Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1910-02-15


are now. aud II you lean out Your
heels may slip. and then-and then
you will go down and drag US With
you. Ii may be DEATH
1T may be life for the ten persons
| the snow carried over. | do not know,
| but there Is the edge of something
dark just over the bulge of rock. and
| thought saw IL stir. You may hold
your knives ready. aud II fan you
can cut the rope quickly and save
yourselves. Now
They pressed the rope sharply against
the rock wall behind and braeed them
selves as firmly as possible TO hold it
from slipping or swaying. Marcia.
without even looking ~ them again.
leaned out. and out and Sat. until only
the rope sustained her weight. her
heels resting against the narrow shelf
keeping her In position. Then. after
what seemed an endless suspense TO
the men at the end OF the rope. her
hand motioned for them to draw her
back to her footing.
"Yes. 1t is the party she said as she
regained her balance, land some of
them are alive. We must go down to
them"
But the rope is not long enough"
both guides protested In a breath. land
we cannot
Yes, think we can" Marcia said.
| "or ut least we can try. There are
several assures large enough for our
heels to grasp. One of us will stay
here. another be let down TO a fissure
| as far as the rope will reach. and so
on. There are three Of you guides and
myself. Four lengths of the rope will
reach down to the party. think. You
have plenty Of strong Irvine. and that
can be used to draw the rope up from
shelf to shelf as the party are rescued. I"
"A girl could never draw heavy
body up this WALL fearfully, "and-
and IL the rope should slip away and
| be lost
I'VE will take that risk And | shall
be strong enough to draw them up.
have done such things before. Now.
Henri" as she worked her way along
1 Tue butil W ulS ciut anu ibOtlOUtu
the other guides to follow, you will
stay here and lower the rest of us to
| the next assure. then fasten the Irvine
| to the rope and let 1t down for Fritz
to lower Gaspard and myself to the
| next assure; then Gaspard will lower
me. and will fasten the rope to some
rock projection. or IL cannot find one
| I will drill hole In the rock and drive
| in a spike
Then | will go down hand over
hand aud see il any Of the party are
able TO help themselves,
IF they are. will climb back to
| my assure and draw them up. or per-
haps some OF them will be able to help
me. If not | will have to go down to
fasten each one separately. then climb
back and draw him up.
"And. now. mind. all of you" her
voice ringing sharp. there must not
be hand to tremble or an eye to
waver On each OF us the lives Of all
| will depend
perhaps one OF us men would bet
ter go down to the lowest assure" hes
itated Henri.
mo; | will go myself. ! can do the
work better. | think. and my muscles
have been trained for and by such
work 1t may be the entire party are
| alive and can save them all"
| They started to follow the plan the
| girl had laid down. Marcia. having
| assumed the leadership. naturally took
| 1t upon herself to be the first one low
| cred.
The rope having been fastened about
| her waist she was lowered to the ifs
sure below. The distance was not
| great, but only steady pair Of eyes.
swinging. as she did. over giddy
height, could have enabled her to
maintain her equanimity.
Having reached the assure. she un-
Fritz was next lowered. then Gaspard.
When the three were ready TO go a
step lower Marcia. still taking the lead,
was lowered to the next fissure. and
Gaspard followed.
1t was now Marcia's part TO do the
rest alone.
But this step was more dangerous
than the others. for there was but
one pair of arms to bear her weight
and the distance was greater thar
either OF the two former descents.
The brave girl made loop at The
eud Of the rope. and, instead OF having
1t placed about her waist, took 1t IL
| -t&a ftrf.f Ar.f n
ever distance the rope would no
reach.
And so. swinging by her two hands
she was lowered TO the ropes full
length.
There still remained six feet betweeI
her and a rocky projection on which
there was n surface as many fee
square. She called 10 Gaspard to moy'
three feet to the left. He did 20, ant
she called again TO him to move TIVE
feet farther In the same direction
Then she told him TO swing her gently
to aud fro from the cliff. When al
rectly over the proper place she lie
go and safely landed on the rock.
Tying the end Of the rope around ;
point Of rock. she completed her jonr
ney.
1t was only after day and nigh
and another day OF such ha-dlhoo'
and daring as was told mt the inns ant
chaIets for many a long year that th
work was finished.
Even the guides. fired by the exam
pie Of Marcia aud perhaps also b
solicifude for the other guides OF thei
party. seemed to he unconscious 0
fear and hunger and WEAKNESS.
When at the eud of the second da
1 49,. 100000 g. $50 .% &h1 50