, 1889-02-09

tram would start out Mt U O'CLOCK IN the
evening, to push on with it, rather than
stop over till the next week. l hoped l
might get conveyance to the claim, OF at
all events procure lodgings at c.
So never needing the stern, / hurried
at the appointed time into the single old
Passenger car at the rear of the long
tTas and was soon moving out into the
dim, white country. There was but one
other passenger, n dark, doubtful look
ing half breed, who watched me so per-
s%istently, though furtively, that before
we had proceeded many miles | would
have given much If | had remained be-
hind.
II was n great relief to me when the
conductor came in and engaged the at
tcntion of the fellow, as he occasionally
did, with inquiries about the Black Hills,
from which it seemed he had just
come in.
Pierre and the fort across the river
were the starting points to the hills for
the freighters with their long OK and
mule teams of six and eight span, and
big loaded wagons coupled together like
cara. The presence of doubtful charac-
tiers in the vicinity was then not a thing
unusual.
! confidently expected hat we would
get to our point Of destination within
three hours after starting, but so slow
was our progress on account of n heavy
train and slippery track that not more
than two-thirds of the journey had been
accomplished in that time.
The storm had come on again. and the
wind blew n gale, and drove the frozen
hail in thick clouds across the dreary
country. Night had shut down early,
making what was before an anxious stu
alton almost intolerable.
NV odious fellow traveller had even
moved to n nearer seat, and although my
suspicious may have done him injustice,
| felt him to be n dangerous neighbor,
and was shivcring rs much with fright
as cold, when the conductor again came
in and announced that we would soon be
at c.
Are you expecting friends to meet
you, Miss he said TO me.
| explained the situation to him hope
fully, but he put on n rather doubtful
expression.
but s'pos'n' your father amt there
what them he asked with some concern
In his tones.
have TO get lodgings, as it is too late to
get n conveyance" I replied, as calmly
as | could.
"Why miss, there's only one house,
an that's morc'n half n mile on-an'
faint likely you'd want to go to that"
he added, In an undertone, "nothin' but
n pack o. half breeds living in it, and
queer at That If 'twarn't so fur TO my
place-two miles, | reckon-Td ask We
TO go along, but it's too tough out. blow
in n rcgelar blizzard"
But, surely, ! can stay in the station
the waiting ROOM | faltercd,
why, miss" he exclaimed, after re-
garding me n moment, in wonder Mt my
ignorance. | suppose. That's what I'm
hauling this lumber for, to build n new
one. The old one went up in n blaze
day fore ycst'd'y, 'Twarn't nothin' but
n shanty, anyway" he added, picking
up his lantern, and going out hurricdly
ut an imperative whistle from the engine.
My feelings at his announcement can
be imagined.
Upon coming 20 n stop on the siding,
and finding no one to meet me, l gave
why, for the first time since leaving
home, to tears. Just then n rough hand
touched my shoulder, and my offensive
car mate growlcd into my ear: "Where
you goI Big storm. Cone long. 1 take
care you"
! shook of his hand with n shuddor of
terror, but mustered sufficient courage
10 decline his attentions most cmphati-
cally, w%hcrcupon he went off into the
darkness muttering, and l was left to my
frightened thoughts.
What would become of me!
1t was now about 10 o'clock, and the
storm still ragged. Clearly thcrS was
nothing to be done but stay where l was
till morning on the lonely prairie. The
really kind hearted conductor came in
again, and rckindlcd the fire in the stove.
Il don't see but you'll nave to set it
out here till mornin'," he remarked, not
without n touch of anxiety in his voice.
There don't seem to be nothin' else.
I'll leave We my lantern, though you'd
better blow it out, | reckon, after l go
away, so the light needn't draw anybody
round. But I'll leave ye these Matches"
he continued, 'in case ye want to light
it, and I'll lock both doors of the car,
but I'll leave the key here inside! I'm
sorry, miss, it's 81 fur to my place" he
added, after n final inspection of the fire
and n look Mt two or three of the win
dows. You can come pretty soon arter
| 60 out, and lock the car door"
With that he babe me good night, and
set off on his long tramp in the storm
with his two sons, who were the train
hands. Their work allowed them to be
ut home only over Sundays, and they
were tired and hungry, | presume.
As soon MS their steps had died away l
fell into a panic. In spite of the storm
and darkness, and tho long distance, l
ANbANAANN AAAsAA q az nv bldNtu IL ull anu
gone with them. Running out, | shouted
wildly after them.
But the storm bore my voice in an
other direction, and after waiting vainly
for an answering halloo, l returned to
the ear, blew out the light, locked the
door, and huddled into n far corner,
where for n long time | sat, quite dumb
with terror.
How tho moments dragged! The
storm began to hull. BY II O'Clock the
moon was showing fitfully through the
broken clouds. But the ghostly white
ness of the wide, lonely country was
even worse than the wild uproar of the
storm. The cracking of the car, the
falling of a bit of coal in the rusty little
stove, the ticking of my watch and my
own turbulent heart throbs were almost
painfully loud.
My sensitive ear caught the slightest
Sounds, and presently | detected stealthy
footsteps outside. My heart stopped
beating for n moment, l grew dizzy and
faint, but retained sufficient sense to
slide down off the seat to the floor, where
| crouched, praying silently for the pro-
lection Of him who has promised to be