position as a student ; for him the lighter side of things had little attraction, and consequently the lines of care and thought obtained a far too prominent place on his youthful brow.

As for Archie, the yoimger, he was called from his studies before they were nearly completed to his satisfaction, for Dick Ralston, having seen his eldest son reach man's estate, laid himself down and died, died of a malignant fever contracted in the Tropics, which only the Tropics could cure. Just before the end he had called the brothers to his bedside.

** My lads," he said slowly and quietly, ** I am going. I know the old symptoms, and I am a bit too weak to fight against my enemy now. My temperature will keep rising until poor old Dick Ralston's driving engine will be imable to keep the ptrnips going against the extra pressure. I leave you but the broken threads of a paltry business, but I would advise you to strike out on a new line for yourselves. Yotu" education is all I have been able to give you; make the most of it, my lads." His voice failed him for the moment, then with an effort he continued, almost in a whisper: " Look after the mater and Queenie, Ralph, and you, Archie, help your brother to keep the old flag flying. Let your pride rise superior to poverty. Goodbye! " He reached out a wan, white hand, which the youths, with bursting hearts, clasped in silence. Then all was still, save for the subdued weeping of the widow, and the sobbing of the fatherless daughter.

Thus it happened that a dire responsibility was thrust upon the all too immature shoulders of the youthful Ralstons; yet never for an instant did they flinch under the burden. The small office and laboratory in Wellington Street were opened within a fortnight after their father's death, and almost immediately thereafter Ralston's new theory was given to the world, with the result already stated.

A year had passed, a year for the young firm of indomitable striving, a little occasional success, and much disappointment, and already the inevitable crisis in its career had to be faced.

It was a fine autumn morning in the year 1897 when Archie Ralston boimded up the stairs leading to the little office. He was a medium-sized youth of wiry rather than strong build; this much could be noted as he hastened on his way, negotiating two steps at a time, as if some urgent need for hurry controlled his actions. He strode along the passage-way of the second floor, feeling in his pocket the while for the office key. Then, having found it, he was preparing to insert it in the lock of the door bearing the brave inscription: ** Ralston Brothers,** when a sudden thought seemed to seize him, and he turned the door handle without first using the key. Apparently the door had not been locked, for it swung open at once. With a startled ejaculation the youth burst into the room and looked around him wonderingly; the papers on the desk had to all appearance not been touched. Quickly the young man threw up the lid — which also gave way without the aid of a key — and peered inside. Then he let it fall with a crash. '* Gone! '' he muttered; ** the plan is gone. I wonder what the thieves have done with Ralph." He stood for a moment perplexed, then sniffed the air enquiringly. A faint but subtle odor filled the room. *' Why, dear me," he said in surprise, ** the vat must have been left in circuit all night ; the scent will be pretty powerful in the laboratory if all the windows are closed."

He opened the door leading into the adjacent room, and at once dense yellow f tmies enveloped him ; but he heeded them not. Through the murky atmosphere his eyes sought out a peculiarly shaped contrivance mounted on rough supports near the window, from which a gentle bubbling sound seemed to emanate. Several mysterious-looking wires led from it to an electric generator near at hand. Archie stepped forward and gingerly disconnected one of the rubber-covered spirals; then he gazed around and uttered a cry of amazement, for seated on a chair opposite the fireplace — the fire had long since gone out — was his brother Ralph, with his head inclined forward on his breast, fast asleep, while in one hand, grasped tightly, was the missing plan, with many new notes and sundry strange hieroglyphics marked freshly upon it. Archie gazed at the sleeper for a moment, his face showing the conflicting emotions of joy and sadness, then he noiselessly opened the window and went over to his brother's side. ** Ralph," he said, shaking the sleeper's arm, "Ralph! Wake up!"

The senior partner awoke with a start, and surveyed his brother blankly. '* What's the trouble, Archie? " he asked quickly. A breath of the tainted atmosphere entered his throat as he spoke, and he coughed violently. ** I must have dropped off to sleep and left the concern working," he added, when he had recovered himself.

" You're half -asleep yet," cried Archie in vexation. ** You don't seem to realize that you didn't come home at all last night."

Ralph sighed wearily and rubbed his hand across his eyes. ** I wanted to work out the final experiment after the men had gone last night," he said. " There was a good deal to bother about, and I foimd one or two flaws in the theory which took me some time to get over. I must have fallen asleep while making my alterations in the plan. I am very sorry, Archie; I hope the mater didn't think anything had happened."

** Why didn't you tell me you meant to do some special work last night? " demanded Archie halfindignantly. ** Wasn't I with you at the beginning, and didn't I work out the main experiments with you? Surely," he broke out passionately, *' I can be of some use! "

'* I didn't want you to be present, Archie," answered the elder brother quietly. ** I was afraid of disappointment, and as you had to attend your classes in the evening I thought it was a fair thing to let you have one night's peace."

He stood up and commenced to walk backwards and forwards across the room with qtiick, nervous strides. Ralph Ralston was slightly taller than his brother, but apart from that difference, and the more aged expression on his face, there was a wonderful similarity in the features of the two. The clean-cut profile of the one was reproduced in the other. The same deep-set gray eyes were the characteristic of both.

'* It's all right, old man," said Archie with forced cheerfulness, ** but," and he grasped his brother affectionately by the arm as he came near, ** you are always trying to save me, and if I am not old enough to keep my end up now, what good am I to the firm? I told the mater yesterday evening that you would be late, but I did not dream of your staying up all night in the laboratory. Honestly I thought something had happened to you when you didn't turn up, so I cleared out early this morning to investigate. When I came into the office I even thought someone had attacked you and stolen the plan. But come, let us go home and have breakfast before Mother and Queenie miss us."

'* You're right, Archie," said Ralph, '* the worries of the office must stay in the office, and please goodness we'll keep the home intact in spite of all, though things do look gloomy enough in the meantime." They went out into the passage, and were halfway downstairs, when Ralph stopped suddenly.

** I believe I had better go back and put that smelliferous machine of ours somewhere out of the way before the engineers arrive," said he; ** I don't want people to investigate it too closely."

"Why bother about it?*' exclaimed Archie. *' Surely our failure will not affect others "

" Failure? " interrupted Ralph. ** The process is no failure, boy "

** I thought you said — " Archie began excitedly, but words failed him, and he made a wild burst back to the laboratory.

"It is no failure,'* reiterated Ralph, as he too reached the laboratory to find Archie on his knees beside the strange gas-evolving receptacle. " The gold is thrown down free from impurity, the refractory ore with Ralstons' process is refractory no longer. Take out the gravitation chamber, Archie; what do you see there? **

" Gold! *' exclaimed Archie, emptying a strain of what looked like fine yellow sand into his hand from the inverted vessel.

" Just so," agreed his brother without enthusiasm; *' but Archie, did you ever think of what we should require to have before we could benefit by our discovery?*'

** I didn't,*' came the slow response, " but now I imderstand. We need a gold mine to produce the ore."

" Yes, that is so, Archie. Or we could arrange to treat the useless ore at some of the big mines at a certain price per ton; only, you see, the discovery would be ours just as long as the secret remained unknown, for of course we cannot patent a discovery, and any analytical engineer could soon solve the problems we have worked out if he were allowed to examine the apparatus when working. I foresaw our main difficulty at the start, and I wrote to some of the biggest Western American companies about a month ago asking if they would be willing to give us a chance if we were successful, but no reply has come along, so I suppose we can call our metallurgical process a scientific success but a financial failure/'

Archie took up the model in his arms and silently carried it through to the office. '* No one will bother examining it here,*' he said, placing the vat on the floor. " Now let us go and have breakfast, Ralph, and,** he added bitterly, *' after that we*ll see if we can*t devise a new form of hairpin or something about equally important. It*s about time we left off groping in the dark corridors of science and appUed our energies to something really useful.**

They closed their office door once more, and, arm in arm, set forth for their home in the western suburbs. It was then but seven o*clock in the morning.

At this time the firm of Ralston Brothers was imdoubtedly in a bad way. Its income was erratic and uncertain, and the chief fear of the senior partner was that the lean months of the immediate past would be continued into the future. The profession of inventor is at best but a haphazard one, and success largely depends upon the commercial ability of the inventor when it comes to a case of selling the f niits of his genius. In this direction the Ralstons admittedly did not shine ; they had not the gift of self advertisement, they could not laud their own achievements, and consequently, being imfitted by nature to wage war in the commercial lists of the great city, they, after their first spasmodic success or two, were gradually but surely being driven to the wall.

Ralston Brothers ii

Curiously enough it did not occur to them to value their ideas high enough, otherwise, in one or more instances, they might have reaped quite a rich reward instead of the trivial sum received. They were both too young and too unsophisticated to achieve success without the kindly helping hand of someone who knew the world and its ways better than they did; and this fact they were only beginning to realize. They reached their home after about twenty minutes' sharp walking, but — alas for their plans of secrecy concerning the all-night vigil in the laboratory! — the gentle-faced mother met them at the doorway, her eyes expressing the anxious thoughts that trembled on her lips. " This is too much, Ralph," she said reproachfully. *' You have been late at the laboratory many times, but for your health's sake I must ask you to try and have no more all-night sittings. You see I know all about it,** she explained with a smile, turning to Archie, who indeed looked somewhat nonplussed. ** You can't hide these things from me, boys "

** It's all right, little mother," hastily interposed Ralph. ** The fact is, I went to sleep last night while watching a rather lengthy experiment."

Mrs. Ralston said no more, but gazed after the youthful breadwinners somewhat wistfully as they marched off to their room to make themselves presentable before having breakfast. It was odd, too, how they managed to recollect some wonderful subjects for impromptu jokes as they busied themselves at their toilet. No one who heard their merry laughter would have dreamt that in the hearts of these same two humorists there dwelt a feeUng akin to despair. Oh, brave spirits that can ever keep a smile for the home, however depressed, and by their simny influence gild the lining of the gloomiest clouds ! So well did they dissemble their feelings that even the fond mother was deceived at the breakfast table, and ventured to ask mildly if a new success had been achieved by the firm.

** Of course I know what it is,'* cried Queenie, aged fifteen, the blooming young sister of the inventors, who had been deftly coaxing her brothers to eat by insinuating fresh pieces of toast into their plates at short intervals, which they obediently and absent-mindedly consumed. " I know ; the electrochemical hydro-carbonaceous metallurgical process has worked all right. Bother these big names! If they had been simple I'm sure you wouldn't have had half the trouble with the business. Isn't that right, Archie? "

" Oh, you've got the names near enough! " admitted her brother, with evasive gravity, and before the subject could be pursued further the postman's imperative knock was heard, which sent Queenie flying in anticipatory deUght to answer the summons. She returned, looking rather disappointed, carrying a blue oblong envelope in her hand. '* It's only for Ralston Brothers," she said. ** I suppose it is an advertisement about how to grow rich by becoming an engineer, or something of that sort."

''Probably!" agreed Ralph grimly, making no effort to receive the fancied ironical epistle.

'* I'll save the stamps anyhow," said Queenie. *' It's American "

" What? " shouted Ralph and Archie in one breath. In a stirprisingly short space of time the despised letter was in the senior partner's hands. ** I quite forgot that I wrote my letter from the home address/' he whispered hurriedly across the table to his brother. Archie nodded and his face flushed eagerly as he waited for the letter to be opened.

It was now impossible to hide the fact that the missive was supposed to be of some considerable importance. Mrs. Ralston looked at her elder son anxiously, and Queenie's eyes waited expectantly the opening of the envelope.

Ralph hesitated for a second or two, then nonchalantly tossed the sealed packet across the table. ** You read it, Archie," he said. *' The sensation will be like watching the result of a doubtful experiment, and you may as well have your share of the thrills.''

In a moment the seal was broken and a thin typewritten sheet fluttered on to the table. Archie seized the flimsy note and scrutinized the writing carefully, his face brightening perceptibly the while. *' It's from the Union Gold Mining Company of Washington, Ralph," he said, striving to keep his voice level.

** Read it out," returned Ralph laconically, and the youth forthwith proceeded :

" Dear Sir: — We have received your •communication re the treatment of refractory ores by Ralston's Process, and have gone carefully into the matter. As you are probably aware, numerous attempts have been made by various metallurgical chemists to get a satisfactory return from the so-called telluride ores which form a large portion of the lode in our mines, but in no instance have the results been even moderately successful. You will pardon us, therefore, if we do not feel over sanguine concerning the practical working of your scheme. However, we are perfectly open to be convinced, and if you care to erect a small plant here, we shall lend you every assistance possible, and pay you royalty of say 15 per cent, on the gross realizable value of every ton of ore treated.

'* We need scarcely say that we shall make no attempt to discover the secret of your process. Nevertheless we cannot hold ourselves responsible for its safety, and we would therefore ask you, should you decide on sending a small plant here, to send the same out in the charge of your most trustworthy man, unless it might be your intention to accompany the outfit yourselves, which wotild be the better plan if you can spare the time.

" We are, yours faithfully,

** Union Gold Mining Company, "perH. Pearson, Managing Director."

" H — m! Non-committal, if apparently honest enough," commented Ralph. ** But of course we couldn't have expected anything more."

** Is the process really a success, Ralph? " ventured Mrs: Ralston timidly, but with shining eyes.

** Completed it last night, Mother, and tried it on some specimens I got from the Secretary of the Mammoth Gold Mining Company, As it stands now I think the thing is without a flaw."

" Oh! " interjected Queenie, unable longer to restrain herself; ** now we'll be rich! '*

** Not so fast, Queen of Sheba," reproved Archie, taking the cue from his brother. ** A lot has to be done before we benefit much."

*'Ay, a lot has to be done,*' repeated Ralph wearily. " The plant itself on a small scale coiild be made in a few days; but I dare not risk going out to the. West even on such a promising errand. If by any chance the secret were discovered there would be no reward, and there are many things which make the journey but a speculative venture.**

" Couldn't you send another man, dear? '* asked Mrs. Ralston quietly.

" No, Mother, for in the first place he would want a fee that we couldn't afford to pay, and in the second place no man knows anything about the construction of the affair.**

*' And that*s just where the junior partner gets a chance of showing what he is made of,** cried Archie, rising to his feet and gazing at his brother with calm earnestness. "It is no use trying to keep it quiet longer. Mother,** he explained, noting her wondering look. " Something has to be done, or Ralston Brothers will go imder. Ralph, you have done pretty well all the work so far. Let me do something now. It won't cost much: only the price of my ticket to the West. I won*t take a return. It*s a chance for the firm and for the home, Ralph ; let me take it.**

*' As you will, Archie,** came the answer gravely.

Chapter II

It was a cold and disagreeable momingwhen Archie arrived at Lime Street Station, Liverpool, en route for the West. Little more than a week had passed since it was decided that he should set forth on his fateful mission, and now he had reached the great English seaport from which so many daimtless Britons had sailed away to seek in new lands the wider scope for their ambitions which the coimtry of their birth could not afford.

He surveyed the deserted platform somewhat ruefully for a moment. The hour was early and only the porters whose duty it was to meet the train were in evidence. *' I wish I had let Ralph come down with me after all,*' he muttered, a feeling of desolation entering his heart; but he checked the weakening impulse immediately. " It is better as it is,'* he decided half -aloud. ** It would only make it worse for me to say goodbye again." With this philosophical reasoning he buttoned his overcoat tightly around him and walked off to superintend the imloading of his luggage from the van; already his few fellow passengers had disappeared in the mists beyond the station portals.

Archie's personal effects were apparently not a cumbersome commodity. A fair-sized portmanteau and a small handbag, bearing his name, and addressed: ** S. S. Campania, Passenger,*' had already been given in charge of a porter, who now waited to receive from the van the bulkier packages similarly addressed. But clearly the strange oblong and iron-ribbed case that was hauled forth contained something other than mere clothing. The weary railway servant gazed somewhat askance at his prospective burden, imtil he suddenly discovered that it required no Samsonian effort to move it.

** There's a good deal of waste space in this here concern, sir,*' he commented, lifting, with scarcely an effort, the box containing the wonderful mechanism of Ralston's Process.

*' No, I think not, porter," replied the youth, smiling; ** it's all pretty useful. But you see it's not charged just now — no! no! there's nothing dangerous in it — "as the official drew back in alarm. ** Take it to the left-luggage office, and don't smash it about any more than you can help. I'll call after breakfast and take it down to the ship."