Tombstone epitaph., 1918-03-24

followed an ascending :crack in the wall The going was hard. He looked down at the girl wedged between the slopes of the granite trough.
 She read his thought. "The Old Guard never surrenders, sir" was her quick answer as she brushed in salute with the tips of her fingers stray lock of hair.
 The trough was worse than Eliot had expected. It had in 1t a good deal of loose rubble that started in small slides at the least pressure.
 Be very careful of your footing" he called back anxiously.
 A small grassy platform lay above the upper end of the trough, but the last dozen feet of the approach was a very difficult bit. Gordon fought his way up with his back against one wall and his knees pressed to the other. Three feet short of the platform the rock walls became absolutely smooth. The climber could reach within foot of the top.
 "Are you stoppedf" asked Sheba.
 Looks that way"
 A small pine projected from the edge of the shelf out over the preci- pIce. It might be strong enough to bear his weight. It might not. Cor don unbuckled his belt and threw one end over the trunk of the dwarf tree. Gingerly he tested 1t with his weight, then went up hand over hand and worked himself over the edge of the little plateau.
 "All righty the girl called up.
 "All right. But you can't make 1t. I'm coming down again."
 "rd like to try it. I'll stop if it's too hard" she promised.
 The strength of her slender wrists surprised him. She struggled up the vertical crevasse inch by inch. His heart was full of fear. for a misstep now would be fatal. He lay down with his face over the ledge and lowered to her the buckled loop of his belt. Twice she stopped exhausted. her back and her hands pressed against the walls of the trough angle for sup port. Better give 1t up." he advised. "rll not, then" She smiled stub bornly as she shook her head. Presently her fingers touched the belt.
 Gordon edged forward an inch or two farther. 'Put your hand through the loop and catch hold of the leather above" he told her.
 She did so. and at the same instant her foot slipped. The girl swung out into space suspended by one wrist. The muscles of Elliot hardened into steel as they responded to the strain. His body began to slide very slowly down the incline.
 Tn a moment the acute danger was past. Sheba had found a hold with her feet and relieved somewhat the dead pull upon Elliot. She had not voiced a cry. but the face that looked up into his was very | white.
 "Take your time" he said in quiet matter-of-fact way. With his help she came close enough for him to reach her hand. After that 1t was only a moment before she knell on the plateau beside him.
 "Touch and go, wasn't itr' Shebs tried to smile, but the colorless lips told the young man she was still faint from the shock.
 He knew he was going to reproacf himself bitterly for having led her into such a risk. but he could not just now afford to waste his energies on regrets You might have sprained your wrist he said lightly as he rose to examine the cliff still to be negotiated. Her dark eyes looked at him will | quick surprise. go I might" sht answered dryly.
 But his indifferent tone had the ef feet upon her of . plunge into colt water. It braced and stiffened hel will. If he wanted to ignore the ter rible danger through which she hat passed. certainly she was not going t' remind him of 1t.
 Gordon was mountaineer enough C know that the climb up is safer thai the one back. The. only possible wa! for them to so down the trough wal for him to lower her by the belt unti she found footing enough to go alone He did not quite admit 1t to himself but In his heart he doubted whethe she could make 1t safely.
 The alternative was the ciin face.