The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-17
CONTINUED. From Our Last .Issue)

Continued, From Our Last lssue)
~ must go on. gave my
promise
She nodded.
at means Tolifer now. The de-
scent is more dangerous"
Suddenly the storm lifted for Il
/ moment Far below, miles in reality,
straight jets of steam rose high
above black, curling smoke; family
distantly, whistles sounded. Tic
| snowplows!
He gripped her arms with the sigh.
| of it, nor did she resist. Thrilled,
enthralled, they watched it: the
| wh;rling smoke, the shooting steam,
the white spray which INDICATED the
grinding, churning progress of the
plows, propelled by the heavy en-
gines behind. From the swollen lips
Of Houston:
"They've started the fight! I'm
gong to work with them"
But" ~
He knew what she meant and
shook his head.
"No-she does not need me. NY
presence would mean nothing to her.
| cant tell you why. My place
is down there"
Fer an instant Medaine Robnette
! looked at him with frankly question:
ing eyes, eyes which told that a
| question was arising as to his guilt
in at least one of the things which
circumstances had arrayed against
him. But suddenly she was speak
ing, as though to divert her thoughts.
well have about three hours.
It's our chance. We'd better cut this
cord-the one in the lead may fall
better make haste"
Houston stepped before her. A
moment later they were edging their
way down the declivity of what
once had been railroad track.
Black dots they became-do
which appeared in the afternoon to
the laboring crews of the snow
fighters far below; dots edging their
way forward, then stopping; pulling
about beetling precipices, plunging
themselves out Of the heavier drifts,
! where: drops of 10 and even 20 feet
had thrown them. Once, at the edge
Of an overhanging ledge, he scram-
bled furiously, failed and fell-.o
drop in drift far below. to crawl
painfully back to the waiting dot
above. Hours! The dots grew
larger. Once they came, stumbling,
Keeling. The woman wavered and
fell; he caught her. Then double
weighed, a pack on his back, form
in his arms, he came on, his blood
red eyes searching almost sightlcss-
ly the faces of the waiting, stolid,
grease-smeared men. this thick voice
drooling over bloody lips:
Somebody take her-get her into
the bunk cars. She's given out.
I'm-I'm all right. Take care of her.
I've got to go onto Tollifer!" =
CHAPTER XIX
1t was night when Barry Houston
limped, muscles cramped and frost
rumbed, 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 eff
fort, when the lengthy details of
certification were asked. "The mo-
Their" and necessary lie came to
his lips-"became unconscious be-
fore she could tell mea nything ex-
cept that the baby had been bap-
tiled. She wanted priest"
From far away came the whistles
Of locomotives, answering the sig
nails of the snow-plows ahead. He
remembered the bulky cars of ma
chinery at Tollifer. 1t was partially
his battle they were fighting out
there. He fumbled aimlessH in his
pockets for his gloves. Something
tinkled on the floor and he bent to
pick Gp the little crucifix with its
twisted, tangled chain, forgotten at
Toliifer Duny, hazliy, he started at
~