Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-14

that pack. Get me
Smoke nodded, and with infinite care
unbuckled his pack straps. With a
wrlggle of the shoulders he dislodged
the pack, and Carson saw 1t slide over
the bulge and out Of sight,
Now, I'm going to ditch mine." he
called down. You Just take 1t easy
and wait"
Five minutes later the upward strug'
gle began. Smoke, after drying his
hands on the insides of his arm sleeves,
clawed into the climb-beIlied and
clung and stuck and plastered-sus.
talned and helped by the pull of the
rope. Alone, he could not have ad.
vanced.
A third of the way up, where the
pitch was sleeper and the ice less
eroded, he felt the strain on the rope
decreasing. BE moved slower and
slower. Here was no place to stop and
remain. His most desperate effort
could not prevent the stop, and he
could feel the down slip beginning.
I'm going" he called up,
$50 am l." was the reply, grit' 4
through Carson's teeth.
"Then cast loose"
Smoke felt the ro muten in a fu.
tile effort; then the pace quickened, and
as he went past his previous lOdgment
and over the bulge the last glimpse he
caught Of Carson he was turned over,
with madly moving hands and feet
striving to overcome the downward
draw.
To Smokes surprise, as he went over
the bulge, there was no sheer fall. The
rope restrained him as he slid down a
sleeper pitch. which quickly eased un.
til he came to halt in another niche
on the verge Of another bulge. Carson
was now out OF sight, ensconced in the
place previously occupied by Smoke,
Gee" he could hear Carson shIver,
"Geep
An Interval Of quiet followed, and
then Smoke could feel the rope agi.
tated.
"What are you dolng7" he called up,
making more hand and foot holds"
came the trembling answer, "You Just
wait I'll have you up here in a jlffy.
Don't mind the way talk I'm Just
excited"
YOU'RE holding me by main
strength" Smoke argued. "Soon or
late, with the ice melting. you'n slip
down Ofter me. The thing for you to
do Is to cut loose, Hear mel There's
40 use both Of us going, Get thatH
You're the biggest little man In crea.
ton, but you've done your best You
cut loosel"
You shut upl I'm going to make
holes this time deep enough to haul up
a span Of horses"
Several silent minutes passed. Smoke
could hear the metallic strike and hack
OF the knife, and occasionally drlblets
or Ice slid over the bulge and came
down to him. Thirsty, clinging on
hand and foot, he caught the frag.
ments In his mouth and melted them
TO water, which he swallowed.
he heard gusp that slid into a
groan of despair and felt slackenIpg
or the rope that made him claw. I'm.
mediately the rope tIghtened again.
Strainlng his eyes In an upward look
along the steep slope, he stared A mo.
ment then saw the knife, point FIRST
slide over the verge OF the bulge and
down upon him. He tucked his cheek
to It, shrank from the pang Of on,
iiesh' tucked more tightly and felt the
knife come to rest
I'm a slobl" came the wan down
the crevasse.
"Cheer up, I've got itr Smoke an
swered.
"stayI Waitl I've got lot of
string in my pocket III drop II dow,
TO you, and you send the knife up"
smoke made no reply. He was bat
Ting with a sudden rush Of thought
Hey, youl Here comes the string
Tel me when you've got It."
a small pocketkuife weighted n,
the string slid down the ice. Smok,
got Il, opened the larger blade by ,
quick effort OF his teeth and one hrpr
ana made sure that the blade wa,
sharp, Then he tied the sheath knlf,
to the end OF the string.
Haul awayw he called.
with struined eyes be saw the nm
ward progress Of the knife pp, h,
saw more-a little man. afraid ana In
domltaole, who shlvered and Chartered
whose head swan with glddlness nm,
VINO mastered his Qualms and distn,ss
es and played n hero's part uere wa,
proper meat eater eager with Glcnd
hness, generous to destruction. with
grit that shaking tenr could not sbotc
Ihen' too he considered the s,un
ton cold bloodedly. There was y
chance for two Steadily they wer
sliding into the heart OF the snc,e,
ana it was his greater weight ,ho
was dragging the little man down
The little man could stick Ike a Az
Alone, he could save himself
Bully for usl came the voice tror
above, down aud across the bridge a
Ice Now wO'll set out OF here IN ,,,,
shakes VI y"
The awful struggle for good ehee
and hope In Carsona voice de,,sc
Smoke '1'
Listen to me" he said s,eam,,
vainly striving 10 shake tho vis,o,, 1
4 II al q.