New Britain herald., 1923-09-20

ward, his hands were less than a yard from the top Of the creviee'
 Bess did not make the mistake or trying to reach down to him. She conquered the impulse at once, rcal- izing that any weight at all, unsnp- ported as she was. would draw her into the ravine. Even the rope would be of no use until she had something firm to which to attach 1t.
 .I've dug holes most of the way up." he told her. "I might try 10 climb 'em, with little hclp-"
 "Are you at the bottom of the crevlce?"
 "The bottom is hundreds of feet below me. I'm on a ledge about three feet wide"
 'Then stand still till I can really help you. I can't pull you now With out being pulled in myself. and If you'd fall back you probably roll or the ledge. The ice is like glass. Ned are you good for ten minutes more"
 T don't know"
 "It's the only chance" Again her tone was pleading. Keep the blood moving for ten minutes more, Ned. Oh. tell me you'll try
 Deep in the gloom she thought she heard him laugh-only few, little svllables, wan and strange in the silence-and it was all the answer she needed. He would fight on Tor ten minutes more. He would strug- gle against the cold until she could rescue him.
 Here's blankeet," she told him swiftly. Put it around you, if you can. without danger of rolling off,
 She dropped him the great covering she had brought; then in single' deerlike motion, she leaped the mar row crevice. On the opposite side she procured Ned's axe: then she turned, and half running. half gid ing on the ice, sped toward the near. est timber-a number Of stunted snruce two hundred yards distant at the far edge of the glacier.
 Bess had need of her woodsman s Knowledge now. Never before had her blows been so true, so telling on inc tough wood. Almost at once she had done her work and was started hack with tough pole, eight rect long and four inches in dlameter' balanced on her sturdy shoulder.
 Ned was still strong enough to an, swer her call when she returned, ana the dim light still permitted him to see her lay the pole she had cut as a hridee across the crevice, cutting notcbes in the ice to hold it firm. Swiftly she tied one end Of her rope to the pole and dropped the other to him. him.
 "Just watch me" was the answer .
 From that instant, she knew tnal she had won. The spirit behino ms words would never falter, with VIC torv so near. He dug his moccaslns into the holes he had hacked Tn the ice. meanwhile working upWard' nahu a,,o,. hand To fall meant to die but Ned didn't fall.
 It was a hard fight, weakened as ba was. but soon the girls reaching l,onds caught his sleeve, then ms coat; finally they were fasteneu hini lv lifting with all the girls strensth, inder the great arms. Ills hahu seized the pole, and he gave great unward lunge. And then ne Was ,vine on the ice beside her., fgnting for breath. not daring to believe that he was safe. ,.e,,
 But the usual cool. half mirtnlu, remar,s that in many little crises, Ned had learned to expect from bess' Was not forthcoming tonight. NOT were tho sounds in the twilight merely those of heavy breathing. The strain was over, and Bess had gwen way to inc urge of her heart at last. f1e, tears flowed unchecked, whether or sorrow or happiness even she did not know. ,, ,.
 The man crawled toward her. moved by an urge beyond nm, ana for a single moment his strong arn,s ,s nressed her close. Don't cry, lltt'e pal," he told her. He smileu' a strangely boyish, happy smlle, i'i'o her eyes. Very softly, reverently he kissed her wet eyelids, then sti''ed her trombling lips with his own. lie smiled again, great goou- u-nui,o. taking hold of him. you're 100 DIE girl to cry.
 fContinued in Our Next 1ssue)