The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-12-14

pack until he wa out of this. Very slow
~ n g1ngerly he reached for the brok-
en- edge of the nearest Ice and felt it
give way under his hand. He steadied
himself, trod water, and desperately
studied the situation. The ice was
thln. He tentatively selected another
spot to test. It gave way. He swore dis
gustedly. He was not yet really alarmed
then his heart stood still. The girl
turned, had seen him, and was hasten
ing back.
Keep away" he shouted imperiously.
Get back to shore. Get back quick!"
She did not reply. She was circiing
around, not too close and very carefully,
was also plain that she grasped it.
How long can you hold out?" she
asked very cody. .
Till next Christmas"
She shot back toward the shore. Good
girl. This first sensation of genuine ad-
miration and friendship for her was
born in that minute. She was going
Tor help. But he knew, as she didn't,
that she'd hardly find it. The lake was
a lonely spot. No one else would be
coming out to skate this morning. They
would all take it for granted that the
Ice would be a foot deep in snow, as it
would have been but for his fore
thought.
He was getting abominably cold. His
teeth were chattering. He was having
other sensations-odd and unexpected
ones. He tested the ice again, and again
1t gave way-in big pieces now, no mat
ter how carefully he moved. Was it pos
sible, could it be, that he wasn't going
to get out of this damned brittle trap?
A nice way for a man to die. And on
Christmas morning, too! Far away he
heard the sound of church bells. Or did
he? Was he imagining things? Of
course it couldn't be that way. The girl
was gone a long time. Racing along
the road, probably, looking for houses
or a passing car. . He kept his head.
He was trying another ledge Of ice
when she came back and her voice
came to his ears so suddenly that he
unconsciously threw his weight on the
thin layer and went down with it. He
came up gasping and cleared the icy
water from his eyes. He had no idea
how long she had been gone. A few
weeks maybe. He looked back of him
and his heart leaped. Good girl! She
hadn't wasted time bowling for help
into that frozen silence. She had mtre-
ly pulled the nearest rail fence apart
and had brought back some of the rails.
Very calmly and expertly she was max
ing a lifeline of them, getting closer, Of
course as she did &C.
Keep away" he shouted. you'll be
in yourself in a minute. Keep away, I
tell YOU"
mo-" she said, calmly. I'm going to
stay right here and get you out. This
left side gives you the best chance,
doesn't it? Isn't the ice thicker here?"
"Yes. But for Gods sake don't come
any nearer"
She did come nearer. She had to.
But so slowly and carefully that his
pounding heart steadied as he watched
her. She was as cool as the ice itself,
as steady as a rock.
"Now," she said, quietly, "can you
get that?"
It'll try, but keep back"
He had to try a dozen times. The ice
around him cracked and broke till he
felt himself submerged in an icy sea.
But again and again she laid her line
of rails, with steady hands, and made
her suggestions in a cool and steady
voice. She was getting closer, too. Had
to. Risking her life now, no doubt about
that. He became almost hysterical in
his warnings.
Get to hell out of here" he yelled
at last. will it help me if you're fool
enough to drown YOURSELF"
She ignored him. With infinite pa
thence she laid her little wooden lifeline.
The rails weren't much good. Too mar
row. Toe short. All wrong. He grew ST.
lent and watched her set face. It
wouldn't be long now before that in
fernal cramp got the better of him.
"All right?" she asked cheerfuliv.
90. K. But-for-God's-sake-go-
back-to-shore!"
Something in his voice must have
alarmed her. She gave him a quick look
and worked desperately. 1t seemed to
him she was getting less careful than
she had been.
To them both it seemed a century be-
fore he. was up on the surface Of the
ice, ordering her to retreat before him,
which she did, crawling long after she
could have risen, because of his inces-
odA1G anu llIlpdSofOlleO c~IlLTedCleS. 1llell
they were back or the shore. David held
out a shaking, dripping hand.
Good work, city girl" he said with
chattering teeth. II don't know another
girl anywhere that could have done
that"
But she had no time for amenities.
She did not even take the hand. She
saw that he was shaking in a violent
chill.
Get into that Sleigh" she ordered.
"Pull the fur up around you, to your
neck. I'm going to drive"
He obeyed her humbly. It was rather
a strange sensation, but he felt no
humiliation. Here was a girl in a thou
sand, a girl in a million. She had risked
her life for him again and again, and
for God knows how long
She had united the horses, was pack
in the seat beside him; was handling
the reins cody and expertly. He en-
deaVOred to sneak but could NOT