Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-26

up TO it, mounted on Sans pony. A
few moments later. he was ON the way
to Josh's claim. The pony galloped
briskly along. and the air of the late
autumn day was bracingly cool Just
as he came in sight of the claim shack
around the slope of the mound. q
moving figure. just coming over the
rise to the northwest attracted his
attention. Although considerable
distance away, the boy was certain
that the figure was not that of one Of
the neighboring squatters. His man
ner of walking. and some popularity
of the cut or color of his garments
told that 1t was the inspector, Lit
tie Jim was sure, but what was the
meaning of his walking over the
prairie so far from town? Jim con-
cluded that he must have left his con-
veyance at Hawley's claim. a couple
of miles or so beyond the rise, and
was proceeding on foot. perhaps. for
exercise.
The pedestrian was somewhat near
er the destination of both than was
little Jim. but a brisk gallop ON the
part of the pony would alter matters
and land the boy there many minutes
before the arrival of the other. who
was approaching almost at right an
giles to Jim's course. Then. as little
Jim puckered up his lips to chirp to
the pony, he glanced ahead. At least
a dozen rabbits were in sight and he
wondered what led them all to go
scudding away toward the southeast,
where the timber fringed the creek.
Scarce rod before him jack-rabbit
passed, hurrying with prodigious leaps
toward the distant timber. A buzzard,
that but five minutes before had been
lazily circling high above the mound.
was rapidly sailing away toward the
destination of the rabbits. A cloud
appeared to the northwest. and even
as little Jim looked it could be seen
moving upward. Five minutes before
it looked few feet long; now it was
half as long as the mound. Not a
sound came from it. but the cloud
seemed moving up with the speed of a
racer.
1t was plain that tho footman did
not know of its existence, for he con-
tinued to stroll onward with his face
to the claim and his back to the cloud.
Then little Jim saw a movement of
some small object on the top of the
rise. 1t advanced. and, clearly out
lined against the black of the clouds
behind. the lad saw it was child, q
little girl Down the gentle slope she
came, now and then pausing to exam
inc some object of interest a belated
flower or a peculiar weed, perhaps.
then trotting on again. as if DESTROYS of
overtaking the pedestrian so far ahead.
1t was the inspectors child, little
Jim thought. Probably she had
strayed away from the claim where
she had been left in the care of the
squatter's wife and had followed her
father who, not suspecting that she
was behind HIM, did not once look
back and discover her. Higher and
higher glided the cloud. Now it was
almost black above, but below it was
white, and as it advanced seemed de-
vouring, blotting out the landscape
with a great, white impenetrable pail.
Then, of sudden. there came from
the cloud a puff of wind that had an
icy edge to it that made little Jim
SILVER and caused the pony to throw
up his head with snort of apprehen-
sion and strain at the bit in an en-
deavor to return the way they had
come. Then the nature of the ap-
preaching storm dawned upon little
Jim. Sam had told him tales of the
power and danger Of the billiards. of
the plains. but till that moment he
had not realized that the coming
storm was a blizzard.
He saw the pedestrian turn as he
felt the icy blast, but, just second
before he did so. the child, far behind,
descended into a little gully and her
father did not see her. 1t was evident
that he realized his danger. for he
broke into brisk run and dashed to-
ward the claim-shack.
For but a single instant little Jim
hesitated. The somber cloud was
half way across the sky and the icy
bursts of wind. that sent the tumble
weeds hurrying across the prairie. fol-
lowed each other in quick succession.
The white wall below the black of the
blizzard seemed eating the landscape
away as it advanced. The man on foot
has almost reached the wire fence of
the claim, and at that instant the child
emerged from the gully and trotted
helplessiy forward. If he urged the
pony onward. little Jim could reach
the shack before the inspector. hold
the claim. and. at the same time. be
safe from the billiards. rage within