The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-10

straight line for the place where we knew the 'shanty belonging to Moore must be. We ought to come near enough to it to see it AS we passed; if not-well, we didn't like to think of that. As our course must be made with the greatest care, Moore drove, while Bailey and I took turns in rig idly keeping the wind upon the right ear, and in walking in the track be- hind. The track was kept straight in this way and increased our chances of finding the house.
 We were now moving in circle of half-light, outside of which, hun- dred feet away, was darkness. With in this half-light all was distorted, fantastic. A sage bush, clump of weeds, or tuft of grass assumed huge proportions, and through the treach- erous gloom looked like barn or stack of hay in the farther reach of the eye. A bit of shingle not fifty feet from my eye looked so like cabin on the side of distant swell that called joyfully to my companions that had found the house. It frightened me when, few steps further on, came to the wind blown bit of wood, and my vision of the house and the snowy hill faded out into the depths of the storm. The snow flew SO thickly that we could not see the ponies at times as they labored heavily through the deep snow, for we were on the un- burned prairie now and the snow was mid-leg deep. Around me I heard the multitudinous trampling ot the suows, the duttering of innumerable wings, the sheer weight of an army of foes pressing against us, small as units, terrible force taken together. There were swirls here and there which opened vistas in which the mind put vague pictures of battles between ghostly adverssries, and then the snow came down upon us-ay, it seemed to leap up from beneath, fall from above, as we'll as drive on the level terrific blast like sand from 8 tube. At intervals we would stop, and go as far as we dared to the right and left, and stepping down, look under the snow to discover the house. Our course since leaving the section line was so slow and painful that it seemed as though we had been travel ling more than an hour, and finally Moore pulled up and turned to me with look of grim resolution on his face that told that we had arrived at the same conclusion.
 "Seagraves, we're in for it. We've passed the shanty without seeing it."
 "That's about my idea. And more than that, l will not go single step farther in that direction. There is nothing but trackless prairie out there. Our only hope now is to turn to the southeast and keep going till we strike the settlement. If the po- nies keep up, we're all right"
 "That's about the size of it, if we've gone by the shanty, for my claim is about the last one in the township, and the next is unsurveyed. So we'd better turn and strike for the Nor wegian settlement south of here. But where's Bailey?"
 1 True enough! I sent my eye around the circle; he was not in sight. While we were talking he had lost sight of us, and making a detour to see the house, if possible might be ahead or behind us, we could not tell. We looked at each other an instant in fear, then halloed in chorus. No reply. If he were to the south, his cries could not reach us; and if to the north, ours could not reach him. Again we shouted and again listened. No reply, though we strained our ears in the steady, ceaseless roar and scream of the storm. For the first time 1 was afraid. In such ferocious tempest and in such deadly cold man could not live long. We took turns in shout ing, but no reply came, till a Hull in the wind not only left the air clearer, but softened the tumult in the ear, and we heard a faint cry in the dis tance-"Helpw It seemed so far off that it had no more force than the cry of kitten. We could not tell whether it was on the earth or in the sky, or whether we imagined it, but soon it came again. "He's at our left" said Moore, pulling the horses about and following the cry. At every few rods we would stop and shout, and listen for his cry, which grew each moment stronger. But he was not approach ing us, he was waiting for us to come to him. Soon we were within speak ing distance, and he was directing us where to find him. It was strange that he did not approach us. We thought he must have met with some accident, when suddenly he stood be- side us. With single word, "Fol- low me-" he started off, the horses fol- lowing him. We could not see him, but we knew he was on the track of something. Soon we came upon 8 small barn heavily banked with snow, and with hoarse cheers we shook hands