The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-06-07

first step loosea a shower Of little
stoned
Now he std. and the rope sVrane
tRut on his body: now on hands
and knees ne cropt. slowly working
his way down. backward. Half way
down bis foot found what seemed
not 8 projection but a crovice. large
enough 10 yet HIS ioea into. lie
tested u, felt Inclined 20 trust II.
and. without lifting hts head. shout.
ed for more rope. Nothing 70
sponded Es looked up. and for the
instant rea,ed full weight on the
rope. Al that instant Esmeralda
Charley threw tho slack. Carron
felt himself topple back. lie felt a
blow on tho side OF the head. and
began 20 drop away into 1 cold.
ringing darkness At intervals he
heard Esmsraldk Charlcy'a voice.
calling fainuy from q great dis
lance. lie became aware 81 Intense
pain 10 HIS head. Increasing with
the Increasing return OF light. and
the haitbrrcd'a voice seemed ~ be
getting louder again lie must be
drawing nearer. Carron lanEuidly
opened his eyes
Arc you all right7 Ara yon all
rlEht7" the repeated cry grew clear.
or 10 his returning consciousness
lie looked up and saw the dark
face of Eameralda Charley peerlng
over tho edge Of tho decllvity. Halt
stunned yet, Carron found bis
voice.
Yes. I'm Sil right Don't pull me
up" he called. feeling the lariat
strain around him. I'm going on.
Pay ont nov when tell you"
Stretching bis legs no slid in a
shower Of fragments. and stood up
right upon The level at last. He
looked up and down. As FAR as
could be seen the dark gray streak
In which tho shruukcn river made
is bed was constant. From above.
tho place where he stood had
seemed narrow enough: but now
he saw - was wide indeed. He
could hardly throw a stone across
Il. and as FAR as the dampness OF
the water spread. the sand had q
tremulous liquid culver.
Carron did not like the look Of u.
Nasty going" be thought u. These
little halfdry creek beds we're
sometimes hard 20 pun your legs
thru. The best way to take them
was with a rush he loosened the
rope from his body. let Il swing
back behind him. Kicked or HIS
shoes. fastened them around his
neck. and leaned back against the
cliff to get what start was possible.
The impetus 81 his rush carried
him a little way out. then he was
in over the knees. still going for.
ward He was 10 the thighs before
he knew II. The sensation was not
Of sinking but OF being drawn
down Ilo heaved against the
weight that thru upon him from
every side. and advanced not an
inch.
He heard tho sing Of the lariat
passing close 10 his cheek as the
halfbrced threw II. u fell too far
ont TO be grasped II was whirled
again. fell, and he reached It II
took some sharp Juggling on the
halfbreed's part, using himself and
the tree as a windlasB. and some
hard work on Carron's before he
was dragged by degrees. and with
sucking sound, out Of the mouth
OF the qulcRsand
Wet TO the arm-pits, trembling
with tho eNcrtion he had made.
Precipitation upon his forehead, he
reached the little projecting ledge
Of rock He had had worse mo-
Inents Of danger There was no
danger worth thinking about. with
the halfbrecd there to throw
rope The fear Of n man newly
escaped death was not his. but the
disgust and the anger Of a man who
has not succeeded
TO have failed by 80 narrow a
margin' He put up his handler.
chief hopping the blood that was