Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-03-14
CHAPTER ~.
Across the Traverse.

Across the Traverse.
Elliot took off his shoes and turned
howard the traverse.
Think I'll see If I can cross to tba,
stairway. You had better wait here
MISS ONeill, until we find out II II
can be DONE"
Sheba looked across the cliff and
down to the boulder bed two hundred
feet below. you can never do II in
the world. Isn't there another way
npT
mo. The wall above US slopes out.
I've got to cross to the stairway. II
make 1t I'm going to get a rope"
DO you mean you're going back to
town for oner
YES"
Her eyes fastened to his In a long.
unspoken question. She read the an.
pwer. He was afraid to have her try
the trough again. To get back to town
oy way OF their roundabout ascent
would waste time. If he was going to
rescue her before night, he must take
the shortest cut, and that was across
the face of the sheer cliff. For the
nrst time she understood how serious
was their plight.
The glance Of the girl.swept again
me race OF the wall he must cross. 1t
could not be done without a rope. Her
fear-nlleq eyes came back to his. "It's
my faul. 1 made you come" she said
In low voice.
Nonsense" he answered cheerfully.
rnere's no harm done. If can't
reach the stairway I can come back
and go down by the trough"
Sheba assented doubtfully.
1t had come on to drizzle again.
The rain was fine and cold, almost a
mist, and already 1t was forming a film
OF Ice on the rocks.
Il can't take time to 90 back by the
trough. The point is that don't want
you camped up here after night. There
has been no sun on this side of the
spur and In the chill of the evening II
must get cold even in summer"
he was making his preparations as
he talked. His coat he took Off and
threw down. His shoes he tied by the
laces to his belt.
I'll try not to be very long," he
promised.
ITS Gods will then, so 1t Is" she
ughed, relapsing into the vernacular.
Her voice was low and not very
steady. for the heart of the girl was
neavy. She knew she must not fno-
test his decision. That was not the
way to play the game. But somehow
the salt had gone from their light
hearted adventure.
Elliot took her little hand In a warm
strong grip. you're not going to he
afraid Wen work out all right, YOU
know"
Yes"
ITS not just the thing to leave a
taoy In the rain when you take her
Tor a walk, but it can't be helped.
Wen laugh about 1t tomorrow" d
Would they? she wondered. answer
Ing his smile family. Her courage was
Slapped.
He turned to the climb.
you've forgotten your coat" she re- |
minded.
I'm 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 Ratchet, none Of the SUD-
port Of numbers. All the allies he
could summon were his bare hands
md fest. his resilient muscles, and has
tout Neart To make It worse, the
CO nlm fror1 the rain coated every
utting inch Of quartz with danger.
But he worked steadily forward,
moving with the infinite caution Of one
rho knows that there will be no
nance to remedy later any mistake.
slight error In judgment, the failure
4 response Of any one Of fifty muscles,
'ould Deod him plunging down
Her ere left him for an instant to
wesp ths gulf below. She gave q