43

_The scene on shore was a repetition of
that on the neighboring beach at
Skagway_ 51

_A Messenger of cheer_ 80

_Panning out_ 105

_Upon his mother's back, beneath her
parkie_ 115

_The little one clinging tightly to her hand
she approached the door_ 121

_The pretty woman was a full-blooded
Eskimo_ _to face page_ 138

_Poling up the river_ 171

_When Old Tillie was Young_ 181

_She scanned the horizon_ _to face page_ 216

_"Holy Mother Mary! I believe it's gold"_ 223

_Father Peter_ 229

_The Lord of the Northland_ 258

_The cover design is a picture of Cape Nome, Alaska._

The Trail of a Sourdough

CHAPTER I

THE MINER'S REASONS

A furious blizzard was raging. Six or eight miners of various ages were
huddled around the stove in a little road-house where they were likely
to remain storm-bound for several days.

"Chuck some more wood into that bloomin' fire and fill up my pipe if you
fellers want a yarn from me," said one, when they had besieged him for a
story with which to pass the time.

"You wanted to know yesterday when I staked that claim for the woman,
who and where she is, also my reasons for stakin' it; and I promised to
tell you when I got the chance. One or two of you grumbled considerable
at my stakin' for a person away in the States, and maybe when I have
finished my story you won't feel any different; but I can't help it, and
it is none of your ---- business. The deed is done, and well done, and
Rosa Nell (that ain't her name, as you can see by the initial stake if
you want to dig it out from under the snow) is the half owner today of
one of the handsomest quartz ledges on the whole Seward Peninsula. Walls
of grey slate and trachyte, and the yellow stuff is good and plenty.
Zounds, boys! I wish I had a bumper," and the speaker threw his furry
cap to the ceiling.

"Never mind t