The purr of the mighty engines was a human intelligence crooning a song of joy.

For him the crowded passenger list held a significance that was almost epic, and its names represented more than mere men and women.

They were the vital fiber of the land he loved, its heart's blood, its very element--"giving in." He knew that with the throb of those engines romance, adventure, tragedy, and hope were on their way north--and with these things also arrogance and greed.
On board were a hundred conflicting elements--some that had fought for Alaska, others that would make her, and others that would destroy.
He puffed at his cigar and walked alone, brushing sleeves with men and women whom he scarcely seemed to notice.

But he was observant.

He knew the tourists almost without looking at them.