Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-14

not before.
Angry words rose to Joe's lips but he
| hesitated. The cool, indifferent manner
of the elaim-iumper puzzled him.
He was about to speak, when the
tramp of a horses feet sounded IN the
grass b ,hind him, and Bill Barnum rode
M. a Winchester rifle swung across his
saddle. -,
s.Ihought mebbe ye'd have trouble,
he explained, ian that I'd come over
an see We out"
''Bill," said Joe, gaining courage at
the arrival of reinforcements, The says
he h amt a-goin' ter leave"
"Won't her Bill answered, bringing
his Winchester down on the stranger.
Snow. We load up yer traps an git.
cali right" he answered, doggedly.
"You've got Their advantage o me. IL
90. but I'll git even with ye sometime,
See if / don't" and he began tumbling
his effects together.
Bill and Joe watched him while he
piled his traps into the wagon;
stranger" said Bill, eve don't want
fer be hard on yer, an we don't MIND
payin' We fer yer little shanty, seem as
We can't take hit along.
"No, hit amt worth nothln, was
| the answer. 1 don't mind giyin good
neighbor a little thing like that"
ssWal, Bill, said Joe, "h'it's gittln'
late. and we'd better be gittin' back ter
the shanty and lookin' after our sup
per-"
"Snpperl' exclaimed Bill. THAR
h'aint nothin' fer supper, nor breckferst
either, unless that emery cuss gifts BACK
from Atticy ter-night.
"Don't say that" answered Joe.
"H'it makes me hungrier an bar ter
/ hear We speak like that. H'ain't we got
nothin ter eat :" !,
"No, nothin' but few pieces o hard
bread an bit or two o meat. That
onery cuss, John Biggs, that We sent
after grubb to Atticy, ill git drunken
1 IAN a billed owl, and not come back till
we 60 after him, like as not.
With this they turned their horses
around, and rode away in the direction
OF home, leaving the stranger standing
in silence looking after them.
Ike Dover-for such was the stranger
name-turned and entered his shanty.
oval, hit means pull out, / reckon,
he muttered "but Ill jist stay hyar till
mornin', anyway"
The sun had gone down behind bank
of tawny, purple clouds, and an ashy
pallor overspread the sky.
'Goin ter have bad weather" OBJ
served Joe Scaggs, as they rode through
the fast-gathering darkness.
Late that night Bill punched Joe IN
the ribs with his elbow, and said
"Joe, hits gittin' colder an all git
out. W've got ter git up an find some
more covers. Gee whiz listen ter that
wind T.
Bill got up, and struck a light and
put on his clothes.
The weather had suddenly grown in
tensley cold, and the wind was roaring
across the prairie, and sweeping through
the dead grass with sharp Kissing
sound.
Bill opened the door and looked
out.
A great gust OF wind swept into the
room, whirling q cloud of snow flakes
with it and extinguishing the light.
4" A blizzard exclaimed Bill,
slamming the door and relighting the
lamp.
Joe had also got up, and was putting
on his clothes.
1--WE must see ter the hosses," he
said, drawing on his heavy boots.
ssThey'll freeze ter death in that shed If
they hain't blanketed."
He opened the door and went out,
and in few moments returned.
1.-The HOSES air gone heexclaimed;
''brolSe loose and been driven away by
the blizzard.
lone NV us must go after EN-" ex-
claimed Bill. "H'it won't do to lose
'em. They'll die in this storm if they
don't find shelter"
Eyes, an you'd die dozen times fore
we'd find EN- in this storm.
"Poor animals !" exclaimed Bill, "but
hit can't be helped"
Bill kindled a fire in the little sheet
iron stove in the corner.
The air was growing colder and colder
! every moment, snd the circle OF heat
around the stove grew smaller with each
surge OF the wind as il shook the loose
I boards ON the roof aud sent the sleet and
snow kissing through the crevices.
I The two men drew their chairs near the
stove after replenishing the fame from
/ a pile OF coal in the corner OF the ROOM
! MCTUlflR CauIt IL itots KAY bAA NCoC
+ late. with binding clouds OF snow and
sleet sweeping across the prairie. The
storm showed no gns of abating, but
was increasing in its fury.
Joe" said Bill, breaking the silence,
"nobody can't come from Atticy ter-day
and the peryisions thsr's nothin' in the
house ter eat"
Joe got up aud looked out at the
small window.
"H'its as We say, Bill; thar can't no
body come from Atticy ter-day-'
And then, huskily: "H'it may be a week
Tor they can.
The two men looked at each other,
and each read the others thoughts.
THAR can't nobody git nowhar, and
mebhy not fer a week. Bill, we air in a
bad Ak
Bill made no reply, but filed large
black pipe, lit It, sat down by the FIRE,
and began putting away in silence.
Joe bsonght more fuel from the corner
a.1 tiilel mn the etove