Her eyes roved along the array of red and cream fluttering in the cool breeze. Very few shirts of other colors were brought to her. She looked at her hands, sullied by the same variegated colors. The cost of her escape from the Yukon would remain with her long after she reached civilization again. When she had counted the number of shirts she had washed today, she thought that in a month she would have enough to pay back Joel and Kevin for her fare to Dawson. Then she could continue until she had the money to return home. She doubted if she could save enough before the winter closed the Yukon in its solid sheet of ice. She would be imprisoned in the Klondike until spring. Actually, for the past few days leaving Fifteen Above had not been as enticing as before. What she had feared had happened. She had forgiven the two for their foolish idea of bringing her here. Forgiven, and more. She was now truly willing to pay for her fare. They had worked so hard to get it. “How’s business?”
