The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-07
CHAPTER {

SHAI 1 Il L
1t was early afternoon and down
in the hollow which shielded the
scrambling little town of Dominion
the air was warm and lazy with
the friendliness of May.
A long, sleek, yellow racer came
to stop beside the gas tank and
wheeZed into silence. A young man
rose from his almost flat position
in the low-slung drivers seat, street
ched himself and stared upward to-
ward the glazing white of Mount
Taluchen, the highest peak OF the
continental backbone, frowning in
the GOODNESS of SHOWS that never
departed.
"Gas?"
yep" The young man stretched
again. Gill up the tank-and bet
ter give me half gallon of oil"
Young he was, almost boyish yet
counterbalancing this was a serious
ness of expression that almost ar-
preached somberness. The eyes were
dark with something that approach
ed sorrow, the lips had tightness
about them which gave evidence 4of
the pressure of suffering, all form
ing an expression which seemed to
come upon him unaware. But in a
flash it was gone, and boyish again,
he had turned, laughing, to survey
the gas tender.
Barry Houston, huh? Must be a
new make. I"
"Camouflage," laughed the young
man again. "That's my name"
"Oh, is it," and the villager
chuckled with him. you've got tn
plate right where tn name O. "a car
is plastered usually, and it plum
fooled me. Where you headed for?'
"Over Hazard"
"Ain't daft, are your
Il hope not. It's May, isn't it?'
Look up there" The old man
pointed to the splotches of white
thousands of feet above at may be
spring down here, boy, but it's Jan
uary up there. They's only been two
cars over Hazard since November
and they come through last week.
Both of 'em was old stagers. Both
of EN- came through here lookin
like icicles an swearing t. beat four
O. kind"
A thrill shot through Barry Hous-
ton. His life had been that of the
smooth spaces, of the easy ascent OF
we'll paved grades, of streets and
comforts and of Injuries. The very
raggedness Of the thing before him
lured him and drew him on.
They've got me-" came quietly
"Im-I'm going to make the try!"
The gears meshed. A stream of
smoke from the new oil spat out for
a second. Then, roaring and chort-
ling with the beginning Of battle
the machine swept away toward the
slight turn that indicated the scrag
ely end of the little town of Domin-
ion, and the beginning of the first
grade.
"A six per cent grade if it's an
INCH" he murmured. "And this is
only the beginning"
He settled more firmly in his seat
and gripped hard at the steering
WHCCI. tnC oSNCiiIy VI
the grade had increased to ten, to
twelve and in short pitches to even
eighteen and twenty per cent!
A stop, while the red. kissing wa
ter splattered from the radiator
cock, and the lifted hood gave the
. machine a chance to cool before re-
| Punishment came from the murky
discolored stream of melted snow
water Rnting and light-headed
| from the altitude, Barry leaned
| against the machine for moment:
something touched his face and
/ melted there-snow!
| An hour rand three more aetel
/ that--a last final, clattering journey
/ and Barry leaped from the seat with
! something ak n to enthusiasm.
Through the swirling snow which
sifted past the glare Of his head.
lights. he could ernElign which