And, lo! her lips fell apart--like a
cleft stone.

At the same time her heart slunk out of
her body and dropped into the precipice
behind her.

Her fingers just missed that spur--fell
short!

They touched it; they could not curl
over it--and grip.

Flattening herself to a green creeper
against the rock which seemed spurning
her, wildly she stretched every tendril--every
sinew.

In vain! Make as long an arm as she
could, this daring Pem, her five feet three
of slim girlish stature would not become
the five feet nine of the daredevil who
preceded her!

Emergency balks at extension.

That right arm, racked, fell limply back.

The blue of her eyes, hooking to the
spur, if her fingers couldn't, grew glazed
like enamel.

She felt as if she were tumbling back-*
[[84]]

p083 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p084w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p085

v?