“Is that the only reason why you came along—­just to make sure that I saw all this?”

“No.  I want to look at the Heidlemann breakwater.  My fortune hangs upon it.”

“It’s as serious as that?”

O’Neil shrugged.  “I’m waiting for the wind.  My coal is in the hands of the bureaucracy at Washington, my railroad is in the hands of the wind god.  Incidentally, I’d much rather trust the god than the Government.”

Natalie, who had listened so far without the least sign of interest, now spoke up.

“If the storm doesn’t come to your help, will you be ruined?” she asked.

Murray smiled cheerfully.  “No man is ruined as long as he keeps his dreams.  Money isn’t much, after all, and failure is merely a schooling.  But—­I won’t fail.  Autumn is here:  the tempest is my friend; and he won’t be long in coming now.  He’ll arrive with the equinox, and when he does he’ll hold my fortune in his hand.”

“Why, the equinoctial storm is due,” said Eliza.

“Exactly!  That’s why I’m going to meet it and to bid it welcome.”

The village of Kyak lay near the mouth of the most easterly outlet of the Salmon, and it was similar in most respects to Hope and to Omar, save that it looked out across a shallow, unprotected bay to the open reaches of the north Pacific.  The shores were low; a pair of rocky islets afforded the only shelter to its shipping, and it was from these as a starting-point that the Copper Trust had built its break-water.  A trestle across the tide-flats connected the work with the mainland, and along this rock-trains crawled, adding their burdens to the strength of the barrier.  Protected by this arm of steel and stone and timber lay the terminal buildings of the Alaska Northern, as the Heidlemann line was called, and there also lay the terminus of the old McDermott enterprise into which Curtis Gordon had infused new life.  Both places showed plenty of activity when O’Neil and his two companions arrived, late one afternoon.

Kyak, they found, was inferior to Omar in its public accommodations, and Murray was at a loss to find shelter for the girls until his arrival was made known to the agents of the Alaska Northern.  Then Mr. Trevor, the engineer in charge, looked him up and insisted upon sharing his quarters with the visitors.  In Trevor’s bearing was no suggestion of an enmity like Gordon’s.  He welcomed his rival warmly—­and indeed the Trust had never been small in its opposition.  O’Neil accepted the invitation gratefully.

After dinner he took Natalie with him to see the sights, while Eliza profited by the opportunity to interview Trevor.  In her numerous tilts with O’Neil she had not been over-successful from the point of view of her magazine articles, but here at her hand was the representative of the power best known and best hated for its activities in the north-land, and he seemed perfectly willing to talk.  Surely from him she would get information that would count.