the large humanity of the man was expressed in that moment in his face; a subdued emotion pervaded his voice.  “We know the men who forged a way through that mighty bulwark of mountains to the interior were brave, resourceful, determined—­they had to be—­but, too, they saw a broad horizon; they had patriotism; if there are any Americans left who have inherited a spark of the old Puritan spirit, they are the ones who have cast their fortunes with Alaska.”

He paused again briefly, and his eyes rested on Foster.  “Do you know?” he resumed, and his glance returned to the prosecuting attorney, “when I came out last season, I saw a ship at the terminus of the new Copper River and Northwestern Railroad discharging Australian coal.  This with the great Bering fields lying at their side door!  The people of Cordova wanted to see that road finished; the life of their young seaport depended on it—­ but—­that night they threw the whole of that cargo of foreign coal into the waters of Prince William Sound.  It is referred to, now, as the ‘Cordova tea-party.’”

In the silence that held the courtroom, Tisdale stood still regarding the lawyer.  His expression was most engaging, a hint of humor lurked at the corners of his mouth, yet it seemed to veil a subtle meaning.  Then the jury began to laugh quietly, with a kind of seriousness, and again the judge straightened, checking a smile.  It was all very disturbing to Mr. Bromley.  He had been assured by one high in the administration that he might rely on Tisdale’s magnetic personality and practical knowledge as well as his technical information in prosecuting the case; but while he hesitated over the question he wished to ask, Tisdale said mellowly, no doubt to bridge the awkward pause:  “The Copper River and Northwestern couldn’t mine their coal, and they couldn’t import any, so they changed their locomotives to oil burners.”

Then Mr. Bromley said abruptly:  “This is all very interesting, Mr. Tisdale, but it is the Chugach Railway and not the Copper River Northwestern, that bears on our case.  You have been over that route, I believe?”

“Yes.”  Tisdale’s voice quickened.  “I used the roadbed going to and from the Matanuska Valley.  Also I went over the proposed route once with Mr. Foster and the civil engineers.”

“Was it, in your opinion, a bona fide railroad, Mr. Tisdale?  Or simply a lure to entice people to make coal locations in order that they might be bought after the patents were issued?”

“It was started in good faith.”  The steel rang, a warning note, in his voice.  “The largest stockholder had spent nearly a hundred thousand dollars in opening his coal claim.  He was in need of immediate transportation.”

“This was after the Chugach Company consolidated with the Prince William syndicate, Mr. Tisdale?”