Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-04

sWaitI For Gods sake, wait!"
cut with the knife until one Of the
three strands popped and parted
what are you doingT Carson cried
desperately. If you cut I'll never
forgive you-never. tell you It's two
or nothing. We're going to get out
Waitl For Gods saker'
And Smoke, staring at the parted
strand. FIVE inches before bis eyes,
knew fear in all its weakness. he
did not want to die. He recoiled from
the shimmering abyss beneath him,
and his panic brain urged all the pre-
posterous optimism Of delay. It was
fear that prompted him to compro-
mise.
"All right" he called up. "I'll wait
Do your best But tell you, Carson.
II we both start slipping again I'm go
ing to cut"
"Huh! Forget It. When we start,
old horse, We start up. I'm a porous
plaster. could stick here If 1t was
twice as steep. I'm getting a sizable
hole for one heel already. Now. you
hush. and let me work"
A gasp and a groan and an abrupt
slackening Of the rope warned him.
he began to slip. The movement was
very slow. The rope frightened loyal
", but he continued to slip. Carson
could not hold him and was slipping
with him. The digging toe OF bis far
ther extended foot encountered vacan-
cy, and be knew that 1t was over the
straightaway fall And he knew, too,
that In another moment bis falling
body would jerk Carson's after It
Blindly, desperately, all the vitality
and Life love Of him beaten down In q
flashing instant by a shuddering per-
csption Of right and wrong, be brought
the knife edge across the rope, saw the
strands part, felt himself slide more
rapidly and then fall.
What happened then he did not
know. He was not unconscious. but II
happened too quickly, and 1t was unex-
pected. Instead Of falling to his death
his feet almost Immediately struck In
water, and he sat violently down In
water that splashed coolingly on bis
face.
His first impression was that the
crevasse was shallower than he had
imagined and that he had safely fetch
ed bottom. But of this he was quick.
ly dIsabused The opposite wall was
dozen feet away. He lay in basin
formed in an outjut Of the Ice wall by
melting water that dribbled and trick
led over the bulge above and fell
sheer down a distance Of dozen feet
This had followed out the basin.
Where he sat the water was two feet
deep, and 1t was flush with the rim
he peered over the rim and looked
down the narrow chasm hundreds OF
feet to the torrent that foamed along
the bottom.
"oh. why did your he heard wall
from above.
"Listenl" he called up. I'm perfect
" safe, sitting In pool Of water up
to my neck And here's both our
packs I'm going to sit on them
There's room for half dozen here
II you slip stick close and you'll land
In the meantime you hike up and get
out 60 to the cabin. Somebody's
there. l saw the smoke. Get a rope
or anything that will make rope. and
come back and fish for me-"
"Honest% came Cars0n's incredu-
lous voice.
"Cross my heart and hope to die
Now, get a hustle on or III catch my
death Of cold"
Smoke kept himself warm BY kick
ing a channel through the rim with
the heel of his shoe. By the time ne
had drained of the last Of the water q
call from Carson announced that ne
had reached the top.
After that Smoke occupied himself
with drying his clothes. The late art
ernoop sun beat warmly In upon him,
and he wrung out his garments ano
spread them about him.
Two hours later. perched naked on
the two packs, he heard voice above
that he could not fail to identity.
"Oh, SmokeI Smoker
"Hello. Joy Gastelll" he called back
"Whered you drop fromT
"Are you hurtT'
"Not even any skin on."
"Fathers paying the rope down now.
Do you see I'll"
ayes, and I've got It." he answered.
"Now, wait a couple Of minutes
please"
"What's the matterT' came her anx'
lous query after several minutes "oh'
I know you're hurt"
mo, I'm not I'm dressing"
"DressingT
ayes I've been in swimming. Now!
Readyi Hoist awayr
al sent up the two packs on the nrst
Trip. was subsequently rebuked By Joy
Gastell and on the second trip came
up himself
Joy Gastell looked at him with glow
fne eyes while her father and Carson
were busy cofling the rope. "How
could you cut loose in that splendid
wayr" she cried. ut was-it was glo-
rious. that's all"
Smoke waved the compliment away
With a deprecatory hand
II know al about II" she persisted