Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading TeamTHE IRON TRAILBy REX BEACHAuthor of THE AUCTION BLOCK RAINBOWS END THE SPOILERS EtcCONTENTSCHAPTER    I IN WHICH THE TIDE TAKES A HAND   II HOW A GIRL APPEARED OUT OF THE NIGHT  III THE IRISH PRINCE   IV HOW A JOURNEY ENDED AT HOPE    V WHEREIN WE SEE CURTIS GORDON AND OTHERS   VI THE DREAMER  VII THE DREAM VIII IN WHICH WE COME TO OMAR   IX WHEREIN GORDON SHOWS HIS TEETH    X IN WHICH THE DOCTOR SHOWS HIS WIT   XI THE TWO SIDES OF ELIZA VIOLET APPLETON  XII HOW GORDON FAILED IN HIS CUNNING XIII WE JOURNEY TO A PLACE OF MANY WONDERS  XIV HOW THE TRUTH CAME TO ELIZA   XV THE BATTLE OF GORDONS CROSSING  XVI THE FRUIT OF THE TEMPEST XVII HOW THE PRINCE BECAME A MANXVIII HOW THE MAN BECAME A PRINCE AGAIN  XIX MISS APPLETON MAKES A SACRIFICE   XX HOW GORDON CHANGED HIS ATTACK  XXI DAN APPLETON SLIPS THE LEASH XXII HOW THE HAZARD WAS PLAYEDXXIII A NEW CRISIS XXIV GORDONS FALL  XXV PREPARATIONS XXVI THE RACEXXVII HOW A DREAM CAME TRUEIIN WHICH THE TIDE TAKES A HANDThe ship stole through the darkness with extremest cautionfeeling her way past bay and promontory Around her was none ofthat phosphorescent glow which lies above the open ocean even onthe darkest night for the mountains ran down to the channel oneither side In places they overhung and where they lay upturnedagainst the dim sky it could be seen that they were mantled withheavy timber All day long the NEBRASKA had made her way throughan endless succession of straits and sounds now squeezingthrough an inlet so narrow that the somber spruce trees seemed tobe within a short stonesthrow again plowing across some openreach where the pulse of the north Pacific could be felt Outthrough the openings to seaward stretched the restless ocean onacross uncounted leagues to Saghalien and the rim of RussiasprisonyardAlways near at hand was the deep green of the Canadian forestsdenser darker than a tropic jungle for this was the land ofplenty waters The hillsides were carpeted kneedeep with mosswet to saturation Out of every gulch came a brawling streamwhipped to milkwhite frenzy snow lay heavy upon the higherlevels while now and then from farther inland peered a glacierlike some dead monster crushed between the granite peaks Therewere villages too and fishingstations and mines and quarriesThese burst suddenly upon the view then slipped past withdreamlike swiftness Other ships swung into sight rushed by andwere swallowed up in the labyrinthine maze asternThose passengers of the Nebraska who had never before traversedthe Inside Passage were loud in the praises of itspicturesqueness while those to whom the route was familiarseemed to find an everfresh fascination in its shifting scenesAmong the latter was Murray ONeil The whole north coast fromFlattery to St Elias was as well mapped in his mind as the faceof an old friend yet he was forever discovering new vistassurprising panoramas amazing variations of color and topographyThe mysterious rifts and passageways that opened and closed as ifto lure the ship astray the trackless confusion of islets thesiren song of the waterfalls the silent hills and glaciers andsnowsoaked forestsall appealed to him strongly for he was atheart a dreamerYet he did not forget that scenery such as this lovely as it isby day may be dangerous at night for he knew the weakness ofsteel hulls On some sides his experience and business traininghad made him sternly practical and prosaic Ships aroused nomanner of enthusiasm in him except as means to an end Railroadshad no glamour of romance in his eyes for having built a numberof them he had outlived all poetic notions regarding the ironhorse and once the rails were laid he was apt to lose interestin them Nevertheless he was almost poetic in his own quiet wayinterweaving practical thoughts with fanciful visions and heloved his dreams He was dreaming now as he leaned upon thebridge rail of the Nebraska peering into the gloom with watchfuleyes From somewhere to port came the occasional commands of theofficer on watch echoed instantly from the inky interior of thewheelhouse Up overside rose the whisper of rushing waters fromunderfoot came the rhythmic beat of the engines far below ONeilshook off his mood and began to wonder idly how long it would bebefore Captain Johnny would be ready for his nightcapHe always traveled with Johnny Brennan when he could manage itfor the two men were boon companions ONeil was wont to live inJohnnys cabin or on the bridge and their nightly libation tofriendship had come to be a matter of some ceremonyThe ships master soon appeared from the shadowsa short trimman with gray hairCome he cried its waiting for usONeil followed into Brennans luxurious welllit quarterswhere on a mahogany sideboard was a tray holding decantersiphon and glasses together with a bottle of ginger ale Thecaptain after he had mixed a beverage for his passenger openedthe bottle for himself They raised their glasses silentlyNow that youre past the worst of it remarked ONeil Isuppose youll turn in Youre getting old for a hard run likethis JohnnyCaptain Brennan snorted Old Im a better man than you yetIm a teetotaler thats why I discovered long ago that saltwater and whiskey dont mixONeil stretched himself out in one of Brennans easychairsReally he said I dont understand why a ship carries acaptain Now of what earthly use to the line are you forinstance except for your beauty which no doubt has its valuewith the women Ill admit you preside with some grace at thebest table in the diningsalon but your officers know thesechannels as well as you do They could make the run from Seattleto Juneau with their eyes shutIndeed they could not and neither could IOh well of course I have no respect for you as a man havingseen you without