"I--don't know. I guess every one is--a bit afraid, when they're going
into trouble. I know what I'm doing, if that's what you mean."

She was silent for a long moment, looking up at the packed drifts, at
the ragged outlines of the mountains against the moonlit sky, then into
the valleys and the shimmering form of the round, icy lake, far below.
Her lips moved, and Barry went closer.

"Beg pardon?"

"Nothing--only there are some things I can't understand. It doesn't
seem quite natural--"

"What?"

"That things could--" Then she straightened and looked at him with
clear, frank eyes. "Mr. Houston," came quietly, "I've been thinking
about something all day. I have felt that I haven't been quite
fair--that a man who has acted as you have acted since--since I met you
this last time--that he deserves more of a chance than I have given
him. That--"

"I'm asking nothing of you, Miss Robinette."

"I know. I am asking something of you. I want to tell you that I have
been hoping that you can some day furnish me the proof--that you spoke
of once. I--that's what I wanted to tell you," she ended quickly and
extended her hand. "Good-by. I'll be praying for all of you up there."

Houston answered only with a pressure of his hand. His throat had
closed suddenly. His breath jerked into his lungs; his burning,
wind-torn lips ached to touch the hand that had lingered for a moment
in his. He looked at her with eyes that spoke what his tongue could
not say, then he went on,--a shambling, dead-tired man, even on awaking
from sleep, but a man whose heart was beating with a new fervor. She
would be praying for all of them up there at the Trail. And all of
them included him.

At the cab of the engine, he listened to the final instructions of the
cursing, anxious superintendent, then went to his black work of the
shovel. Higher and higher mounted the steam on the gauge; theirs was
the first plow, theirs the greatest task. For if they did not go
through, the others could not follow; if their attack were not swift
enough, staunch enough, the slide that was sure to come sooner or later
would carry with it mangled machinery and the torn forms of men into a
chasm of death. One by one the final orders came,--crisp, shouted,
cursing commands, answered in kind. Then the last query:

"If there's a damn man of you who's a coward, step out! Hear that? If
you're afraid--come on--there's no stopping once you start!"

Eng