n' then sat down an' cried, she thought I was that
blamed funny! And Keok laughed until she was sick an' had to go to bed.
That little devil of a Keok calls me Pinkey now, and Miss Standish says
it wasn't because I was funny that she laughed, but that the change in
me was so sudden she couldn't help it. Nawadlook says I've got a
character-ful chin--"

Alan gripped his hand, and a swift change came over Stampede's face. A
steely glitter shot into the blue of his eyes, and his chin hardened.
Nature no longer disguised the Stampede Smith of other days, and Alan
felt a new thrill and a new regard for the man whose hand he held. This,
at last, was the man whose name had gone before him up and down the old
trails; the man whose cool and calculating courage, whose fearlessness
of death and quickness with the gun had written pages in Alaskan history
which would never be forgotten. Where his first impulse had been to
laugh, he now felt the grim thrill and admiration of men of other days,
who, when in Stampede's presence, knew they were in the presence of a
master. The old Stampede had come to life again. And Alan knew why. The
grip of his hand tightened, and Stampede returned it.

"Some day, if we're lucky, there always comes a woman to make the world
worth living in, Stampede," he said.

"There does," replied Stampede.

He looked steadily at Alan.

"And I take it you love Mary Standish," he added, "and that you'd fight
for her if you had to."

"I would," said Alan.

"Then it's time you were traveling," advised Stampede significantly.
"I've been twelve hours on the trail without a rest. She told me to move
fast, and I've moved. I mean Mary Standish. She said it was almost a
matter of life and death that I find you in a hurry. I wanted to stay,
but she wouldn't let me. It's _you_ she wants. Rossland is at
the range."

"_Rossland_!"

"Yes, Rossland. And it's my guess John Graham isn't far away. I smell
happenings, Alan. We'd better hurry."

CHAPTER XXI

Stampede had started with one of the two saddle-deer left at the range,
but to ride deer-back successfully and with any degree of speed and
specific direction was an accomplishment which he had neglected, and
within the first half-dozen miles he had abandoned the adventure to
continue his journey on foot. As Tatpan had no saddle-deer in his herd,
and the swiftest messenger would require many hours in which to reach
Amuk Toolik, Alan set out for his range within h