Evening journal., 1922-05-04
Continued From Our Last Issue)

-f.I SudQenly the storm itteQ IOr
moment. Far below, miles in re
ality. straight Jets Of steam ros
high above black, curling smoke
family. distantly, whistles sounded
. The snowplowsi
He gripped her arm with thesigh
OF it, nor did she resist Thrilled
enthralled, they watched It; tn
whirling smoke, the shootinl
steam. the white spray which indi
Gated the grinding, churning prog
ress OF the plows, propelled by tn
heavy engines behind. From thu
swollen lips OF Houston:
They've started the fightl In
going 10 work with them"
But"
He knew what she meant anC
shook his head.
''No-she does not need me. Ny
presence would mean nothing to her
can't tell you why. My PLACES
down there"
For an instant Medaine Robin
ette looked at him with frankly
questioning eyes, eyes which told
question was arising as to his
guilt in at least one OF thu things
which circumstances had arrayed
against him. But suddenly she was
speaking. as though to divert her
thoughts.
seWeu have. about three hours
It's our chance. Wed better cut
his cord-the one IN thelead may
fan and pull the other, one over.
We'd better make haste"
Houston stepped before her. A
moment later they were edgipg their
way down the declivity Of what once
had been a railroad track.
Black dots they became - dots
which appeared late in the after
noon to the laboring crews OF the
snow-fighters far below; dots edg
Ink their way about beetling preci-
pices. plungiDg forward, then stop
ping: pulling themselves TO the
heavier drifts, whore drops OF 10,
and even 20, feet had thrown them.
once, at the edge OF an overhanging
ledge. he scrambled furiously, failed
and fell--to drop in a drift far be-
low, TO crawl painfully back TO the
waiting do tabovs. Hours The dots
grew larger. On they came, STUN
bling, reeling. The woman wavered
and fell; he caught her. Then dou-
weighted, a pack on his back, a
form in his arms. he came on, his
blood-red eyes searching almost
slghtlessly the faces Of the waiting,
stolid. grease-smeared men. his
thick voice drooling over bloody
lips;
Somebody take her-get her into
the bunk cars. She's given out.
I'm-Pm all right. Take care of
her. Ave got to go onto Tolliterl"
CHAPTER XIX
II was night when Barry Houston
nmped. muscles oramped and frost
numbed, into the little undertaking
shop at Tollifer and deposited his
tiny burden. Medaine Robinette had
remained behind in the care OF the
snow crews
'Nameless." he said with an ef-
fort. When the lengthy details OF
cerufication we're asked. THE
mother" and a necessary lie came
10 his lips-''became unconscious
before she could tell me anything
except that the baby had been bap- !
tized. she wanted a priest"
From far away came the whistles |
of locomotives, answering the sig |
nails OF the snow-plows ahead. He |
the bulky cars OF ma
.hinery at Tollifer. 1t was partially |
lis battle they were fighting out |
here. He fumbied aimlessly in his |
rockets for his gloves. Something |
inkled on the floor and he bent to |
lick up the little crucifix with its
visited tangled chain. forgotten at
'ollifer. Duly. hazily. he stared at |
/ with his red eyes. with the faint |
ceiling OF a duty neglected. Then:
she only said they might want
t. he mumbled. I'm sorry -
houid have remembered. I'm al
Tays failing-at something"
Then, anxious 70 take his place in
he fighting line. he replaced the
my bit OF gold in his pocket and
dreaded his way through the cir
suitous tunnel Of snow.
Even from the distance, Barry
r@-A ANaA eAAN 1AA 80 OF LAt LtEEllE
impact, as the rotary smashed
against the tight-jammed contents OF
the shed, snarled and tore at its
enemy, then. beaten at last by the
crusted Ice OF the rails, came grudg-
ipgly back so that the crews might
break the ice from the rails and
give traction for another assault. |
Houston started forward, only to |
stop A figure in the dim light Of |
the cook car had caught his eye.
Medaine Robinette.
II the woman back there in the
west country only would tell If she
would only keep the promise which
she had given him in her half-de-
liriumi
Ten minutes later Barry stood be- |
side a great Mallet engine. sleek,
greyhound OF the mountains. taking
from the superinten-
dent
Know anything about nrin' an
engine?"
L know enough TO shovel coal
and I've got a strong pair Of shoul-
iers."
when you get in them gas
pockets, stick your nose in the hol-
ow OF your elbow. There amt 1
10 fresh air in that there shed: the |
ainute these engines get inside and |
tart throwin' on the juice. it fills |
p with smoke. That's what gets
ou"
Barry climbed TO his place on the
ngine. A whistle sounded, to be
choed and re-echoed by the answer
Ig blasts of the snowplow train
,ur engines and the big auger it.
now for a fresh sally into