The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-06-26

about him wcre white now; the pines
had lost their grcennens TO become
black uiihouettes against tho blank.
coloricss background. Barry Houston
had left May and warmth and spring.
timc behind, to give way To the
clutch OF winter and the white desert
OF altitude.
harRased by dangers that he never
before knew could exist. dlshearsened
BY the even moro precipltous trail
which lay ahead. fighting a baltic
for which he was untitled by expert.
ence. Houston could not help but
feel repaid for II all as he fIAttencd
his back against thu hoo radiator and.
comfoFted by tho warmth. looked
about him. Tho world was his--his
with tho all-sesing eyes Of tremend.
Gus heights to view IN tho porspeo-
two Of tho eagle and the hawk. 20
look down upon from the pinnacirs
and sec. even n. u god might ses Il.
Far below lay = tiny. dlscoiorsd rib.
bon. --tho read which hs had ira.
versed. hut now only a scratch upon
tho cxpanss Of the great country
which. tumbied away benaa,a him
Hills had become hummocks. tower.
ing pines but blades OF grass.
streams only . vsriexafsd Tine In tho
vast display Of Natures artistry.
And ebovs
Barry Houston looked upon n with
faxxled eycs. Tho sun had broken
forth again. 70 stream upon tho
great rounded head OF Mount Tai.
uchen. and there TO turn the ser.
rsed SHOWS 20 a MAS OF shelf pink
pearl. TO smooth away tho glaring
wilderness and paint instead a down.
like coveriet Of beauty. Here and
there tho great grnniss prccipices
stood forth In old rose and royal pur.
pie. farther tho shadows melted into
nantes. not OF black. but Of softer;
lavender. mound upon mound OF col.
or swung before him 40 he glanced
from peak 10 peaks--the colors that
only an artist knows. tintings IN.
stead OF solid grounds. suggestions
rather than actuailtles. Even tho
gnarled pines Of timber line. where
the world OF vegetation was sliced
off short TO give way to tho barren.
neas OF tho white desert, seemed sof-
tened and freed from their appear.
ancs OF constant suffering In the
pursuit OF life. A lake CLEANED. sat
II seemed. at an upright angle upon
tho very side Of q mountain: an Ice
gorge giistsned with the scintillation !
u n million jewels. n cloud rolled |
a great orevics like tho bill. |
lowing OF some soft-colored crepe aud
then
Barry crouched and -hiverrd. then |
turned with sudden activity. IL oil /
had faded. faded IN the blast Of a
shriliing wind. bringing upon It's /
breast the cutting assault OF sieet and /
Tho softer. yet no less vicious swirl |
Df snow. Quickly the radiator was
trained and refilled. Once more. hud. |
lied in the drivers seat. Barry Hous.
ton Rripped the wheel and felt tho !
OF the chain-clad wheels 1
In ths snow OF tho roadway. The
had iurcd again. only that
they might clutch him in a tlghsr
smbrace OF danger than ever. Now
Inc snow was whirllng about him IN l
almost binding swiftncss: the small
counted for nothing: II
was only by leaning far outside the
car that he could see to drive. ana
hen there were moments that
seemed 10 prcsago tho end.
Chasms iurked ~ the corners, the
ar skldded and iurchcd from one
'ide OF the narrow roadway 70 the
,ther; once the ernbankment crum.
bed for an instant as a rear wheel
aced for a foothold and gained II
ust In time. laundering below.
3arry could hear the descent OF the
Iirt and small boulders az they
truck against protrudlnr rocks and
choed forth to a constantly grow.
ng sound that seemed 20 travel for
niles that II might return with the
trcngth OF thunder. Then for a mo.
nent the sun came again and he
tared toward II with set, anxious
yes. 1t no longer was dazzling; II
vas large and yellow and free from
Hare. lie swerved his gaze swiftly
o the dashboard clock, then back 10
he sun again. Four o'clock Yet
he great yellow bah was lowering
IN the brim OF Mount Taluchen: dusk
vas coming. a frightened glance
howed him the black shadows OF the
alleys. the deeper tones OF colorinR.