Gilpin observer., 1918-04-18

rescue her before night, he must take
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. II
could not be done without a rope. Her
fear-filled eyes came back to his. Its
my fault. I made you come" she said
in a low voice.
Nonsense" he answered cheerfully.
"There's no harm done. If can't
reach the stairway can come back
and go down by the trough"
Sheba assented doubtfully.
It had come on to drizzle again.
The rain was fine and cold, almost a
mist, and already 1t was forming film
Of ice on the rocks.
" can't take time to 60 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 1t
must get cold even in summer"
He was making his preparations as
he talked. His coat he took OF and
threw down. His shoes he tied by the
laces to his belt.
"Tll try not to be very long," he
promised.
sIt's Gods will then, so 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
hearted adventure.
Elliot took her little hand in q warm,
strong grip. you're not going to be
afraid. we'll work out all right you
know"
'Yes."
TITS not just the thing to leave q
lady in the rain when you take her
for walk, but 1t can't be helped.
Well 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.
''rm travelling light this trip. You'd
better slip 1t on before you get chilled"
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 heart. To make 1t worse, the
Ice fllm from the rain coated every
5utting 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
little cry, ran to his coat. and began
to wave 1t. For the first time since
Elliot had begun to traverse she took
the initiative in speech.
Il 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 a glimpse Of the wildly wav.
Ing coat. There was a consultation
and two or three fiuttered handker-
chiefs in response. Presently they
moved Or ..
Sheba could not believe her eyes.
They're not leaving us surely7" she
gasped.
THAT'S 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 strangled a sob.
I'm going to make 1t. I think see
my way from here" her companion
called across to her. "A fault runs to
the foot Of the stairway. If I 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
unrastened his belt again and put the
snoes, tied by the laces, around his
neck. There was one way to get across
10 tne ledge Of the fault. He took
noid OF the two ends Of the belt.
crouched and leaned forward on tin.
toes toward the knob. The loop of the
0eit SLID over the ice-coated boss.
Ihere was no chance to draw bach
now, to test the hold he had gained
.ne leather slipped he was lost. His
Douy swung across the abyss and his
'eet landed on the little ledge beyond.
his shout Of success came perhaps
ten minutes later. 1--WE reached the
stairway, Miss O'Neill. III 4r,, No. 40