of any charm.
He had only repulsion, but repulsion that failed to deny a certain
attraction. His hot words broke through the noisy strumming of
vaudeville accompaniment.

"For God's sake," he said, "why do we stop around this sink? You! Why
do you? The long trail? And at the end of it you got to come back to
this--every trip. I hate the place, I loathe it like a hobo hates
water. But I'm bound to it. It's up to me to help mend the poor darn
fools who haven't sense but to squander the good life Providence handed
them. But you--you with your great pile, Pap, here, would love to dip
his claws into, there's no call for you acting like some gold-crazed
lunatic. Get out, man. Get right out and breathe the wholesome air
Providence meant for you. Oh, I guess you'll say it's all on the long
trail in the northland. There isn't a thing to keep you here."

"Isn't there?"

Kars leaned back in his chair. He stretched his great arms above his
head, and clasped his hands behind his muscular neck.

"There's so much to keep me here that life's not long enough to see it
through. Time was, Bill, when I guessed it was the north that had got
into my bones. But I didn't know. The long trail. The search. It
was gold--gold--gold. Same as it is with any of the other fools that
get around here. But I didn't just understand. That gold. No. I've
been searching, and the search for new ground has been one long dream
of life. But the gold I've been chasing wasn't the gold I thought it.
It wasn't the yellow stuff these folks here are ready to sell their
souls--and bodies--for. It was different. You guessed I had all the
gold I needed. But I hadn't, not of the gold I've been chasing. I
hadn't any of it. I--didn't even know its color when I saw it. I do
now. And it's the color I've seen looking out of a pair of
wonderful--wonderful gray eyes. Say, I don't quit the northland till I
can take it all with me. All there is of that gold I've found on the
long trail."

"Jessie?"

"Sure."

"Then why not take her?"

The vaudeville turn was in full swing and the folks below were standing
around talking and drinking, and gazing with only partial interest at
the feats of a woman acrobatic dancer. Bill was looking at her, too.
But his thoughts were on the girl at Fort Mowbray and this man who was
his friend.

"Why not take her?" he urged. "Take her away from this storm-haunted
land, and set her on the golden throne you