Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-05-17

ways the question of where ones feet
are first. Like the ravine, for instance,
a foot or two further from the edge
would have made all the difference to
the loosened snow.
He didn't want to leave her at
first" Carol reminded herself He
said. I oughtn't to see you again. I'm
married And Carol had answered,
Does that matter?'"
You seem to have got yourself into
a pretty pickle" the first Mrs. Endi-
colt said in clear, cheerful voice.
That ankles broken. isn't it? Well,
Wen get the other foot out of the
tree first, anyhow
Apparently she was going to save
Carol. She freed the one foot from
its precarious position. quickly and
neatly swapping it out Of its ski then
she dealt as neatly. but much more
drew out big pocket knife, split one
OF her sticks and cut the boot open,
firmly binding the ankle between two
pieces of stick with a ski binder. 1t
hurt a good deal, but the ankle no
longer felt SO wickedly uncertain and,
being set free to swell, lessened the
Sharpest agony.
There is only one thing to do now"
the Unconditional. clipped voice re-
on my back, shall crouch close to
you. you must roll toward me and put
your arms round my neck. I can hold
I the bad leg steady, the other you
must use to grip with. I shall have
to have one hand free to climb out
But how could she get onto this
creatures back. Carol asked herself
querulously: how could she be sup
posed to move herself at all? She was
wedged into something far more ad-
hesive than mere earth. She couldn't
get out. and by this time she had
wouldn't it be better to lie still and
not be rescued? She had forgotten
Bob; and this restless. energetic fig
ure ruStling about SO close to her
seemed merely new danger.
The straight back reared itself
closer; at any rate Carol was glad she
eyes again. 1t was bad enough to see
the line Of neck between the cap and
the windcoat
Now roll toward me-" the TRANQUILITY
authoritative voice suggested. You'll
feel freer when you've once moved
I'll give you a hoist"
Her whole body tore itself upward
She was no longer on the ground she
was swinging in the moveless air.
The blue lid Of the sky moved up
ward, but the sides Of the ravine still
stared white and cold above them
pitilessly high, punctuated with black
tree stems
Up they crawled somehow in series
of heaves and pauses. What it felt like
to the first Mrs. Endicott, Carol had
no idea.
She moved forward, with the weight
Of Carol on her back, through the deep
snow in series Of crablike movements,
with the help of pine stems and under
brush. Probably she left all emotions
about 1t to Carol She Just moved.
When she saw she could get firm
was capable Of holding under her feet.
she swung herself up and waited to
make fresh plan for the next plunge.
It was difficult to Judge the depth
OF the snow, but on an upward slope
It did not vary greatly. The first Mrs.
Endicott just managed to keep the
injured leg from the side Of the trees.
and the frozen girl on her back; that
snow held they would get her to the
top. the frost was on their side, nor
did 1t occur to her to ask what she
would do II the snow loosened
They reached the top Of the ravine
In safety close to Mrs. Endicott's skis, !
and as soon as she had recovered
enough to breath to speak. she said
I'm going to slip you off on your
good side into the snow. You'll be all |
right; and I've got to put my skis |
on"
a easpine voice cried. you won't
CTo Be Continued