The Ordway new era., 1908-10-16
T H e
M A p M A N
BY Harold carter.

visions for climbers. In Few MN
utes we shall be sitting wrapped In
blankets before blazing fire"
The two men stopped for n moment.
/ painting, watching the woman behind
them toiling up the slippery slope.
All three were roped together. ana
the woman the last,
Come. let us proceed" the speak
er continued. Take care. II is very
dangerous here. Look down. one
false step would precipitate one down
this icy slope to the verge OF the preci-
pice-and then sheer for 5000 feet into
the valley below"
Take care Miss Summers dSs not
hear you. Frank" said the second man.
frownlng. Your imaginations are
grewsome. 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 a 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 slack.
Come. pull us in." Claude shouted.
II cant move an inch with Miss Sum
mers behind me-"
His companion laughed and drew
knife from his coat. With furious
:, sture he cut the rope.
Curse you he shouted. furiously.
- A.. -
top"
\ scream broke from the woman's
lips. Claude did not answer. but
pulled with all his strength Til the
veins stood out upon his forehead like
cords He gained 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 rs 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 a pre-
carious hold and lay prone upon his
face with arms extended.
Frank. for Gods sakc-for Isabel's
sake! Pull her in at least. and fling
me over
NO. no. my dear boy" cried the
mockingly. You are making
too fine fight: | shall sit here and
drink to you" He vanished into the
hut and presently emerged with n bot.
tie of brandy, from which he began
sulping 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."
iihe brandished the knife wildly.
The setting sun lit up his distorted
features.
oh. don't be afraid" he Knocked. T
am not going TO kill you. Claude. !
would like to save you. II Is always
the woman who Is to blame. Here,
take the knife" he shouted. flinging
II at his companions feet. Without her
weight you can easily make the
ascent. Cut the rope like a brave
man. and come up and drink confu.
sion to women"
The sun went down; darkness
rushed over the mountains. The moon
Hooded them in her silver light.
and 1t grew bright as day once more.
The cold was intense.
Minutes rolled into houra Tho
taunts of the madman died away into
drunken babblings. and finally he re.
NAMED silent. Meanwhile, inch by
inch they lost their foothold; and
Claude slid from one desperate grin
to another. Sometimes they called.
one to another.
Cut the rope, dear" she said at
last. 1T is your only chance: Won
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 weariness he
yielded. The dark edge of the preci.
pice appeared; his body hung half
overland then his hands closed over
a rock from which the woman. in her
fall, had dislodged the snow. with a
last effort he looped the rope over n
1t bore them.
That last fight was only a night.
mare TO them both nfterward. Inch
by inch. with Infinite care, he drew
me rope through his bleeding hands
making loop after loop around the
rock, until. with one last effort. he
puiied her to the surface, and thew
.ay side by side in safety. The val.
'eSs sun lay wrapped in darkness, but
ne tops OF the mountains were red
with the rising sun. Presently its glow.
ing orb rose slowly into the sky. II
shone on the dead man, frozen fast to
me Ice In his drunken slumber; but
they looked into each others eyes in
ecstasy Of life and love 'N