The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-01-27

Nb' - VIVA SSL oaL VI Ucll1S Il XIII
lionaire this time III never be one
| again"
ITS all right" Smoke encourag ged
I've been over it before. Better lie,
ME try it first"
And you forty pounds to the
worse" the little man flashed back
IN be all right in minute. I'm all
right now,' as his foot went out, this
time to rest carefully and lightly, whise
the other foot was brought up and
past.
Very gently and circumspectly be
continued on his way until two-thirds
OF the distance was covered Here be
stopped to examine depression be
must cross, at the bottom of which
was fresh crack. Smoke, Watching
saw him glance to the side and down
into the crevasse itself and then begin
a slight swaying
Keep your eyes up!" Smoke com.
manded sharply. Nov, go on!'
The little man obcycd nor faltereG
on the rest of the journey. The sun
eroded slope of the farther edge Of the
crevasse was slippery, but not steep,
and he worked his way up to a mar.
row ledge, faced about and sat down.
Your turn" he called across. But
just Keep a-coming. and don't look
down. That's what got my goat. Just
Keep a-coming, that's all. And get q
move on. It's almighty rotten
Balancing his own stick horizontal
iy. Smoke essayed the passage That
the bridge was on its last legs was
patent. He felt jar under foot, a
slight movement of the mass and a
heavier jar. This was followed by a
single sharp crackle. Behind him he
knew something was happening. If
for no other reason he knew it by the
strained. tense face of Carson. From
beneath. thin and faint, came the mur-
mur of running water, and Smokes
eyes involuntarily wavered to a
glimpse of the shimmering depths. He
jerked them back to the way before
him.
Twothirds over be came to the de-
preston. The sharp edges of the
crack. but slightly touched by the sun,
showed how recent it was His foot
was lifted to make the step across
When the crack began slowly widen
ing, at the same time emitting numer-
Gus sharp snaps. He made the step
quickly, increasing the stride of it, but
the Worn nails of his shoe skated on
tile farther slope of the depression
he fell on his face and without pause
slipped down and into the crack, his
legs hanging clear, his chest supported
by the stick, which he had managed
to twist crosswise as he fell,
His first sensation was the nausea
caused by the sckening upleap Of his
pulse; his first idea was of surprise
that he had fallen no farther. Behind
him were cracking and jar and move
ment, to which the stick vibrated.
From beneath, in the heart of the sla-
cier, came the soft and hollow thunder
of the disIodged masses striking bot.
tom. And still the bridge, broken
from Its farthest support and ruptured
Ia the middle, held, though the portion
be had crossed tilted downward at a
pitch of twenty degrees.
He could see Carson, perched Oh his
ledge, his feet braced against the melt
ing surface, swiftly recoiiiug the rope
from his shoulders to his hand.
wait" he cried. Don't move, or
the whole shooting match will come
DOWN.
He calculated the distance with a
quick glance, took the bandanna from
bis neck and tied it to the rope and
increased the length by second BAN
danna from his pocket. The rope,
manufactured from sled lashings and
short lengths of plated rawhide knot
ted together, was both light and
strong. The first cast was lucky as
well as deft, and Smokes fingers
clutched it He evidenced hand
over hand intention Of crawling out of
the crack. But Carson, who had re-
fastened the rope around his own
waist, stopped him.
Make it fast around yourself as
WELL" he ordered.
"If | go I'll take you with me-"
Smoke objected
The little man became very peremp-
tory.
"You shut upv' he ordered.
"If ! ever start going Smoke be-
gan.
shut up! You amt going to ever
start going, Now do what say.
That's right - under the shoulders
Make 1t fast. Now start. Get a move
on, but easy as you go. III take in
the slack. You just keep a-coming.
That's it. Easy, easy"
Smoke was still q dozen feet away
when the final collapse of the bridge
began. Without noise, but in a jerky
way, it crumbed an increasing tilt. .
"Quick.' Carson called, coiling in
hand over hand on the slack of the
rope which Smokes rush gave him.
When the crash came Smokes fin
gers were clawing into the hard face
Of the wall of the crevasse, while his
body dragged back with the falling
bridge. Carson, sitting up, feet wide
apart and braced, was heaving on the
rope. This effort swung Smoke in to
the side of the wall, but 1t jerked Car.
son ont of his niche. Like Il cat he
faced about, cIawing wildly for hold
on the ice and slipping down. Be-
meath him, with forty feet of taut rope
between them, Smoke was clawing
just as wildly. and ere the thunder
from below announced the arrival Of
the bridge both men had come to rest
Carson had achieved this first, and the
several pounds of pull he was able to