This, at last, was the man whose name had gone before him up and down the old trails; the man whose cool and calculating courage, whose fearlessness of death and quickness with the gun had written pages in Alaskan history which would never be forgotten.

Where his first impulse had been to laugh, he now felt the grim thrill and admiration of men of other days, who, when in Stampede's presence, knew they were in the presence of a master.

The old Stampede had come to life again.

And Alan knew why.

The grip of his hand tightened, and Stampede returned it.
"Some day, if we're lucky, there always comes a woman to make the world worth living in, Stampede," he said.
"There does," replied Stampede.
He looked steadily at Alan.
"And I take it you love Mary Standish," he added, "and that you'd fight for her if you had to." "I would," said Alan.
"Then it's time you were traveling," advised Stampede significantly.
"I've been twelve hours on the trail without a rest.