Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-08-20

ana Hen expected TO arrive there at noon,
in time to get his dinner, dispose of his
broncho and make the o'clock train east.
There was plenty of time, so he let his
horse take its own gait and gave himself
up to his own thoughts.
Not living creature was in sight on all
the broad plain. Hen and his horse were
as much alone as If they had been on the
open sea. Human habitation, between
the ID bar" and Jersey, there was none
Hen dismounted and laid his ear to the
ground, listening intently for a few sec
onds. Yes, there it was that dull, whis-
pering, indistinct roar which the plains
man knows and fears-the voice of the
coming blizzard. The horse heard it, or
felt it, and turned his head toward his
master, whinnying softly.
On and on they went, Pokey alive to the
| situation, pounding along at his top trav-
cling speed, steady as a clock. On and on
came the storm, covering horse and rider
with snow as fine as -four until they looked
like ghosts. Hen, leaning back to get his
overcoat lost the direction, but he had full
faith in Pokey, and knew that the little
animal would do better without any pilot
ing.
How cold it wasl Hens hands and toes
were like Jumps Of ice-worse, they had
hardly any feeling left in them. His ear
and cheek on the side exposed to the storm
were getting nipped. Well, he would soon
strike the stage road, and then, If he had
not miscalculated, there would be only five
or six miles
Great Scottl'
For Pokey had given a sudden high leap
and stood still painting. Almost under his
feet lay a snow covered object with a
strange look about it. Hen leaned down
from the saddle and turned it over. 1t was
dead man, holding tight in the stiff right
hand a whip such as stagedrivers use.
"Stsge driver, deader N Tom Jefferson.
Drunk likely an fell off, poor cuss." But
there was no time TO stop and investigate.
In another second Pokey was turned to
the left and pounding along up the stage
road.
A dark object doomed up suddenly as
they shot past, and sudden thrill sent the
sluggish blood coursing through Hens
veins. He halted and turned Pokey's I'M
willing head on the back course.
Sure enough, it was the stage, but there
were no horses attached. Hen felt around
and reached the door handle. A cry-a
child's cry-came from within. Hen tied
Pokey firmly to a wheel, found the door
again and entered.
THANK Godl"
II was a woman's voice, and Hen almost
tainted to think that its owner should be
in such terrible predicament.
ooh, sir, have you come 10 take us away
The driver fell off, think, and the horses
broke loose somehow, and we're almost
frozen"
Hen could see her now It was young,
good looking woman, and she held tightly
clasped to her breast a child about three
years old. Neither was clad forsuch awful
weather
Hens heart stood still for a moment If
that woman and child remained here it
was almost certain death 1t might be
days before help could reach them, and
even if aid could come to them tomorrow
they would have frozen meanwhile. On
the other hand
Can you ride, missisy"
YES, indeed"
"Waal, come then, quickp'
In another minute
ride straddle-so. Naow, hold tn kid
n let tn boss take us own road Min,
naow!"
But where are you going to"-
Hen was fastening the drivers robe
about her.
pm all right. Naow. hang on an keep
holt o. tn kid. Go on, Pokeyi Goodby,
missisr
He was alone on the prairie in a desert
ed stagecOach with the storm bowling
about him, and his thoughts were Of other
things for long time before he remem-
bered that all his money was in his saddle
bags.
"Waal, chances is purity nigh agin my
ever needin it," he muttered in his quaint
way. "'Tain't like he'd a stove an hull
lot o. grub She'll save it fur me likely
anyhow"
1t was two days later that the stage,
coming down from Jersey with several
Samaritans aboard, found him. 1t was
two weeks and more before he came tc
himself in the hotel, where he had had
every possible attention. He was, as he
himself remarked, "Dern glad t. be alive,
an fin hedn't los no hans mr. feet"
But the woman and child had gone
they left Jersey the very day that Hens
half dead form was brought in by the re-
! lief party-and with them went Hens
money, for the saddlebags had been taken
| TO the woman's room by the hostler, and
no one else had had possession Of them, be-
sides which, much to the landlords sur
prise, she had paid her bill with slOC
greenback when she left. Hens money
had been mostly in bills Of that denomina.
/ ton.
Hen kept a stiff upper lip" and said lit
| tie when he got back to the ranch, which
/ he did in a short time, much to our sur
/ prise.
"'Twas all on 'caount o. them blame
saddlebags," said he. "Ef I'd let new
/ tangled notions alone an carried tn stuff
an other things in my clo'es, I'd ben ali
| right."-W. L. Ketcham in San Francisco
/ Examiner
Valuable Diamonds Are Safe.
A gentleman who possessed a diamond
I valued at $4,000 passed it freely from
] hand to hand in a large commercial estab