Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-03-15
CHAPTER x-centinued.

10
on the second day they crossed the
Skeena. a risky and tedious piece OF
business, for the river ran deep and
strong.
Presently the way grew rougher. III
anything, Roaring Bin increased his
pace. He himself no longer rode.
When the steepness Of the hills and
canyons made the going hard the packs
were %redivlded, and henceforth Satin
bore on his back a portion of the sup
plies. Bill led the way tirelessly.
Through flies, river crossings, camp
labor. and all the petty Invitations of
the trail he kept an unrutied spirit, a
fne. enduring patience that Hazel mar
veled at and admired. Many a time,
Weakening at some slight stir, she
would find him cooking breakfast In
every way within his power he saved
her.
Many n strange shift were they put
20. Once Bill had to fell q great
spruce across a twenty-foot crevice. 1t
took him two days TO hew 1t fat SO
that his horses could be led over. The
depth was bottomless TO the eye.. but
from far below rose the cavernous
growl Of rushing wnter, and Hazel
held her breath as each animal stepped
~gingerly over the narrow bridge. One
misstep-
Once they climbed three weary days
ND n precipitous mountain range, and.
turned back in sight Of the crest by
nm impossible cliff, were forced to
back truck and swing a ffty-mile de-
tour. September was upon them. The
days dwindled in length, and the nights
grew to have a frosty nip.
Early and late he pushed on. Two
camp necessities were fortunately
abundant. grass and water. Even so,
she stress Of the trail told on the
horses. They lost flesh. The extreme
steepness Of succeeding hills bred gals
under the heavy packs. They grew
teg weary. no longer following each
bther with sprightly step and heads
high. Hazel pltied them. for she her.
self was trail weary beyond words.
The vagnbond instinct had fallen
asleep. The fine aura of romance no
longer lowered over the venture.
Sometimes when dusk ended the
days journey and she swung her stiff
fened limbs out Of the saddle. she
would cheerfully have f~oregone all the
gold In the North to be Mt her ease
aefore the fireplace in their distant
.abin. with her mans head nesting In
ner lap. and no toll of weary miles
looming sternly on the morrow's hori-
eon II was all work, trying work, the
more trying because she sensed a
latent %uneasiness on her husbands
part. an uneasiness she could never In
ducc him to embody in words. Never
theless. 1t existed, and she resented its
~cxistence-a trouble she could MOI
srhare. But she could not put her I'm
ger on the cause, for Bill merely smiled
n denial when she mentioned II.
Nor did she fathom the cause unit
vpon q certain day which fell upoI
che end Of a weeks wearisome traverse
Of the hardest country yet encountered
They broke out of a canyon vi
which they had struggled all day ont'
level plot where the pine stood II
somber ranks. A spring creek split tn
fiat in two. Beside this tiny streau
BIZ unlashed his packs. 1t still lncket
swo hours of dark. But he made n,
comment, and Hazel forbore to troubl
him with questions. Once the pack
were Off and the horses at liberty, Bill
caught up his rife.
Come on, Hazel" he said. let
take a little hike"
The fiat was small, and once clea
Of It the pines thinned out on q steel
rocky slope so that westward the
could overlook a vast network of caI
yons and mountain spurs. But ahea
VI them the mountain rose to an VI
standing backbone Of jumbled granite
and on this backbone Bill Wagsta
bent an anxious eye. Presently the
sat down on a bowlder to take
breathing spell after a stiff stretch {
climbing. Hazel slipped her hand
his and whispered:
"What is 1t. Billy-boyT"
SIN afraid we can't get over he,
with the horses" he answered slowl
"And IL we can't find a pass of son
kind-well, come onl 1t isn't moi
than a quarter Of a mile to the top
Just short of the top Bill halted. M
wiped the sweat out Of his eyes. Al
as he stood his gaze suddenly BEGAN
fixed, a concentrated stare at q poi
northward. He raised his glasses.
"By thunder ~ he exclaimed. 81 b
heve-it's me for the top"
He went up the few remaining var
with a haste that left Hazel pantil
behind. Above her he stood balanc
on a bowlder, cut sharp against 4
sky, and she reached him just as
lowered the field glasses with q ST.
NJ relief. His eyes shone with exl
tntlon.
"Come on up on the perch" he
vited, and reached forth a long, mi
eular arm, drawing her up close
side him on the rock.
Behold the Promised Land"
breathed, "and the gateway there
lying o couple Of miles to the mort
They we're, 1t seemed to Hazel, roc
Ing precariously on the very SUM
OF the world. On both sides the mo-
thin pitched away sharply in rugI
folds. Behind them. between them O
the far Pacific, rolled n sea Of mo-
tains. snow-capped. glacier-torn,
gantic.
"Down there" Roaring BIZ wa
his hnnd. there's n little meadow, {
su-f 10 walk on. Lord, I'll be glad
act oct Of these rocks! You'll ne
tus