American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-04-15

Ienn0X had knoW0 so louS. ne \
chopped at a great log and wondered
what would suit him better-the COM
fort and safety of the valleys or the
rugged glory of the ridges.
But at that instant, the question of
whether or not he would winter on the
Divide was decided for him. And an
instant was all that was needed. For !
the period OF one breath he forgot to
be watchful-and a certain dread
Spirit that abides much In the forest
saw its chance. Perhaps he had lived
too long in the mountains and grown
careless of them: an attitude that II
usually punished with death He had
lust felled a tree, and the trunk was
stu attached to the stump by a strip
of bark TO which a little of the wood
adhered. He struck a furious blow at
1t with his ax.
He hadn't considered that the tree
lay on a steep slope. AS the blade
fell. the great trunk simply seemed to
leap. Lennox leaped too, In a frenzied
effort to save his life but already the
leafy bows, like the tendriIs of some
great amphibian, had whipped, around
his legs. He fell. struggling; and
Their a curious darkness, streaked
with fame. dropped down upon him,
An hour later he found himself lying
on the still hillside, knowing only a
great wonderment. AT first his only
impulse was to 20 back to sleep. He
didn't understand the grayness that
had com upon the mountain world,
his own strange feeling of numbness,
of endless soaring through Infinite
spaces. But he was a mountain man,
and that meant he was schooled, be-
yond all things, to keep his self-con-
troll. He made himself remember. Yes
he had been cutting wood on the
hillside, and the shadows had been
long. He had been wondering wheth-
er or not they should go down to the
valleys.
He remembered now: the last blow
and the rolling log. He tried to turn
his head to look up to the hill.
He found himself wholly unable to
do 1t. Something wracked him In his
neck when he tried to move. But he
did glance down. And yes, he could
turn in this direction. And he saw
the great tree trunk lying twenty feet
below him. wedged in between the
young pines,
He was surrounded by broken frag
ments Of limbs, and 1t was evident
that the tree had not struck him {
| full blow. The limbs had protected
him to some extent. No man Is O
such mold as to be crushed under thu
solid weight of the trunk and live t
remember 1t. He wondered II TIL
were the frontier of death-the gray
ness that fingered oVer him. ii
seemed to be soaring.
i He brought himself back to cart
y and tried again to remember. U
|, course. the twilight had fallen. 1t ha
l. been late afternoon when he had GU
d the tree. His hand stole along n
body; and then, for the first time,
y hideous sickness came upon him. III
I hand was warm and wet when }
Ie brought 1t up. The other hand !
1t couldn't stretch at all.
The forest was silent around hir
g except a bird calling somewhere ne'
20 the house-a full voice. rich and clea
he and II seemed to him that it had
10 quality of distress. Then he recognize
II. II was the voice of his own daug
r. ter, Snowbird, calling for him. /
e, tried to answer her.
10 -. ~aI, - vyhIcnnN nj GrCf v
le she was coming nearer; and her ov
VI voice sounded louder. Here, Sno'
lie bird" he called again. She heard hi
10 then: he could tell by the startl
III tone of her reply. The next insta
o. she was at his side. her tears Dire
III ping on his face.
le' With a tremendous effort OF VIII
ne recalled his speeding faculties.
tie don't think I'm badly hurt" he tC
her very quietly. "a few ribs brok
'o- and n leg. But wen have to wint
ny here on the Divide, Snowblrd mine
~ what does 1t matter, If you live
IA she cried. She crawied along the p
.an needles beside him. and tore his sh
from his breast. He was rapidly Sill
ing into uncOnsciOusness The IN
H. she dreaded most-that his back mil
he broken-was evidently not TT
M There were. as he said. broken r
and evidently one severe fracture
- the leg hone. Whether he had &
tanned Internal injuries that wo
ah. end his life before the morning,
lie had no way Of knowing.
Ing At this point. the problem of saw
her fathers life fell wholly into
nands. His broken body could not
,oIf carried over the mountain road
Physicians in the valleys. They m
be transported to the ranch. II wo
tho rakc Them a full day to make the I
even II she could get word to them
re- once: and twenty-four hours with
.oss medical attention would probably
,uId her father his life. The nearest I
phone was at the ranger stat
~ twpIve miles distant over a mount