The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-02-28

l.
cried aloudS
You'll not go quarter of o mile be-
fore you'll be dead, and then your wife
will have no help from you, and by and
by the expense of burying you-if the
wolves don't find you."
Such q storm had not been known for
years even in that country where fright
ful storms were common.
Four days from the time Charlie Dean
had left home he slowly and persistently
forced his way back through heavy
snowdrifts until with trembling fingers
he raised the latch of his door and en-
tered
Blinded by the snow, he could see
nothing at first, but by and by he be-
came conscious of the cold hearth, the
awful silence and that the little house
was empty. 1t did not even hold
corpse.
The wearied man sank down upon
chair and gazed about him blankly.
despairingly.
The bed was neatly made, the floor
swept, everything was placed in its
usual orderly fashion, and her dress
hung upon the wall near him--the old
brown calico she had worn the last time
he had seen her.
Gone" he said dazedly; gone
just then one of the boys, who had felt
strange misgivings and had followed him,
entered.
What did you say, Charlie? Is she
gone7 Why, that couldn't be; she'd
| h1 f<rS1 10 ,f..,r<
that storm. IL she did-poor fellow, he's
faintedl'
It was some time before Charlie Dean
revived. He was very weary, and the
awfulness of what had been through his
neglect quite overpowered him.
There, you're better now" said his
friend. What do you think could have
caused her to leave the house. and where
did she gos'
II don't know, unless to the stable.
had left little corn there"
Charlie" said his friend sternly, .syou
never left your wife in such condition."
But Charlie only nodded.
II expected to be home, you know-but
don't look at me like that! I'm punished
enoughl She's dead somewhere under
the snow, my poor little Clarer'
They failed to find her. No corn was
missing, it is true. but they found moth
ing to SO much as to point the way
whittier she had gone.
Charlie Dean was changed man once
more. To his boon companions he said
goodby, and many of them never forgot
the silent pain in his eye, the anguish
that his whole face expressed.
'sIt's not going to kill him, said the
friend who had been watching him to
see that he did nothing rash. mo, it's
going to make such man out of him as
we never dreamed of. The one thing
now that has possession of him is work,
in order that he may forget. It's good
medicine. think I'll try some myself "
Three years later, well to do, with
money to spare, for none of it was ever
squandered now, Charlie Dean once more
sought the faraway city where he had
first met and won his wife.
A strange longing had come over him
to once more see that place, and travel
stained and bronzed he walked by the
house almost expecting to hear her touch
upon the piano and the sound of her
sweet voice.
Bewildered, amazed, half believing
himself out of his head, he did hear her
voice onceemore.
There's a man drunk leaning on the
fence" he heard strange voice exclaim.
Then the playing ceased, and a voice
that almost caused him to faint second
time responded:
Drunken men are only too common.
Let him alone. Some policeman will be
along presently"
Then the music struck up again, this
time into wild galop, as If the players
thoughts were running away with her.
s'But he's still there" continued the
strange voice. Hes peculiar looking.
Do look out. Clare. Ideclare feel nerv-
ous.r
| Charlie stood up squarely now, pushed
his hat back slightly and looked full and
straight into the eyes of his wife.
She fell back with a cry, the place was
empty, and scarcely knowing what he
did Charlie was turning away when
some one came flying down those steps
and-and, yes, had her hand in his, and
in fearful voice was saying: Charlie.
oh, Charliei You've come at lastr'
81 want to know" he said when in
the cozy parlor still clinging to her hand,
''I want to know how you got away from
the ranch during that awful storm"
| Clare flushed. but answered unhesitat-
ingly:
| II was good walker. I felt no fear
i of the storm You had left me almost
nothing to eat, and / really thought
should lose my mind If remained there
many more days all alone.
4 II took the little money still pos
sessed and started soon after you did,
only went in an opposite direction. ]
had scarcely reached the main trail when
two horse wagon came dashing up, the
mana stranger, but God bless him, for
he saved my life - jumped out and
snatched me up before could say by
your leave, and away we tore like mad
The horses were very strong and swift,
and we seemed to be outriding the storm
| We reached shnltar at last inst hxafore