Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 72: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

70. Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine “Our man went across last night when it was frozen tight and safe. She’s thawed some since morning. What do you think?” he asked. Hard-rock rubbed the fringe of red whiskers across his jaw, and shook his head. “It looks like it’s a problem for the old Shipley-Tupper team,” he ventured. Without further words, each took a long line from his pack, tied them, then with one end lashed around his waist, Hard-rock crawled onto the snow bridge. Slowly Poke paid out the line. A chunk of snow dropped from the center of the bridge, and Hard-rock froze, while Poke’s big hands clutched the line. The danger passed, and Hard-rock crawled to the other side. “It’s a wonder the whole works didn’t go last night under his weight. Do you think you’d better risk it, Poke?” he anxiously inquired. “After all, it’s only fur and a fur- robber we’re after.” “With you on the other end of the rope,’ Poke answered, and a trace of affection crept into his voice, “Ud risk hell.” Hard-rock shed his pack, then with a hand ax cut holes for his heels in the ice. He set his heels, took in the slack of the line, and said, “All right!” Poke began crawling over the bridge, and Hard-rock kept the line tight. “Take it easy!” he suddenly shouted. “That snow’s beginnin’ to drop from the arch.” Movement might make matters worse, and Poke froze, as Hard-rock had done. But he was heavier. Blocks of snow dropped, and the long sourdough waited, knowing any moment the section beneath him might fall. | ' cushion saved broken bones. “That takes nerve, boy!” Hard- rock cried. Then he swore as an- other mass fell. The arch across the crevasse was dangerously thin. Then suddenly the fall stopped, and a tense silerice settled over the ice field, as if even nature were awaiting the outcome. Poke removed his pack and ‘pushed it ahead of him, to lighten the strain on his partner should the bridge break, then he squirmed ahead. Five, ten feet he moved, then suddenly he saw the snow ahead sag. | “She’s going!’ he roared as an irregular section dropped. He dropped amid a shifting mass of ice and snow, but the rope held, and his body was drawn against the wall of the crevasse. Only a snow It was all over in a matter of seconds. “How are you, Poke?” Hard-rock shouted. ) “Tm all right. onto the line?” “Say, are you hintin’ I ain’t man enough?” Hard-rock gasped. “You long drink of water, for two cents I’d——”_ He saved his breath and began to haul in the line, hand over hand, inches at a time, while Poke dug his moceasins into every niche and helped to lighten the load. Slowly he was drawn to his partner. Hard-rock’s hand pulled him the last foot, and for several minutes, they lay gasping on the brink of de- struction. “Lost my pack,” Poke said finally. “I’ve got enough for both of us,” Hard-rock answered. “Well, let’s get that cuss.” >? ° Can you hang S the shadows fell that night, Hard-rock saw the blow of a fire in the trees bordering the glacier. “We're pretty tired,” h growled, “but—there’s ovr man.” ___