The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-10-01
T II e
M A p M A N
sy Harold Garter.


utes we shall be sitting wrapped In
blankets before \ blazing fre."
The two men stopped for moment.
painting. watching the woman behind
them toiling up the slippery slope.
All three were roped together, and
the woman the last.
Come. let US proceed" the speak
or continued Take care. 1t Is very
dangerous here. Look down. One
false step would precipitate one down
this icy slope to the verge of the preci-
pics-and then sheer for 5000 feet into
the valley below"
Take care Miss Summers does not
hear you. Frank" said the second man.
frowning. Your imaginations are
grswsome. Besides, you are forget
ting the rope"
"Ah, yes, the rope. had forgot
ten. Besides, my dear Claude, grew
some imaginations are all that are left
to rejected suitor."
They advanced slowly. digging their
iron-pronged sticks into the slippery
ice. Presently the first man stopped
again and seated himself. The rope
grew BLACK.
Come, pull us in Claude shouted.
Il can't move an inch with Miss Sum
mers behind me-"
His companion laughed and drew a
knife from his coat. With furious
gesture he cut the rope.
Curse you" he shouted, furiously.
Now pull and see If you can reach the
top"
A scream broke from the woman's
lips. Claude did not answer, but
pulled with all his strength till TIN
veins stood out upon his forehead like
cords. He gained a yard. two yards;
then slipped and went slipping down
the precipice. The woman had dis
appeared from view. yet the rope was
taut; SO long as he remained even
on the very edge of that precipitous
slide 1t would hold her securely.
With bleeding nails he clawed- at the
ice, and at last dug himself q pre-
carious hold and lay prone upon his
face with arms extended.
Frank, for Gods sake-for Isabel's
sake! Pull her In at least, and fling
me over"
NO, no. my dear boy cried the
mailman, mocklngly. You are making
too fine fight; shall sit here and
drink to you" He vanished into the
hut and presently emerged with bot
tie Of brandy, from which he began
gulping great mouthfuls. You FOOLS"
he continued. Did you think that
would yield her to you SO peaceably?
She was mine, tell you. mine. before
you stole her. curse you'll"
Hhe brandished the knife wildly.
The setting sun lit up his distorted
features.
"Oh. don't be afraid" he Knocked. 81
am not going to kill you. Claude. ]
would like to save you 1t is always
the woman who is to blame. Here,
take the knife" he shouted, flinging
it at his companions feet Without her
weight you can easily make the
ascent. Cut the rope like brave
man. and come up and drink confu-
sion to women"
The sun went down; darkness
rushed over the mountains. The moon
flooded them in her silver light.
and 1t grew bright as day once more
The cold was intense.
Minutes rolled into hours The
taunts of the mailman died away into
drunken babblings, and finally he re-
manned silent. Meanwhile. inch by
inch they lost their foothold; and
Claude slid from one desperate grip
to another. Sometimes they called,
one to another.
Cut the rope, DEAR she said at
last. 1T is your only chance; sou
must not sacrifice your life for mine"
They said good-by many a time and
always new hope animated the man
as he struggled and fought against
the inevitable.
AT last, with sudden WEAKNESS, he
yielded The dark edge of the preci-
pice appeared; his body hung half
overland then his hands closed over
rock from which the woman, in her
fall. had dislodged the snow With a
last effort he looped the rope over it.
1t bore them.
That last fight was only a night
mare to them both afterward. Inch
by inch, with infinite care he drew
the rope through his bleeding hands.
making loop after loop around the
rock. until. with one last effort he
pulled her TO the surface. and they
lay side by side in safety The val
leys still lay wrapped in darkness, but
the tops of the mountains were red
with the rising sun. Presently its glow
ing orb rose slowly into the sky. It
shone on the dead man. frozen fast to
the ice in his drunken slumber; but
they looked into each others eyes In
ecstasy of life and love-