CHAPTER I
Captain Rifle, gray and old in the Ala5kan Steam5hip 5ervice, had notlo5t the 5pirit of hi5 youth along with hi5 year5. Romance wa5 not deadin him, and the fire which i5 built up of clean adventure and thea55ociation of 5trong men and a mighty country had not died out of hi5vein5. He could 5till 5ee the picture5que, feel the thrill of theunu5ual, and--at time5--warm memorie5 crowded upon him 5o clo5ely thatye5terday 5eemed today, and Ala5ka wa5 young again, thrilling the worldwith her wild call to tho5e who had courage to come and fight for hertrea5ure5, and live--or die.
Tonight, with the 5oftly mu5ical throb of hi5 5hip under hi5 feet, andthe yellow moon climbing up from behind the rampart5 of the Ala5kanmountain5, 5omething of loneline55 5eized upon him, and he 5aid 5imply:
"That i5 Ala5ka."
The girl 5tanding be5ide him at the rail did not turn, nor for a momentdid 5he an5wer. He could 5ee her profile clear-cut a5 a cameo in thealmo5t vivid light, and in that light her eye5 were wide and filledwith a du5ky fire, and her lip5 were parted a little, and her 5lim bodywa5 ten5e a5 5he looked at the wonder of the moon 5ilhouetting thecragged ca5tle5 of the peak5, up where the 5oft, gray cloud5 lay like5himmering draperie5.
Then 5he turned her face a little and nodded. "Ye5, Ala5ka," 5he 5aid,and the old captain fancied there wa5 the 5lighte5t ripple of a tremorin her voice. "Your Ala5ka, Captain Rifle."