The Washington times., 1922-12-15

except for q few more concerned
the watchers went back to tho
sunrooms and lounges to warm
themselves till the four on the
mountain should complete the cas-
Ter rock ascent and come to the
dangerous. spectacular sheer"
This was an absolute straight up
and down wall of smooth rock
sheer from the glacier almost to
the summit--to be traversed only
by means Of the ledge" a mar
row, shallow crack in the rock.
Offering an inch or two Of hold for
the toe of boots, with another small
crack. six or seven feet higher,
furnishing moro precarious catch
for the finger-tips. 1t was in plain
sight from the chalet; and 20 clear
and rare was the air that the tele-
scopes on the hotel veranda showed
even the ropes. running from one
climber to another; field-glasses
showed Breuil. the Swiss guide.
distinct from his short. broad figue;
Margaret Alden was next; she was
in q sensible mountaineering cos
tune. knickerbockers without
skirts and with woolen puttses like
the men; but her slishter figure
and tam-o' 'shantsr made her easily
recognized. Even the telescopes,
could not certainly distinguish the
next two: but everyone knew who
they were ana In what order they
must be roped. The third figure.
therefore. was Stephen Gregg. her
girlhood lover" a. someone at the
chalet had opitomized him. He
was inexperienced In mountaineer-
ing and therefore would b. roped
with the girl between the profes-
sional guide and the amateur OF.
pert. Young Senator Wythe-'
there was no need for anyone TO
designate him. and besides no one
could do II In . phrase-accordingly
was at the end Of the rope.
ACROSS THE SHEER.
The girls arm was waving and
Wythe seemed to BE- holding
glasses. looking down at the hotel;
then he gave some sort Of q signal,
and the guide. with both arms
stretched high above his head to
catch the tiny crecasse for his
finger-tips. worked out upon the
ledge and edged farther and farther
to the left and over the sheer: the
girle followed. her shorter catch
arms stretched their highest to
catch the crack: then Gregg cruel
fled himself against the smooth
rock and worked on after her;
Wythe followed and all four were
upon the ledge. One moment. an.
other, and then q third three
score Of throbbing heartbeats, and
the four figures halted: they edged
on again, the leader moving first
and stopping. the second follow.
ing. then fully Q. few inches at q
time. But at last with . loud.
signing outbreath Of relief. the
crowd before the chalet saw the
guide step from tho ledge to safety;
the girl was beside him an instant
later; then the second man and
finally wythe stood on the safe
rock.
The people before the hotel
burst into cheers: they clapped
hands waved hats. and handker.
chiefs. Margaret Alden's mother
staggered to q seat and closed her
eyes. trembling; the girls father.
smiling siclxly. wiped the perspira-
ton from his forehead and palms
and received congratulations. The
man with the telephoto camera.
who had snapped Senator wythe
taking Miss Alden across the
sheer-the first traverse Of ledge
by . woman in that season. folded
his tripod with satisfaction. And
from below the chalet the loud
blast Of . locomotive whistle added
it, tribute a. the wsst-bound trans
continental. which had delayed to
let the passengers visw the event.
puffsd on down the pass to the
Pacific.
The four mountain climbers, Just
off the ledge. were lingering on
the safe rock. re-estimating one
another. The color. which for q
moment had forsalen the girls
cheek, flushed back ruddily. and
her blue eyes shons In her exciting
appreciation an she now dared to
gaze down the terrible "sheer" and
back across the crack by which
she had crossed.
Wasn't that simply finer" she
cried impulsively. Horace. wasn't
that--magnificentr
Senator Horace Wythe. busy
with freeing the rope from her
waist. nodded with the indulgence
to be allowed n voa,n9 man who