This gripping novel of adventure and romance tells the story of a young engineer named Dick Leslie who is assigned to build a road through the rugged country of the American Midwest. Along the way, he faces numerous challenges, from hostile Native American tribes to treacherous weather and rival contractors. But his greatest challenge comes when he falls in love with the beautiful and headstrong daughter of his biggest rival. With its vivid characters, exciting plot, and dramatic setting, this book is a true classic of American literature. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.