On the bed, the girl’s eyes closed, and two big tears rolled down her cheeks. Other tears followed until two damp places appeared upon the pillow. Well--it would soon be over. She had been a fool to leave the Koyukuk. Bitterly, the panorama of events of the past few weeks floated through her brain. The high hope with which she had set out from the little cabin on Myrtle. The hardships of the long snow-trail. Her joy and wonder in the splendors of Nome. Her meeting with The Stranger, and their two weeks together, during which life had seemed to take on new meaning for her. Then--the strange premonition of evil that came over her as she witnessed his meeting with Dalzene. The arrest of the father on a trumped-up charge. Her violent illness, by means of which the plotters had eliminated her from all chances of winning the race. And, last of all--the realization that there would be no money left when the bills were paid. She vaguely wondered if there would be enough to pay the bills. A thunderous roar of voices filled the air. Louder, and louder swelled the sound, until it seemed as though everybody in the world was trying to out-yell his neighbor. With tight-pressed lips the girl waited. What difference did it make who won? Nevertheless she found herself waiting for the words of the nurse. A young doctor charged into the room. “The Gordon dogs win!” he cried, “Eighty-three hours and three minutes! They all got lost in the blizzard----” Lou Gordon found herself sitting bolt upright in bed. What was he saying? He is crazy! Wide eyed she stared at the white coated figure that was hurrying toward her. “Lie down! Please lie down!” His hands were upon her shoulders trying to force her gently back upon the pillow. But she resisted his efforts. “What--what did you say?” she demanded, her fists clenching and unclenching. “Oh, come now. If I had thought you would get so excited about it, I wouldn’t have told the news. But you were the only patient in the convalescent ward, and----” “Tell me!” the girl’s voice was almost a shriek, “Tell me who won!” “The Gordon dogs won,” soothed the man, “They’re a team nobody thought had a chance. Why, the odds were ten-to-one against ’em.” The girl’s eyes slowly closed, and she allowed herself to be lowered to the pillow, where for some moments she lay with her head in a whirl while the voices of the doctor and the nurse sounded very far away. Suddenly, she again tried to raise herself, but the nurse held her back. “Who drove them?” she asked. “Tell me! Who drove my dogs?” “Your dogs?” cried the young doctor, “What do you mean?” “They’re my dogs, I tell you! I’m Lou Gordon! They’re my dogs! Who drove them?” “Oh, my God!” exclaimed the young doctor, “I didn’t know! Doctor Steele will murder me if he finds out I caused all this excitement. Oh, say, calm yourself, Miss Gordon! Honestly I didn’t know?” The man’s perturbation was so evident, that Lou Gordon despite her impatience, found herself smiling.