The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-03-28

| the shortest cut, and that was across
the face of the sheer cliff. For the
first time she understood how serious
was their plight.
The glance of the girl swept again
the face of the wall he must Cross. It
could not be done without rope. Her
fear-filled eyes came back to his. "It's
my fault. / made you come" she said
in low voice.
"Nonsense," he answered cheerfulfy.
.aThere's no harm done. II can't
reach the stairway I can come back
and 20 down by the trough"
Sheba assented doubtfully.
II had come on to drizzle again.
The rain was fine and cold, almost 4
mist, and already 1t was Forming dlm
of Ice on the rocks.
IT can't take time to go back by the
trough. The point is that ], don't want
Won camped up here after night. There
has been no sun on this side Of the
spur and in the chill Of the evening it
must get cold even in summer"
He was making his preparations as
he talked. His coat he took on and
threw down. His shoes he tied BY the
laces to his belt.
"rn try not to be very long," he
promised.
"Its Gods will then, 60 1t is," she
sighed, relapsing into the vernacular.
Her voice was low and not very
steady, for the heart Of the girl was
heavy, She knew she must not pro-
test his decision. That was not the
way to play the game. But somehow
the salt had gone from their light
hearted adventure.
NIIiot took her little hand in warm.
strong srjp. you're not going to be
afraid. Wen work out all right, you
know"
"Yes."
"It's not Just the thing to leave q
lady in the rain when you take her
for walk. but 1t can't be helped.
Wen laugh about 1t tomorrow"
Would they? she wondered, answer
ing his smile family. Her courage was
sapped.
He turned to the climb.
"You've forgotten your coat" she re-
minded.
"Tm travelling light this trip. You'd
better slip 1t on before you get chilled"
Sheba knew he had left 1t on pur.
pose for her.
Her fascinated eyes followed him
while he moved out from the plateau
across the face of the precipice. He
had none Of the tools for climbing
no rope. no hatchet. none of the sup
port Of numbers. All the allies he
could summon were his bare hands
ard feet. his resilient muscles. and his
stout henrt. To make 1t worse. the
ice film from the rain coated every
jutting inch Of quartz with danger.
But he worked steadily forward.
moving with the infinite caution Of one
who knows that there will be no
chance to remedy later any mistake.
A slight error in judgment. the failure
In response Of any one Of fifty muscles,
would send him plunging down.
Her eye left him for an instant to
sweep the gulf below. She gave Q
little cry. ran to his coat. and began
to wave 1t. For the nrst time since
Elliot had begun to traverse she took
the initiative in speech.
ri see some people away over to the
left. Mr.. Elliot. I'm going to call to
them" Her voice throbbed with hope.
But 1t was not her shouts or his.
which would not have carried one
tenth the distance. that reached the
group In the valley. One Of them
caught q glimpse of the wildly wav-
ing coat. There was a consultation
and two or three fluttered handker-
chiefs In response. Presently they
moved on.
Sheba could not believe her eyes
They're not leaving ms surelyf" she
gasped.
"Thats what they're doing" an
swered Gordon grimly. "They think
we're calling to them out Of vanity
to show them where we climbed"
"Oh" She strangied a sob.
"I'm going to make It. I think see
my way from here" her companion
called across to her. "A fault runs to
the foot Of the stairway. II can only
do the next yard or two"
He did them, by throwing caution to
the winds. An Icy. rounded boulder
projected above him out of reach. He
unfastened his belt again and put the
shoes. tied by the laces, around bis
neck. There was one way to get across
to the ledge Of the fault. He took
hold Of the two ends Of the belt,
crouched and leaned forward on tip
toes toward the knob. The loop Of the
belt Slid over the ice-coated boss,
There was no chance to draw back
now. to test the hold he had gained.
II the leather slipped he was lost His
body swung across the abyss and his
feet landed on the little ledge beyond.
His shout Of success came perhaps
ten minutes later. 1--WE reached the
stairway. Miss O'Neill. I'll try not to
be long. but you'd better exercise to
keep up the circulation. Don't worry,
please. I'll be back before night"