The Uphill Climb

m of Getti

low-sweeping clouds. Ford had not slept much, for hunger and cold make poor bedfellows, and all the brush he could glean on that barren hillside, wit

legs when a sudden gust played with it. Ford shivered, and beat his gloved hands about his body, and looked up at the sky to see whether the sun would presently shine and send a little warmth to this bleak land where he wandered. He blamed the girl for all of this discomfort, and he told himself that the next time a woman appeared within his range of vision he would ride way around her. They invariably brought trouble

ut because there was nothing else that he could do, and his anxiety and his pity impelled service of some sort. He rubbed until his fingers were numb and his arm aching, tried him again, and gave up all hope of leading the horse to a ranch. A mile he might manage, if he had to but ten! He rubbed Rambler's nose commiseratingly, straightened his forelock, told him over

w-and I never received it in time! Now, ain't that a darned shame?" He

ve me if you can, and forget me if you have to. It is better thus, for it couldn't otherwise was,'" he improvised mockingly, while his chilled fin

t sentence bidding him wait until help came-that was all. His eye measured accusingly the wide margin left blank under t

e range land. He glanced from ribbon to note, ended his indecision by stuffing the note carelessly into his coat pocket and letting the ribbon drop t

efore he dismissed the subject from his mind altogether. "I was trying to hel

gly. "And I crippled a damned good horse trying to help a blamed poor specimen of a woman!

re practically helpless; for a moment his fingers rested upon the butt of his six-shooter, while he considered going back and putting an end to life and misery for Rambler. But for all the hardness men had found in Ford Campbell, he was woman-

he nickerings of the horse did not grow perceptibly fainter. With a queer gripping of the muscles in his throat he did turn, then, and saw Rambler's head over the little ridge he had just crossed. The horse

d nose with more affection than he had ever shown a woman. "You'd tag along, if-if you didn't have but one leg to carry you! And I was going to-" He could not bring himself t

th it, and hungry as he was, he stopped often and long, and massaged the sprained shoulder faithfully while

noon when he thankfully reached the Double Cross, threw his saddle down