Dreamkeepers Read Online Free Page A

had moved up from the States to run them. The country’s huge size wouldn’t stop them from taking a weekend in the bush. Skiplanes shuttled constantly back and forth between the resorts and the cities. Later, she mused, they could tap the vast resources of Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver for guests. For now, they would concentrate on getting them from closer to home.
    Ever since the influx of “foreigners,” as Alaskan natives called them, a powerful tide of newfound pride and racial identity had swept the state. Signs saying “Alaska For Alaskans,” “Yankee Go Home,” and “Happiness Is An Oklahoman Going Home With A Texan Under Each Arm,” covered car bumpers. Kelly agreed to a certain extent. This was where she wanted to be, where she wanted to make something good and enduring; here, the only place in the world where she had roots, she didn’t want the land spoiled with hamburger stands and neon lights.
    Mike came in the door.
    “Did you go all the way to Talkeetna to get that coffee?” Kelly teased.
    “Had to see about my dogs.” He handed her the coffee can and took off his coat.
    “Dogs? You’ve got more than one?”
    “I’ve got a sled team. They’re half wild, so be careful.”
    “Are you going to race them at the Fur Rendezvous?”
    “Not in the Anchorage to Nome race, but maybe in one of the shorter ones. I’ve only had them hitched together a few times. They’re wilder than hell.” He grinned.
    “I want a dog. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have one here.”
    “What kind do you want?”
    “I don’t care. Just a dog.”
    Mike went to the door, opened it, and yelled, “Charlie!”
    A large, white, shaggy dog came bounding in with a frisbee in his mouth. He looked up at Mike expectantly and wagged his tail. Mike reached down and took the battered, chewed plastic disc. The tail stopped wagging and Charlie’s eyes riveted to the frisbee.
    “Not in the house, Charlie,” Mike said sternly and the tail made a half wag. “Worthless piece of dog meat,” he said affectionately and scratched the big head. “You got a two track mind. The frisbee and the . . . ball.” Charlie jerked to attention on hearing the magic word. Mike laughed.
    “Shame on you for teasing him,” Kelly chided. “Come here, Charlie. What kind of a dog is he?”
    “Part shepherd, part husky, I think. He’s got to be part of something else with the disposition he’s got. You can have him if you want him. He doesn’t fit in with my sled team at all.”
    Charlie ambled over to Kelly and sniffed. She scratched his head and he leaned against her.
    “How old is he?”
    “Two years, I thought he’d outgrow playing with the frisbee and the ball, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to.” Charlie peaked his ears on hearing the magic words again, and Kelly laughed, hugged his furry neck, and received a wet lick across her face for the trouble.
    “Shall we team up, Charlie? I’ll take care of you if you’ll take care of me. What do you say?”
    “I’ll end up by taking care of both of you,” Mike said drily. “Come on, Charlie, take this tooth punctured thing and get out of here.” He held out the frisbee and Charlie clamped his teeth on it and bounded out the door. Mike shut it behind him.
    Kelly washed mugs and filled them with coffee. “Is there an extra Citizen’s Band radio around, Mike? We used to have one here and in the lodge.”
    “There’s a good base station in the lodge. I’ll fix it up and we’ll run a couple of substations. Marty’s talking about coming back and . . . she might want to open the other cabin.”
    “She wouldn’t have to do that. She could move in here with me.”
    “I don’t think she’d want to do that.” Mike grinned knowingly.
    “Well, are you going to tell me, or do I have to start wheedling?”
    “Start wheedling.”
    “Oh, come on!”
    “All right. If you’re going to be that way about it, I’ll tell you. It wouldn’t surprise me if Marty