Then, ignoring Brent, he
wheeled and lunged madly into the laurel.
Figures came running in response to the alarm of pistol report and
shouting, but old man McGivins, whom they carried to the nearest
bonfire, feebly nodded his head. Parson Acup was bending over him and
when he rose it was with a dubious face.
"I fears me thet wound's mighty liable ter be a deadener," he said.
Then the wounded man lifted a trembling hand. "Git me over home," he
directed shortly, "An' fer God's sake, boys, go forward with this work
till hit's finished."
CHAPTER II
Through the tree tops came a confusion of voices, but none of them
human. A wind was racing to almost gale-like violence and with it came
the inrush of warm air to peaks and valleys that had been tight-frozen.
Between precipices echoed the crash of ice sliding loose and
splintering as it fell in ponderous masses. Men sweating in the glare
of collossal bonfires toiled at the work of re-inforcing the dam.
They had been faithful; they were still faithful, but the stress of
exhaustion was beginning to sap their morale; to drive them into
irritability so that, under the strain of almost superhuman exertion,
they threatened to break.
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