The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-12

by 3 o'clock He stopped before Dunnell's
ranch. Did the Duunells want anything
purchased in Meade!
They did. Mrs. Dunnell wanted a new
hat and a new cloak very much, but Mr.
Dunnell had not had time TO drive up to the
railroad town. OF course Mr.. BigelOw
could not buy such things to fit 1t was
perfectly natural aud proper that Mrs.
Dunnel sh iuld be invited u go to Meade
with Mr.. Bigelow, and since the family had
relatives at Meade, and were well KIN own
besides, there was no reason why she should
not go. She went, it may be said, with the
consent-very hearty consent, it now appears
of her husband
1t was a beautiful January day. The sun
was as soft and warm as on a day in MAY
in less favored ATTITUDES The air. warmed
by the direct rays and by the rays reflected
from the gray buffalo grass, was already
beginning to wayer as the two drove away
on Mr.. Bgelow's comfortable blackboard
MIR. Duunell stood in front of the ranch and
watched them until the outfit began to as
sumo grOteSque and even gigantic outlines
under the rar1tied air.
The weather held fair until after 8 O'Clock.
Inen Wavering outline of the horizon to
the north hardened, and before the people
TAD noticed this fact the warm southerly
breeze had died, and every one out of doors
began to shiver with sudden and ominous
fall Of the temperature Those who knew
Che country made haste to get to their homes,
and there shut up every crevice and put such
stacks of fuel by their stoves as would serve
TO keep the stove red-hot for as long time
as possible. The hardened outline of the
northern horizon rapidly developed into
BLACK cloud that rose up and spread over
the SKY with booming speed. Then, when
but half the sky had been blotted out of
sight, the cloud burst open and filled the
gale that came driving down before it hard
with an icy fleece of snow. It was ire
slstlble and deadly. The night came early
that day, but it shut out no more effec-
lively one ranch from another than the
storm had already done. IL there was any
one abroad in that storm, no one else
noticed it.
With the morning the sun rose once more
warm and smiling as on the morning be-
fore, but this time to shine down on daz-
zllng waste of snow. The warm wind came
up from the south as soft and sweet as if no
such thing as snow storm had ever been
known there. Mr.. Bigelow and Mrs Dun
nell, who had reached Meade Just in time to
gain shelter, fastened their shopping, and,
anxious to relieve the suspense under which
they supposed the companions at home
would be under, drove with oft-applied
whip down the trail to No Mans Land But
the roads were bad everywhere. After they
hdu Odken GnelT nasty dinner on the banks
OF the Cinnamon. and the sun was sinking
out Of sight, the Dunnell ranch at last came
in view
1t was with no little apprehension that
Mrs. Dunnell noticed that there was no sign
of life about the house, for Dunnell had said
he would very likely go hunting Mr.
Bigelow became nervous lest something
should have happened to the child at home,
boy of 4, and that Mr.. Dunnell had been
obliged to 90 for doctor. At the Dunnen
ranch no one answered hail, d hasty
glance showed that the house mad not been
occupied during the storm. Tired as they
were, the Texas ponies bad to gallop down
the trail toward the Bigelow claim. Before
1t was reached the ponies SHE'D suddenly at
something in the trail ahead OF them and
overwelt blackboard, tumbling out the two
excited people.
The ponies stopped and Dunnell ran to
see wha1 had frightened them. The sight
made him groan. Lying on the ground not
over forty rods from his home was the body
OF his wife, dead. She was wrapped in a
blanket, and over that was the coat and
overcoaG of William Dunnell By her side
i'll his shirt-sleeves with one of his hands
clasped to her lips was the dead body of
William Dunnell.
At home on the floor lay the dead child.
To escape its eyes Mrs. Bigelow had gone to
the Dunnell ranch to meet her lover and all
had died in the blizzard.