, splitting great trees to kindling-wood in the fury of its rush.
The concussion of the wind shattered every window to fragments, almost
tore the cabin from its foundations. Only the extreme tail of the slide
touched them, yet they were buried deep in flying snow.

He found no great difficulty in digging a way out, and when he lifted
her to the surface she was conscious. Yet she was pale even to the lips
and trembled like an aspen in the summer breeze, clinging to him for
support helplessly.

His cheerful voice rang like a bugle to her shocked brain.

"It's all past. We're safe now, dear--quite safe."

The first of the trail-breakers had dismounted and was plowing his way
hurriedly to the cabin, but neither of them saw him as he came up the
slope.

"Are you sure?" She shuddered, her hands still in his. "Wasn't it
awful? I thought--" Her sentence trailed out unfinished.

"Are you unhurt, Aline?" cried the newcomer. And when he saw she was,
he added: "Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is
good: for His mercy endureth forever. He saved them for His name's
sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known."

At sound of the voice they turned and saw the man hurrying toward them.
He was tall, gray, and seventy, of massive frame and gaunt, still
straight and vigorous, with the hooked nose and piercing eyes of a
hawk. At first glance he looked always the bird of prey, but at the
next as invariably the wolf, an effect produced by the salient reaching
jaw and the glint of white teeth bared for a lip smile. Just now he was
touched to a rare emotion. His hands trembled and an expression of
shaken thankfulness rested in his face.

Aline, still with Ridgway's strong arms about her, slowly came back to
the inexorable facts of life.

"You--here?"

"As soon as we could get through--and thank God in time."

"I would have died, except for--" This brought her immediately to an
introduction, and after she had quietly released herself the man who
had saved her heard himself being formally presented: "Mr. Ridgway, I
want you to meet my husband, Mr. Harley."

Ridgway turned to Simon Harley a face of hammered steel and bowed,
putting his hands deliberately behind his back.

"I've been expecting you at Mesa, Mr. Harley," he said rigidly. "I'll
be glad to have the pleasure of welcoming you there."

The great financier was wondering where he had heard the man's name
before, but he only said gravely: "You