Part 38 (1/2)

By and by the slope grew gentler, and tall forest crept up the hill when they came to a ravine a torrent had worn out of the mountain side

The ravine was narrow and for a short distance below the top the banks shelved steeply; then a wall of rock fell straight to the water that brawled in the bottoht was dih a haze of spray The trail had been e by chopping a big fir so that it fell across the chashly squaring its upper surface, though it is seldom a Canadian bushe There was no reason anybody with normal nerve should hesitate to cross, but the party stopped

”You have gone farther than usual to-day, Featherstone, and perhaps you'd sooner cut out the bridge,” said one ”I think we could get round the head of the canon without lengthening the distancefarther than I did before, and I don't see why the log should bother s that are weak--not o first and Miss Chisholed or shah

He let theo, and Lucy did not object Lawrence was not well yet, but she had seen hi the crevasses and knew his steadiness

Then, although she did not kno ot that physical weakness sometimes affects one's nerve Walters could not harh

When the first two had gone over, Lawrence walked out upon the log

Lucy was not afraid, but she watched and remarked that he seemed unusually careful After a few paces, he moved slowly, and when near the middle stopped She saw him clench his hands as he tried to brace himself

”Go on, Lawrence,” she said, as quietly as she could

He ain, and Lucy struggled with her terror as she tried to think If he ell, it would not be difficult to turn and coerous if his nerve had gone She had failed to rouse hiain If he slipped or stue into the canon It was horrible to reflect that she had allowed hi fear, she sprang to her feet

”Stand quite still; I' to help you,” she said in a strained voice and went towards the log

Next moment she was seized fro her lips as she stopped the screaht startle her lover, and heard thehard

But he held her fir horror that made her muscles limp Still, she could see and think, and the scene fixed itself upon her brain like a photograph; long afterwards she could reround of the picture, running boldly across the gap in the pines, with a shadowy gulf beneath Near the middle, Lawrence stood slackly, with his back to her, and behind hiile, his figure well-proportioned and athletic, and it was so his powers Afterwards, she hated him for his vanity

It was plain that little physical help could be given All that was possible was rasp that would restore the shakenthere was soht push the wrong way, or even an unsteadiness in the hand that should have guided, ht be fatal Lawrence was at the mercy of a man who had plotted to destroy him and could do so noithout risk Lucy could not warn hi in an agony of suspense, she saw Walters grasp his shoulder

”Steady, partner; we'll soon be across,” he said in a quiet, reassuring voice, and Lawrence's slack pose stiffened, as if he had gathered confidence

Lucy thought he did not knoho had spoken, but the horrible tension did not slacken yet, though Lawrence began tothan supporting him, and in a few asped and logs and pines got blurred and indistinct She conquered the faintness and went resolutely towards the log

”Wait and let me help you,” somebody said

”No,” she answered in a strained voice; ”I' without a tre to where Lawrence sat put her ar, but took and held her hand

XXIX

FOSTER ARRIVES

When Lucy looked up, the others had gathered round and Walters smiled sympathetically

”Are you better?” he asked Lawrence

”Yes; we'll go on in a minute I don't knoas the matter; felt dizzy and couldn't keep 's obvious,” Walters agreed ”After seeing you on the glaciers, I reckon your nerve's all right, but you're not well yet and we brought you up the last hill too fast The exertion disturbed the beating of your heart and a few drops toodifference That's what happened; it's our fault”