Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-12-08
XI-Continued
Is

4But 1t is so easy she cried to him,
forgetful OF her own terror at mount
Ing up here. II have done It,"
Il can't" he said miserably. ut
was all I could do to get this far.
II think l am dying
Again and again she pleaded with
him. But he had either reached the
limit of his physical endurance or,
shaken and unnerved. he had not the
courage to attempt the steep climb
He lay still his eyes were shut, and
to Gloria. too. came the swift fear
that the man might be dying.
II am coming TO you'll" she called
She began making the hazardous de-
scent. She did not take time to ask
herself II she could make it she knew
only that she must. After q weary
time she I'M to the base Of the
cliffs. Grafton was not a dozen PAGES
from her. He did not move but looked
at her In g strange, bewildered fash
ion. Seeing that he made no attempt
to move, she made her way to him.
Its you-Gloria Gaynor!" he NUT
tered. "But I don't understand"
Il came with Mark King. The storm
caught us. Just as 1t caught you. But
you must come with me; Ii you lie
here you will be chilled; you will
freeze
He shook his head. Il can't" he
groaned. Il am more dead than alive,
/ tell you. / have been since before
dawn getting here" He cast a bleak
look up along the cliffs and s%huddered.
I'D rather lie here and die than at
tempt It."
Once more Gloria was urging and
pleading. But In the end she gave
over hopelessly, seeing that Grafton
would not bulge. And 1t was so clear
TO her that he would perish If he lay
here.
@There's q hole In the cliffs Just
yonder," Grafton said drearily. Il was
going to crawl In there when you
called"
Then Gloria saw for the first time
the opening to that cave which in Gus
Ingle's Bible had been set down as
Caive number me. 1t was almost d.
rectly under Kings cave, at the base
of the cliffs.
"Come, them" she said. Lets see
II it's big enough for a shelter"
Grafton heaved himself up with a
groan. Gloria did not walt for him.
but began the tedious breaking Of a
path the few feet to the hole. She
could see nothing she heard nothing.
Nothing save Gratfon's hard breathing
close behind her. She got a grip upon
herself and made a step forward,
paused, extended her arms to grope
for a wall, and made another step.
There was still no sound she breathed
more freely, assuring herself that save
for herself the avern was empty. She
stumbled over a rock. stopped again
and called to Grafton. Only now was
he entering.
She struck a match carefully,
cupped the tiny fame with her hands,
and strove to > r. what lay about her.
There was a litter of dead limbs
about her feet. She began gathering
up some OF the smaller branches, crop
Ing for others as her match burned
out. II. was Gloria's hands which
started the fire and placed the bits Of
dry wood upon 1t. The flames
cracked the wood caught like finder /:
the pickering light retrieved much Of
the cavern about them from the utter
dark
Here I stay" said Grafton. He
dropped down and began warming his
shaking hands A more abjectly mis-
cradle specimen Of humanity Gloria
had never looked upon. BE VA taded,
piritlesa. cowed.
But hs was ! human being. md sAs
Vas no longer alonei She was nfted
lrom despair to ! realm bright with