ss of the pitch, its
bottom, which covered the frames and rockwork, was thin. Festing sent
half the men to cut this portion away, and the others up the hill to
haul posts for the snowshed to the top of the slides. It was obvious
that a very heavy weight rested on the buried work, but the pressure was
uniform, unlike the jarring of a train, and he did not feel disturbed.

About four o'clock in the afternoon he came to see how much progress
the shovel gang had made, and Charnock, who superintended their labor,
showed him what they had done. They had cut a gap in the cone, and part
of the rockwork was exposed nearly to the bottom. On each side, the snow
ran down to the water in a uniform smooth slant, except where broken
trees projected from the surface. Above, the mass of snow rested on the
shelf that would carry the track and on the top of the half-finished
work. It glittered with a yellow flush where it caught the fading light,
but in the hollow its color was a dull, cold blue.

By and by they examined the wall. So far as they could see, the
stonework bore the unusual load well, but in one spot there was a crack
between two courses.

"I'll get up there in the morning and see if it's worth while to drive
in a few wedges," Festing remarked. "You had better watch that bank of
snow. Some of it will probably break away."

"We have had two or three small falls," said Charnock, and Festing
beckoned one of the men.

"Come up the hill in the morning, Tom. I'm going to clear the log-slide
or break a new one. Which d'you think would be best?"

While they talked about it, a shower of snow fell on Charnock, who
stepped back.

"Watch out!" he cried. "There's more coming!"

Festing moved a pace or two and went on talking, but Charnock fixed his
eyes on the snow. The part above the track overhung the gap in a bulging
cornice, as if it was moving down hill, and in a few moments a heavier
shower began. The bulge got more prominent, but the cornice did not
break off, and while he watched it, wondering whether he should call out
the men, a stone fell from the wall and dropped at his feet. This was
ominous, but next moment a mass of snow struck his head, nearly knocking
him down, and when he recovered his balance and wiped his face he
noted with alarm that the stones were opening and the big post leaned
outwards.

"Jump for your lives, boys!" he shouted, and throwing himself on
Festing, drove him back.

Then there was a roar of