The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-07

TO work their way forward al0nl
1t, among the rocks and bushes.
After an hours climbing tn,
half-breed's voice sang out
shrill and sudden. The end o.
the watershed was cut !. down
sliced off. A river bottom wa.
all that lay between them and tn,
canyon wall; but the descent into
1t was neither a precipice, ovel
which a man might be lowered
nor a possible hillside offering 9
trail, but face of rock slanted al
As degrees, where a man must use
his feet, yet could not keep his
footing without a rope. Getting
out of the saddle, Carron walked
forward and looked up and down
the course of the stream.
1t meant leaving the half-breed
and the horses on the head of the
cliff and voyaging across the
stream and up to the window OF
the Sphinx alone. The long rope
was fastened about his body; Els.
meralda Charley made half
hitch around a stout little pine
tree; and Carrcp, beginning the
descent, with the first step
loosed a shower of little stones.
Now he slid, and the rope
sprang taut on his body; now on
hands and knees he crept, slowly
working his way down, back
ward. Half way down his foot
found what seemed not a projec-
ton but a crevice, large enough
to get his toes into. He tested
1t, felt inclined to trust 1t, and,
without lifting his head, shouted
for more rope. Nothing respond
ed. He looked up, and for the
instant rested full weight on the
rope. AT that instant Esmeralda
Charley threw the slack. Carton
felt himself topple back. He felt
a blow on the side of the head,
and began to drop away into a
cold ringing darkness. At inter-
avis he heard Esmeralda Char
ley's voice. calling family from a
great distance. He became aware
of intense pain in his head, in
creasing with the increasing re-
turn Of light, and the half-breed' 1
voice seemed to be getting louder
again. He must be drawing
nearer. Carron languidly opened
his eyes.
Are you all right? Are you
all right?" the repeated cry grew
clearer to his returning con.
seriousness. He looked up an6
saw the dark face of Esmeralds
Charley peering over the edge Of
the declivity. Half stunned yet
Carron found his voice.
Yes, I'm all right. Don't pull
me up he called, feeling the
lariat strain around him. 'I'n
going on. Pay out nowsgwhe en-
tell YOU" Ea
Stretching his legs he sid In .
shower of fragments, and stoot
upright upon the level at last
He looked up and down. As fal
as could be seen the dark graz
streak in which the shrunker
river made its bed was constant
From above, the place where hi
stood had seemed narrow enough
but now he saw it was wide In
deed. He could hardly throw 8
stone across 1t, and as far as the
dampness of the water spread
the sand had tremulous, liquit
culver.
Carron did not like the look o.
1t. Nasty going" he though
1t. These little half-dry creel
beds were sometimes hard to pull
your legs through. The best wa,
to take them was with a rush
He loosened the rope from hi,
body, let 1t swing back behint
him, kicked off his shoes. fast
ened them around his neck, ant
leaned back against the cliff tt
what start was possible.
| The impetus of his rush car
ried him a little way out; thel
he was in over his knees, still
igoing forward. He was to tn,
thighs before he knew 1t. TIL,
sensation was not of sinking, bu
of being drawn down. He heavet
against the weight that thrus
upon him from every side, ant
advanced not an inch.
He heard the sing of the laria,
passing close to his cheek as the
half-breed threw 1t. 1t fell toe
far out to be grasped. 1t was
whirled again, fell, and he
reached it. 1t took some sharI
tugging on the half-breed's part
using himself and the tree as a
windlass, and some hard work on
Carron's before he was dragged
by degrees, and with a sucking
sound, out of the mouth of the
quicksand.
Wet to the armpits, trembling
with the exertion he had made,
perspiration upon his forehead
he reached the little projecting
ledge of rock. He had had worse
moments of danger. There was
no danger worth thinking about
with the half-breed there to
throw rope. The fear of q man
newly escaped death was not his,
but the disgust and the anger OF
a man who has not succeeded.
To have failed by so narrow a
margin. He put up his handker-
chief, hopping the blood that was
running down his neck and
looked up at his enemy the
Sphinx. He waited a little long