Glacier County chief., 1940-05-24
BY PHYLLIS BOTTOME
Copyright 1910: By News Syndicate Co, Inc.
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO

Copyright ls40 By News Syndicate Co., Inc.
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO
Mrs. Endicott, putting on her skis,
with her back turned to Carol, said:
mo, certainly not" conclusively, rath-
er than kindly. Then she stood up,
looking taller and leaner than ever.
She seemed always to be looking down
on Carol from a great height with
those enigmatic eyes. They did not ex-
press either scorn or pity. They ex-
pressed nothing.
I've got to hold you in front of me
on my skis You'll face me with your
I'll tie this leg to the other so that
it won't dangle. AL you've got to do
is to hold on. We shall move rather
fast, but don't be afraid. I'm rather
steady skier, and it's the easiest pos
sible slope. There's a farm halfway
down. Put all your weight on that
Carol found herself swung UP again,
facing her enemy.
1t was terrible to have to look into
that steady face, but somehow or
other the question of enmity seemed
to have dropped.
Carol was being held, like a frozen
bird, between those firm. warm hands.
They were off. 1t was real flight,
fantastic, swift and terrible. Yet it had
thrilling quality that made it akin
to ecstasy.
Carol felt nothing but the air, she
saw nothing but the white flicker of
snow under the driving blades.
The only firmneSS in a flying world
was in the hands that held her.
Il can't stand any more" Carol said
to herself. This is the end. l shall
just have to drop"
! The pace slackened.
A chalet shot up close to them in
the colorless light.
Drop If you like now" said the first
Mrs. Endicott.
When Carol came round she found
herself lying on a mattress, at some
distance from big stove in shadoWy
kitchen. She did not want 70 be any
nearer the stove for she was pricking
and burning all over. as If she were
being eaten alive by an army of ants.
A tub Of snow stood close to the
mattress and the first Mrs. Endicott
deity rubbing the snow by turns over
Carols face, ears, hands and feet.
Nothing has come off," the hard.
cheerful voice proclaimed. ITS all sur
face frost bite. and you'll be none the
worse for it in the end"
ceased, and Carol found her head
firmly against a shoulder as unyield-
ing as a wooden board, while hot glu
vein was being poured into the cor
ner of her stiffened mouth.
Nothing else was alive in the room
comfort and wholly indifferent to their
strange activities. Carol had no idea
how long Mrs. Endicott had been
rubbing her, or how much glu mein
she had swallowed. but the warmth
began TO come back TO her in slow
waves.
/ There was very little light in the
beat of grandfather clock on the
wall
There was only an old crone here,
but I managed to get her going Mrs.
Endicott explained alphabetically: Il
didn't think she'd be much good to
you so sent her off to the village.
! She'll take her time over 1t. but she
and a stretcher and Colonel Endicott
if he is in the village. Probably the
! guides will know where he is" She
spoke the name of her late husband
as if she had never made his ac-
quaintance.
After she had spoken she carried
/ the tub of snow out of doors. and
when she came back there was for
I the moment nothing more for her to
do, so she sat down behind Carol at
some distance from the mattress.
All Carols moral and personal
thoughts had logged off in to the di-
rect simplicity of her needs, but now
very slowly and uncomfortably they
began to clear themselves into her
mind again.
! This woman, sitting so quietly in the
shadowy room. was Bob's first wife.
! Il didn't know you were like this"
Carol said at last defensively, when
she could no longer stand the loneli-
ness of her thoughts. You see-Bob
never told me what you were like. He
never told me anything at all about
! you-or about your life together. Never
/ anything"
why should hep" the quiet voice
replied. There was nothing to tell
that concerned you. Our life was over.
I should not have expected him to
speak of me-"
This hurt Carol more than she had
expected; but not wholly for herself.
1t hurt her for Bob, it seemed to make
him a sort of outcast, and it hurt
Carol worst Of all for this other woman,
of whom it was natural for Bob not to
speak.
Then you really" Carol began again,
sorting out her words with difficulty,
II mean you really had life together?
It wasn't, as I had always supposed,
that you Just didn't hit 1t off? I'd
supposed-1'd hoped-that you didn't
care"
The silence shut itself against Carol
as If it had an active quality.