The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-10


In the stress OF that first hour
after tina disaster Of the river.
Lounsberry ana vonpsr had a chance
made This was the time for inner
strength and courage. and beyond
all things else. for seif discipline.
nut only the forest creatures. such
little folk ar watch with behdy eyes
from the oovertH ali the drama of
the wilderness. beheid how they stood
that test.
For the first few seconds Louns.
bury rat upon his horse and simply
stared IN mute horror. Then he
halt. climbed. haiffeii from the sad.
die. and followed by voeper.
started running down IN. river
bank. Immediately. he los, sight Of
Virginia ana Biii. Almost at once
thereafter the cold and the darkness
got into his spirit and appalled, him.
They're Loaf, they're lost" he
cried. There's not a chanc. on
earth 20 &c, 'em out"
The branches tripped him and he
fell rprawiing In the snow. lie got
up and FASTENED on. Nosper. his
th~wn turning 20 mushroom stalks
within him. could only follow. swear.
ing hoArssiy. A. each break 81 the
trees they would Chamber down 10
the waters edge and look over the
,umultuoun waters. and each time
the twilight was deeper. the snow
nurrien heavier. And soon they
came TO a steep bank which they
could not descend.
"It'H a death trip. knew n WINS
death trip" Lounsbury noaned. /
"And what's the use Of going far
Their. They haven't chance on
EARTH
They did. however. push on a
short distance down the river |
Lounrbury WAS % the opinion IL
WAS very far indeed. In reality Il
was not two hundred yards IN all |
And they halted once more TO stare
with frightened eyes at the stream. |
1T alut the first this rivers
taken" yosp~r told him And they !
never even found their bodies"
-And we won't find these. now
Iounsbury replied. They waited a
little while in silence. trying 20
pierce tho shadows. what do you
suppose we'd better dor he CUES
toned
Il don't know. what can we dor
There's no chanc. OF saving them |
They're gone already. No swimmer |
could live in that stream. why did |
We ever oofne--lt was a wild goose
chase at best II they did get out 1
they'd be iosi--and couldn't find |
their way. II seems 90 me the |
wlscHt thing for US 10 do IL 20 70 |
hack-and build a big firc--so they |
can find their way in II they did |
get out
II was a worthy exprcssionl The |
voice OF cowardicc that bad been |
speaking in Lounabury'H craven soul |
had found expression IN words At |
last lie waH frightened by the
storm and the darkness. he was cold /
and tired. and beacon light for the |
two wanderers In the storm Wa
only a Nublerfugr whereby he might |
justify their return TO camp. The |
undestrappcr Understood. but he
didn't disagree. They were two Of |
a kind.
II was not that they did not know |
their riEhtful course. Both were ful |
ly aware that such fire as they |
could build could only CLEAN n few |
yards through the heavy spruce |
thIcket. They knew that drawer men |
would keep watch over that dread. |
full river for half the night at least. |
calling and searching. ready TO give
aid In the feeble hope that the two |
exhausted swimmers might come |
ashore.
sure thing" VoSpcr agreed. "tt'n !
he hard TO make a good fire In the |
snow. and we can't build one at all |
II them pack horses has got away |
by now"
"You mean--we'd der Louns.
bury's eyes protruded.
'Tho AK ~ in tho pack. We |
wouldn't have n chance
Lounsbury turned sharply. scarce.
" able 20 refrain from running. |
The pack horses. however. hadn't |
left their tracks. And now the |
brave Mulvnnoy had gained the |
shore and was standing motionless. !
gazing out over the troubled waters. |
No man might guess the substance |
OF his thoughts. lilo scarcely glanced \
at the two men.
They unpacked the animals. and |
by Scraping Off the snow and by /
xxHfA