The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-22

evening it came on 80 snow-heaviiy, IN
straight, quickly succeeding tlakes, drop
ping like white lances from the sky. This
Was followed 10y the usual Sierran phe-
nomenon. The deep gorge, which, rs
the sun went down, had lapsed into dark
ness, presently began TO reappear; at first
the vanished trail came back as wildly
whitening streak in the night; then the
larches and pines that assembled from
il like buttresses against the hillsides
glimmered In ghostly distinctness, until
at last the two slopes curved out OF the
darkness rs if hewn in marble. For the
Sudden storm, which extended scarcely
two miles, had left no trace upon the
steep granite face of the high cliffs a
boye: the snow slipping silently from
them. lcft them still hidden in che OBJ
security of night. In the vanished land
scane the gorge alone stood out, set IN n
chaos of cloud and storm through which
the moonbeams struggled Intellectually.
II was this unexpected sight which
burst upon the occupants of a large COW
cred station wagon" who had Glanced
ppon the lower end of the gorge. Coming
from n still lower altitude they had
NNN~NN
momentarily ceased, but had left re-
cord of intensity in nearly two feet of
snow. For some moments the horses
floundered and struggled on, in what the
travellers believed to be some old for
gottan drift or avalanche, until the extent
and freshness Of the fall became appar-
ent. To add to their difficulties the storm
recommended, and not comprehending
Il. INIT
dare to attemtp to return the way they
came. To 60 on, however, was impossi-
ble. In this auandary they looked about
them in vain for some other exit from
the gorge. The sides of that glgantlc
white furrow terminated IN darkness
Hemmed in from the world IN all dlrec-
tions it might have been their tomb.
But although they could see nothing
beyond their prison walls they themselves
were perfectly visible from the heights
above them. And Jack 1enbrooks,
quartz miner, who was sinking tunnel
i'm the rocky ledge of shelf above the
gorge, stepping out from his cabin at ten
o'clock to take look at the weather De-
fore turning in, could observe distinctly
the outline of the black wagon, the
fioundering horses, and the crouchlng
figures by their side, scarcely larger imam
pigmies ON the white surface or snow,
q thousand feet below him. Jack had
courag e and strength and the good hum
or that accompanies them, but ne con-
tented himself for a few moments with
laZiiy observing the travellers discomht-
ure He had taken in the situation with
a glance; he would have helped brother
miner or mountaineer, although he knew
that it could only have been drink or bra
vado that brought him into the gorge IN
snow-storm, but it was very evident
that these were 'greenhorns, or Eastern
tourists, and it served their stupidity and
arrogance right! He remembered also
how he, having once helped an Eastern
visitor catch the mustang that had Duck
ed'' him, had been called my man, and
presented with five dollars; he recalled
how he had once spread the humble re-
sources of his cabin before some straylng
members of the San Francisco party
who were Opening" the pew railroad,
and heard the audible wonder OF a lady
that civilized being could I'VE SO
"coarselyr' With these recollectIons III
his mind he managed to survey the dis
tant struggling horses with me SENSE
of humor, not unmixed with seif-righte-
BUSINESS. There was no real danger III
tho situafion: 1t meant at the worst Il de-
Law and a camping in the snow TIL morn
ing. when he would go down to their as
sistance. They had spacious traVeiiihs
oon;nao 90 and were, no doubt, we'll sup
nliad with frrs. robes and provisions FOR
a several hours journey; his own polA
barrel was quite empty and his blankets
worn. He half smiled, extended ms long
arms in decided yawn, and turned oach
into his cabin to go to bed. linen ne
oast a final glance around the interior.
Eyerything was all right; his loaded rlHe
stood against the wall; he had just raked
ashes over the embers of his fire to keep
If intact till morning. Only one thing
slightly troubled him; grizzly bear,
tvo-thirds grown, but only hair tanned,
which had been given to him by young
lady named .Miggles," when that charm
ing and historic girl had decided to ac-
COMPANY her paralytic lover to the San
francisco hospital, was missing that
evening. Tt had been its regular habit 10
come to the door every night for some
sweet biscuit or sugar before going 10 It's
lair in the underbrush belAnd the CABIN
Everybody knew it along the length ana
breadth of Hemlock Ridge, as well as the
fact of its being legacy of the far exile
No rifle had ever yet been raised against
his lazy bulk or the stupid, small-eyed
head. and ruff Of circlfng hairs mace
more erect by it's well-worn leather col
lar. Consoling himself with the though
that the storm had probably delayed 1T
return, Jack took off his coat and thre"
it on his bunk. But from thinking or the
storm his thoughts naturally returne"
again to the impeded travellers below
him, and he half mechanically steppe'i
out again in his shirt sleeves for final
look at them.
But here something occurred thai
changed his resolution entirely. He had
previously noticed only the three fore
shortened, crawling figures around the
now stationary wagon bulk. They wert
now apparently making arrangements T.
camp for the night. But another figure
had been added to the group, and as II
stood perched upon wagon seat lald on
4be snow Jack could see its outline was
not bifurcated like the others! But even