Chapter 32 Chapter 17 Settlement

After spending a few days at Lot 129, the brothers and sisters returned to Dawson City, leaving Lorrick to lead the local efforts.Everything was settled with him.He directs the production activities on the land until the gold mine is exhausted, which is still unpredictable.Once a week, he sent the report to Montreal, where Sammy Skin and Ben Rado hurried back. The foreman's personal interest is naturally linked to the realized profit.In this he has complete confidence in his masters, for he knows they are just and fair.The day when the gold mines in the Forty Mile River will be mined is still far away, and Lorrick will also become a rich man in the future. He will either develop the gold mines by himself, or live his life in a milder sky.

Of course, 4 people were a bit cramped in the carriage, but no one complained.The nerves of all were still shaken by this series of happy passions, and all expressed great joy.Edith also deviates from her usual aloof calmness. On the way, the two brothers asked the two sisters what their plans were, and they each talked about their plans.Their plan is simple.Since fate has not favored Jane's efforts, nothing will change their situation.Jane continues to explore, and Edith returns to the patient. Ben Rado and Sammy Skinn were not offended, but asked the girls if they thought they were ungrateful devils.That's all for the conversation.

That night, it was time to fix the problem.Called by Ben Rado, the four came to a living room under a Ben Lado. The engineer immediately gets to the heart of the matter. "Today's order is to close our accounts," he said, "and to declare the meeting open." Sammy yawned. "It must be boring! . . . " he said, "and besides, I told you, Insatiable Ben, just put me a zero and take it all!" "If we start off with a joke like this," Ben Rado said seriously, "we won't be able to finish the meeting. Sammy, I beg you to be serious."

"Let's all be serious!" Sammy agreed with a sigh. "But so much time is wasted and could be better used!" Ben Rado went on to say: "The first point that should be considered is that the development of the Sishili River is the result of the discovery of gold volcanoes, and of course it is an indirect result." "Agreed!" said the three people who spoke to him. "Therefore, the promises made for this expedition are in full force, first and foremost to the mother of Jacques Ledin. Do you have any thoughts on the part given to her?" "A quarter row..." suggested Jane Edgerton.

"Or four-quarters," Sammy added, "I don't see what's wrong with it." Ben Rado shrugged. "I think," remarked Edith in a calm voice, "that it would be better to give her an annuity." "Miss Edith is right, as usual," said the engineer. "Let's take the annuity as a principle, and we'll fix the amount later, and it goes without saying that we'll have to play more generously." Everyone agrees. "Besides," said Ben Rado, "must be greatly compensated to Loric, Scout, and all who went with us to the Golden Volcano."

"That's the obvious thing to do," said the two sisters in unison. "The rest, according to the agreement reached with Miss Jane, should be divided into two. One for her and one for me. I don't think Miss Jane will refuse to share her part with her cousin, Lot 129 She should be credited for the development. Despite Sammy's disgusted look, I'm going to share my share with him." "Your distribution is not fair," objected Jane, "since no one is forcing you to share with us, you should at least enforce all agreements. You forget that there was an agreement before that you could get money from my Klondike profits." Extract ten percent from it."

"Indeed," Bin Lado admitted solemnly. He picked up a pencil and some paper. "Now do the math," said he, "and we agree that I have one-tenth of your half, which is one-twentieth of all; One, you are nine out of twenty." "If I do the math right," put in Sammy, with the most seriousness in the world, "it turns out: Miss Edith's part is thirty-eight, eighty-nine... three-quarters of five Seven out of 10... As for my share, divide the radius of the arctic circle by the height of the Gold Volcano and multiply the quotient by the age of the Scout. This gives an exponential equation and finds the roots of the equation , perform algebraic analysis and calculus calculations, optional..."

"These jokes are so boring," said Ben Rado dryly, while the sisters were rocking with laughter. "What a mess!" sighed Sammy Skin, and sat down in the farthest corner with the utmost indifference. Ben Rado stared at him angrily, shrugged his shoulders again, and went on: "Our deposit in the transportation trading company has reached..." Jane Edgerton interrupted him. "Anyway, Mr. Rado," she said, with the most natural air in the world, "what's the use of these calculations?" "But……" "Yes, what's the use? . . . Since we're obviously going to get married."

Sammy Skin, who was lounging in the armchair, grabbed the armrest and sat up suddenly. He did growl: "Marry who?" His voice was suppressed. He curled up, his facial muscles spasmed, and his fists were clenched, like a beast about to jump up. Faced with such a ridiculous scene, his friends couldn't bear it any longer, and they burst out laughing together. Sammy didn't smile.He had just understood his mind, so he was flustered.He's in love, he's an unrepentant celibate man who's so content with his celibacy; he's been in love adoringly, for a long time.He had fallen in love with this smiling girl when she first appeared to him on the deck of the "Football".He so willingly endured the ridiculous trek through these eccentric regions.All because of her and for her.Since he couldn't convince her to leave the Klondike, he had to force himself to live there in order to be with her.Now, she calmly said that she was going to get married!Probably with Ben Rado, younger and more attractive than his unfortunate cousin.Of course, if so, he will leave quietly... But how painful it will be for him!

"Marry whom?" he asked again in a voice full of tears, for which Jane stopped laughing. "And you, Mr. Skinning," she said, "it's a matter of course. What's the matter? . . . " She didn't have time to finish the sentence. Sammy rushed forward.He picked her up like a feather and danced wildly in his arms while kissing her affectionately.Jane struggled and resisted, but to no avail; maddened Sammy couldn't feel her kicks at all.Only when he was out of breath did he slump down on the armchair, panting like a seal, and let go of his light lover.

"Big maniac!" Jane said without anger and without a smile, as she straightened her tousled hair. Jane didn't seem to notice Ben Rado, who was watching Edith in silence, and her cousin, who kept her eyes downcast, as she continued the conversation interrupted by the crazy Sammy: "Why ask about something already known? It's equally clear, as I married Mr. Skinner, and Mr. Rado married my cousin." Edith's eyelids fluttered slightly. "Miss Edith, can you confirm what your cousin just said?" Ben Rado asked in a trembling voice. In answer, the girl raised her bright eyes, and held out her hand openly. Sammy Skin was so excited, he danced and made people laugh; he pushed and shoved, knocked over the furniture, and started running around the room. "What are we doing here?" he said. "Why waste precious time when we're all in agreement? Hurry up! God damn it! Hurry up!" It took a lot of effort to convince him that a wedding, let alone two, cannot be impromptu in the night, and it was only after he was promised to keep the necessary preparation time as short as possible that he was quieted. They were indeed gearing up, and a few days later, two weddings took place simultaneously at Dawson's church.It's a beautiful ceremony.The adventures of the two couples make the wedding legendary. People from all over the city (to be honest, there were not many people during the gold rush season) formed a human wall where the wedding procession passed.Jane's aggressive beauty, Edith's stern beauty, Ben Rado's resolute look, and Sammy Skin's dignified appearance were admired by many members of the public. The companions who have shared thick and thin are all present: Lorik, Scout, and the entire crew of the Golden Volcano Expedition.Dr. Piercox, gayer and chubby than ever, was on the arm of Edith, and Jane was escorted to the podium by Patrick the giant, in new attire and with a face as red as the sun.Jane wished him so, and the Irishman was proud of the honor bestowed on him by his young mistress; in spite of her white wedding dress and orange blossoms, he called her "Mr. ". "Give me your arm, Patrick." "Yes, Monsieur Jean." "Be careful, Patrick. You're stepping on my skirt." "Yes, Monsieur Jean." He couldn't change his mouth.Jane smiled happily. On the night of the wedding, the newlyweds left Dawson on a steamboat that sailed down the Yukon.Loric and Scout waved them goodbye from the shore.Loric was leaving tomorrow to lead the work on the field, and the scout would lead his men back to Skagway across the lake.However, if he continues to engage in the difficult profession of guiding, it is only out of voluntary and hobby.Scouts who become rich have to admit that prospecting can sometimes be beneficial. In contrast to them, two other characters appearing in this story also accompanied the newcomers down the Yukon River to Montreal.Neruto made up his mind at the last moment: not to leave a steadfast hunter like Sammy Skin.As for Patrick, only death could separate him from "Monsieur Jean." The cheers of farewell in the distance gradually died down, Dawson's lights grew farther and farther away, and gradually disappeared; night surrounded the huge steamer, breathing tirelessly.it's clear.Under the starry night sky, the temperature was neither too hot nor too cold, which is rare at this time of year. Sammy Skin gathered four chairs at the stern of the boat, where they sat quietly enjoying the good times. Ben Rado, however, soon broke the blissful silence.He couldn't stop his brain from working, and he was already hatching new plans.With the support of huge wealth, in the future, he can do any career.So he had a wild idea and said it out loud.Act, create, produce... turn piles of gold into gigantic businesses which then turn into gold; those gold turn into bigger and more businesses... the cycle repeats...forever! Jane listens with one greedy ear, talking to the crazy dreamer.Gradually, the chairs of the two of them leaned together.Then, tired of sitting still, they rose together and went to lean their elbows on the railing side by side; one forgot his wife, the other his husband. Sammy sighed. "The two of them are gone!" he said to Edith, who was staying beside him. "Should," said the sensible young wife, "treat them well and love them as they are." "You're right, Edith," Sammy admitted, but in a less convincing voice. However, he was really worried.He let out another sigh from his chest that was longer than before. "Yes," he added, "they're gone. Where are they going?" Edith raised one hand and let it fall again; the gesture signaled resignation to the future. "I know Ben," Sammy went on, "he won't be back in Montreal for 8 days, and he's thinking about taking risks again. He's leaving again, and I'm very worried about him taking your cousin, she's not very useful anymore A sensible way to understand life." "They're gone," replied Edith, "and they'll be back someday. We'll wait for them at home." "It's not fun, Edith." "But it'll help, Sammy. Let's, let's watch them while they're out and about in the world." Sammy sighed his last. “We raised their children,” he said, not knowing that there was a mixture of deep humor and sublime selflessness in his answer.