clouded Alaska's interests. There is now a growing
concentration of authority and responsibility. Both the Department of
the Interior and the Department of Agriculture now realize that Alaska
is a mighty empire in itself, and with their help we are bound to go
ahead in spite of all our handicaps. It is men like John Graham I fear.
Some day--"

Suddenly he caught himself. "There--I'm talking politics, and I should
entertain you with pleasanter and more interesting things," he
apologized. "Shall we go to the lower decks?"

"Or the open air," she suggested. "I am afraid this smoke is upsetting
me."

He could feel the change in her and did not attribute it entirely to the
thickness of the air. Rossland's inexplicable rudeness had disturbed her
more deeply than she had admitted, he believed.

"There are a number of Thlinkit Indians and a tame bear down in what we
should ordinarily call the steerage. Would you like to see them?" he
asked, when they were outside. "The Thlinkit girls are the prettiest
Indian women in the world, and there are two among those below who
are--well--unusually good-looking, the Captain says."

"And he has already made me acquainted with them," she laughed softly.
"Kolo and Haidah are the girls. They are sweet, and I love them. I had
breakfast with them this morning long before you were awake."

"The deuce you say! And that is why you were not at table? And the
morning before--"

"You noticed my absence?" she asked demurely.

"It was difficult for me not to see an empty chair. On second thought, I
think the young engineer called my attention to it by wondering if you
were ill."

"Oh!"

"He is very much interested in you, Miss Standish. It amuses me to see
him torture the corners of his eyes to look at you. I have thought it
would be only charity and good-will to change seats with him."

"In which event, of course, your eyes would not suffer."

"Probably not."

"Have they ever suffered?"

"I think not."

"When looking at the Thlinkit girls, for instance?"

"I haven't seen them."

She gave her shoulders a little shrug.

"Ordinarily I would think you most uninteresting, Mr. Holt. As it is I
think you unusual. And I rather like you for it. Would you mind taking
me to my cabin? It is number sixteen, on this deck."

She walked with her fingers touching his arm again. "What is your room?"
she asked.

"Twenty-seven, Miss Standish."

"This deck?"

"Yes."

Not until she had sai