Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-03-23
CHAPTER X-Continucd.

10
on the second day they crossed the
Skeena. a risky and tedious piece of
business. for the river ran deep and
n strong.
Presently the way grew rougher. If
anything. Roaring Bill increased his
pace He himself no longer rode.
When the steepness of the hills and
canyons made the going hard the packs
\ were redivided. and henceforth Satin
bore on his back a portion of the sup
plies. Bill led the way tirelessly.
4 Through flies, river crossings, camp
labor. and all the petty irritations of
the trail he kept an unrufiied spirit,
fine, enduring patience that Hazel mar
yelled at and admired Many a time,
Weakening at some slight stir, she
would find him cooking breakfast. In
4 every way within his power he saved
her.
Many a strange shift were they put
to. Once Bill had to fell a great
spruce across a twenty-foOt crevice. 1t
took him two days to hew it fiat so
that his horses could be led over The
q 4ltiltH was bOltOluiGNN ~ TIC eye buA
from far below rose the cavernOus
growl of rushing water, and Hazel
held her breath as each animal stepped
4 gingerly over the narrow bridge. One
misstep-
"a once they climbed three weary days
up a precipitous mocntain range, and,
9rned back in sight of the crest by
4 an impossible cliff were forced to
4 back track and swing a fifty-mile de-
tour. September was upon them. The
days dwindled in length and the nights
grew to have frosty nip.
Early and late he pushed on. Two
camp necessities were fortunately
abundant. grass and water. Even so.
7he stress of the trail told on the
horses. They lost flesh. The extreme
4 steepness of succeeding hills bred gals
under the heavy packs. They grew
leg weary, no longer following each
! other with sprlghtly step and heads
h..'h. Hazel pitied them. for she her
self was trail weary beyond words
The vagabond 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 foregone all the
gold IN the North TO be ar her ease
before the fireplace in their distant
cabin, with her mans head nesting In
her lap, and no toll of weary miles
looming sternly on the morrow's hori-
ION. 1t was all work. trying work, the
more trying because she sensed a
latent uneasiness on her husbands
part, an uneasiness she could never In
duce him to embody In words. Never
theless. 1t existed and she resented its
existence-a trouble she could not
share. But she could not put her fin
ger on the cause, for Bill merely smiled
denial when she mentioned 1t.
Nor did she fathom the cause until
apon certain day which fell upon
he end of a weeks wearisOme traverse
or the hardest country yet encountered.
They broke out Of a canyon up
which they had struggled all day onto
a level plot where the pine stood In
Somber ranks. A spring creek split the
N-ft+ ib WV +pESit4E iillS THY Oh cam
Bin unlashed his packs. It still lacked
TWO hours OF dark. But he made no
comment. and Hazel forbore to trouble
him with questions. Once the packs
were off and the horses at liberty, Bill
caught up his rife.
Come on, Hazel" he said. Lets
take a little hike"
The fiat was small. and once clear
Of If the pines thinned out on a steep.
rocky slope so that westward they
could overlook vast network Of can
yons and mountain spurs But ahead
OF them the mountain rose to an up
standing backbone of jumbled granite.
and on this backbone Bill Wagstafr
bent an anxious eye. Presently they
sat down on a bowlder to take
breathing spell after a stiff stretch Of
climbing. Hazel slipped her hand In
his and whispered:
What Is II, Billy-boy?"
I'm afraid we cant get over here
with the horses" he answered slowly.
and if we can't find a pas, OF some
kind'-well. coI1e on. Il isn't more
stsn 8 s1srtsk % a mile to szss top."