Jerry noted that he was nervous and abrupt in his movements, and that Mrs. Spillane seemed laboring under some strong anxiety.  She was a thin, washed-out, worked-out woman, whose life of dreary and unending toil had stamped itself harshly upon her face.  It was the same life that had bowed her husband’s shoulders and gnarled his hands and turned his hair to a dry and dusty gray.

“He’s gone hunting up Cripple Cow,” Jerry answered.  “Did you want to cross?”

The woman began to weep quietly, while Spillane dropped a troubled exclamation and strode to the window.  Jerry joined him in gazing out to where the cables lost themselves in the thick downpour.

It was the custom of the backwoods people in that section of country to cross the Sacramento on the Yellow Dragon cable.  For this service a small toll was charged, which tolls the Yellow Dragon Company applied to the payment of Hall’s wages.

“We’ve got to get across, Jerry,” Spillane said, at the same time jerking his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his wife.  “Her father’s hurt at the Clover Leaf.  Powder explosion.  Not expected to live.  We just got word.”

Jerry felt himself fluttering inwardly.  He knew that Spillane wanted to cross on the Yellow Dream cable, and in the absence of his father he felt that he dared not assume such a responsibility, for the cable had never been used for passengers; in fact, had not been used at all for a long time.

“Maybe Hall will be back soon,” he said.

Spillane shook his head, and demanded, “Where’s your father?”

“San Francisco,” Jerry answered, briefly.

Spillane groaned, and fiercely drove his clenched fist into the palm of the other hand.  His wife was crying more audibly, and Jerry could hear her murmuring, “And daddy’s dyin’, dyin’!”

The tears welled up in his own eyes, and he stood irresolute, not knowing what he should do.  But the man decided for him.

“Look here, kid,” he said, with determination, “the wife and me are goin’ over on this here cable of yours!  Will you run it for us?”

Jerry backed slightly away.  He did it unconsciously, as if recoiling instinctively from something unwelcome.

“Better see if Hall’s back,” he suggested.

“And if he ain’t?”

Again Jerry hesitated.

“I’ll stand for the risk,” Spillane added.  “Don’t you see, kid, we’ve simply got to cross!”

Jerry nodded his head reluctantly.

“And there ain’t no use waitin’ for Hall,” Spillane went on.  “You know as well as me he ain’t back from Cripple Cow this time of day!  So come along and let’s get started.”

No wonder that Mrs. Spillane seemed terrified as they helped her into the ore-car—­so Jerry thought, as he gazed into the apparently fathomless gulf beneath her.  For it was so filled with rain and cloud, hurtling and curling in the fierce blast, that the other shore, seven hundred feet away, was invisible, while the cliff at their feet dropped sheer down and lost itself in the swirling vapor.  By all appearances it might be a mile to bottom instead of two hundred feet.