, 1889-02-09

Icrawled along the elsie of the car to
the stove and grasped the iron fire poker,
though | had, confess, little faith in my
ability to WELD it successfully in self de
Tense.
Twice the miscreant outside the door
appeared, from the sounds, to throw his
weight against it, and her with a NUT
tered curse set hastily off through the
snow.
Rising from the floor, / peered out and
saw his dark form move of in the direc-
ton he had gone on our arrival at the
station. 1t at once came to my mind
that he had gone away to procure an AK
or n bar with which to force the door.
The instinct to fly instantly took full
possession of me. The fire poker | still
held in my hand. Catching up the on
ductor's lantern-though why ! scarcely
can tell rushed to the other door of
the car, unlocked it and sprang down
the steps. The snow was fully a foot
deep. But ] started t o run in the direc-
ton l had heard the conductor and
brakemen go away.
The moon was again obscured. 1t was
squally, and the snow flakes filed the
air, but could see far out on the prairie
some dark object which l thought might
be n house. | ran on toward 1t, exert
ing myself to the utmost in my dread of
pursuit.
The dark object proved to be much
nearer than ! had thought it. Preached
1t after n few minutes, and TO my disap-
pointment found it to be only an old
freight wagon. / drew up in the shelter
of it and looked bach toward the cars. |
could barely make them out, but / could
hear sounds which indicated that my
prosecutor was trying to break in the
door.
"My tricks in the now will betray my
course, | thought, and yet / again started
and ran on as fast as | could for some
time. ! was young and healthy, and my
fears gave me strength.
At last stopped, out of breath, and
looked all about me, vaguely hoping that
| was near the conductors house. But
only n white expanse of snowy prairie
spread out round me. could not now
see the cars or the freight
Anxiety lest ! should get lost on the
prairie and perish in the snow next filled
my mind. | went on, trying to keep to
a straight course. The accounts which
| had read of persons getting lost and
freezing to death on the western plains
required to my mind, and filled me with
he rTvcst apprehension. By this time
my boots and lose were wet through,
my feet were numb with cold, and / was
pNNbAAllb NtIN llICu.
Then suddenly some large object
doomed up before me. Going forward a
few steps, / saw that l was close upon a
house. 1t must be the conductors, /
felt sure, for ! must nave walked Mt
least two miles.
The house was n small one, and all
was dark and still about it. approached
the door and knocked several times. At
length n gruff voice called out, "Who
be ye? and what dye wantg'
The tone of voice rather than the
words sent n thrill of horror through me
afrcsh. for it was the voice of my dreaded
fellow passenger, the half breedl For n
moment was stupefied with astonish-
ment and dismay. Then it flashed to my
mind that in my wanderings over the
prairie ! had lost my way, and CANE
round to the house of these ~disreputable
peoplel
In n paroxysm of alright / ran around
the corner of the house and then away
from it. off into the snow and darkness.
CHANGING back ! saw the glimmer of a
light at tho house and heard the door
open. ! threw myself PROSTATE in the
snow, lest | should be discovered. 1t
was not till | heard the door close that /
venturcd to get up and go on.
o far went, OF how long / contin-
ued walking, | cannot say, but after n
long time another dark object came into
view upon the white expanse about me.
| approached it tremblingly. My feet
were by this time quite numb, and my
senses very dull.
1t proved to be n small mound like
hovcl, such as arc called "dig outs" or
dug outs"
Flooding my way round it l found the
door, which stood ajar, and entered. The
place felt like n ~tomb-damp, cold and
dark. All ut once it occurred to me to
light the lantern which all this time l
had carried, although / had left the
poker in the snow long before.
All, how CHEEKY and good the blessed
light was! found n stone fireplace and
an old bunk of boards containing a straw
bed.
Having set down my lantern, I broke
the crumbling old boards in pieces, and,
with them and the straw, kindled q fire
in the fireplace. When 1t was well
ablaze | sat dow before it, took off my
sodden boots, and warmed my poor,
numb feet.
There was enough of the old rubbish
to keep n fire burning in the fireplace for
an hour or more. 1t was now past A
o'clock in the morning, and n CLEAN of
daylight was coming in about the door.
New hope came TO me now, and not long
N'A NDhSS9, 10 "a DtlSOllo "Slc
passing.
Peeping out cautiously at first, saw
two men who had gone a little past the
howell, which / perceived was situated on
o road. My heart gave n great throb for
joy as l recognized in one of the men
the kind hearted conductor of the train.
Pulling open the door l called to him,
as if he had been my oldest and best
friend, and never shall | forget the look
of establishment on his face, and that of
his son, tho brakeman, MS they turned
and recognized me.
why, you poor childr' he cried out,
what brought ye hereY'
In as few words as possible l ac-
quainted him with my nocturnal pere-
CARNATIONS.
oval walv' he exclaimed, "my wife
was right, as she most allus is. Do We
know, that woman wanted me to go
back and get We, last night, arter l got
home, and h routed me out at A o'clock
this mornin' to start. Nothin' else would
satisfy. She's n New England woman
too, my wife isl She's up, and a-gittin'
breakfast for ye. So come along with
me MS quick's yc can, she'll DO right
| Glad IN 600 Np ,rl -, .,1, l...I.