A disgraced doctor seeks a new life but is drawn into a dangerous operation and a violent romantic rivalry in Alaska.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Doctor Under Suspicion
Robert faces a murder charge after a patient dies following his experimental operation. Donald offers him a chance to leave the past behind through a trans-Pacific flight.
Key Events
Experimental Operation Fails — A patient dies after Robert performs an experimental brain-tumor operation. Characters: Robert CromwellLocation: Medical setting
Murder Charge — Robert is charged with murder because of the patient's death. Characters: Robert CromwellLocation: Legal setting
Need For A New Life — The murder charge leaves Robert seeking a way to begin again. Characters: Robert CromwellLocation: Unspecified
Donald Proposes Escape — Donald persuades Robert to join a trans-Pacific trip and start a new life. Characters: Donald Evans, Robert CromwellLocation: Unspecified
Pacific Flight Planned — The two men plan a route across the Bering Strait. Characters: Donald Evans, Robert CromwellLocation: Aircraft
The Flight Into Alaska
Robert and Donald plan a route across the Bering Strait. Rough weather blows them off course and delivers them unexpectedly to Alaska.
Key Events
Weather Turns Dangerous — Rough weather disrupts the planned flight path. Characters: Donald Evans, Robert CromwellLocation: Air route
Blown Off Course — The weather blows the aircraft away from its intended course. Characters: Donald Evans, Robert CromwellLocation: Bering Strait air route
Unexpected Alaska Landing — The flight ends with Robert and Donald in Alaska. Characters: Donald Evans, Robert CromwellLocation: Alaska
A New Medical Crisis — Mark asks Robert to treat his son, who has a similar brain tumor. Characters: Mark Armstrong, Robert CromwellLocation: Alaska
A Desperate Medical Plea
Mark begs Robert to operate on his son, but Robert initially refuses because of his previous failure. Mark responds with an accusation involving Robert's feelings for Klondike.
Key Events
A New Medical Crisis — Mark asks Robert to treat his son, who has a similar brain tumor. Characters: Mark Armstrong, Robert CromwellLocation: Alaska
Robert Refuses Treatment — Robert refuses to attempt another operation after his previous failure. Characters: Mark Armstrong, Robert CromwellLocation: Alaska
Mark Makes An Accusation — Mark accuses Robert of wanting his son to die because Robert loves Klondike. Characters: Mark Armstrong, Robert Cromwell, KlondikeLocation: Alaska
Klondike Demands Action — Klondike insists that Robert perform the dangerous operation. Characters: Klondike, Robert Cromwell, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska
Robert Changes His Mind — Robert acquiesces after Klondike's insistence. Characters: Robert Cromwell, Klondike, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska
Surgery Without A Hospital
Klondike insists that Robert act, and he agrees despite the lack of hospital facilities. He believes further delay will make the operation even less likely to succeed.
Key Events
Robert Changes His Mind — Robert acquiesces after Klondike's insistence. Characters: Robert Cromwell, Klondike, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska
No Hospital Facilities — Robert must operate without the facilities available in a hospital. Characters: Robert Cromwell, Klondike, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska treatment site
Delay Increases The Risk — Robert believes delaying the operation will further reduce its chances of success. Characters: Robert CromwellLocation: Alaska treatment site
Risky Operation Begins — Robert attempts the brain-tumor operation under primitive conditions. Characters: Robert Cromwell, Klondike, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska treatment site
Partial Surgical Success — The operation appears to be only a partial success. Characters: Robert Cromwell, Klondike, Mark ArmstrongLocation: Alaska treatment site
Jealousy Turns Electric
The operation appears to achieve only partial success. When Robert plans to take Klondike back to the States, the jealous patient uses electricity in an attempt to kill him.
Key Events
Return To The States Threatens — Robert's intention to take Klondike back to the States creates a new threat. Characters: Robert Cromwell, KlondikeLocation: Alaska
Jealous Retaliation — The jealous patient attempts to prevent Robert from taking Klondike away. Characters: Robert Cromwell, KlondikeLocation: Alaska
Electrocution Attempt — The patient uses his genius with electricity in an attempt to electrocute Robert. Characters: Robert Cromwell, KlondikeLocation: Alaska
Story Breakdown
Medical Failure — Robert's previous experimental operation creates the guilt and legal danger that shape his choices.
Patient Dies — A patient dies after Robert's experimental brain-tumor operation.
Murder Charge — Robert is charged with murder following the patient's death.
Escape Proposal — Donald offers Robert a path toward a new life through aviation and travel.
Pilot Friend — Donald is established as Robert's pilot friend.
New Life Plan — Donald convinces Robert to join a trans-Pacific trip.
Stormbound Journey — The planned flight is disrupted by rough weather and redirected toward Alaska.
Bering Strait Route — Robert and Donald plot a course across the Bering Strait.
Alaska Arrival — Rough weather blows the aircraft off course into Alaska.
Desperate Plea — Mark seeks Robert's help for his son while Robert struggles with fear of another failure.
Father Begs — Mark begs Robert to attempt the brain-tumor operation.
Doctor Refuses — Robert initially refuses to operate.
Romantic Suspicion — Robert's feelings for Klondike transform the medical dispute into a personal confrontation.
Mark Accuses — Mark claims Robert wants his son to die because Robert loves Klondike.
Klondike Insists — Klondike pressures Robert to perform the operation.
Primitive Operation — Robert accepts the medical challenge despite inadequate facilities and the danger of delay.
No Hospital — The operation must be performed without hospital facilities.
Partial Success — The operation appears to succeed only partially.
Electric Jealousy — The patient's jealousy escalates after Robert intends to take Klondike back to the States.
Return Threat — Robert's plan to take Klondike away creates a direct romantic threat.
Electrocution Attempt — The jealous patient uses his electrical genius in an attempt to kill Robert.
Dr. Robert Cromwell performs a delicate operation, that has never been done before, and the patient dies. Charged with malpractice and manslaughter, his trial is national news but the jury acquits him. But the court of public opinion is still against him, and the medical board is meeting to decide whether or not to take his medical license away from him. Before they do, Cromwell, an amateur pilot, decides to join his friend, WWI Ace Donald Evans, on a flight to Alaska looking for a shorter route to Japan by following the Aleutian Islands. They crash in Alaska and Evans is killed, but Cromwell is rescued by a fur trapper named Tom Ross. He takes Cromwell to Armstrong's Trading Post, where is is nursed back to health by Klondike, a girl who works for Armstrong, and was engaged to marry Armstrong's son Jim. The latter is suffering from the same disease that Cromwell's last patient had...
