The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-06-11

eve remained there half an hour
hoping that the squall would blow
over, but at the end of that time it
was storming as hard as ever. The
women were getting chilled and little
frightened. said everything I could
to keep their courage up, and got
them to take swallow or two from
flask of whisky which 1 had brought
along for emergencies. But l knew
that soon the darkness would fall, and
then our prospects would be forlorn
indeed. To try to get down the
mountain in the darkness without
guide was our one desperate chance,
for if we remained at the summit
without fire or shelter we would per-
ish before morning. To build fire
might show the Indians where we
were, but as the women covered under
their wraps and shivered, made up
my mind that would try to start one
unless the storm should subside.
"Then through the storm came
surprising sound-the sound Of
mans voice chanting litany. 1t was
so strange to hear in the mountain
solitude that at first we we're all in
clined to think that our sences had
played us a trick, and we looked at
one another, half in fear, as if we
we're listening to a ghostly requiem
for us, foredoomed to perish in the
snow. But the voice continued, clear
and distinct and unmistakable, and
we turned our horses heads and
pressed our way through the storm to-
ward it. At last we came among
high pine trees, which checked the
blowing snow, so that we could see
little way about us-and then, sud-
denly, before us we saw the man who
was chanting the litany.
"He stood beside little hut of logs,
bareheaded, with long hair and beard,
and was clad in monks frock, bound
to his waist with cord. He was the
hermit, John Augustiniani. He show
ed no surprise at seeing us, but stop
ped his chanting, and as we halted
before him said gravely, in Spanish:
"'Peace be with you! have waited
your coming all the day
"'Can you give us shelter from the
storm father?' l asked, too much re-
lieved to find house of any kind and
civilized man on Solitaire to stop to
wonder how he came to be there, or in
quire how he knew we were coming.
"'My roof and humble fare are
ever at the disposal of the distressed,
whom [ am appointed to succor, he
said, with the same quiet gravity as
before. But for you it is not ordered
to tarry here. You must be on your
way without loss of time. There are
enemies in your path. The storm will
clear at moonrise, and moonrise must
find you at Tecalotina in the valley.
I shall be your guide
II looked at the women, who need
ed to give but one glance at the tiny
hut, with it's entrance formed by leav-
ing one log out of the side of the
structure, to decide them.
"'Let us 90 on by all MEANS said
Mrs. Trethyyn. IF only you are sure
we can find our way.
"The hermit gave us little time
to deliberate the matter. Giving a
slight nod as a signal that he was
ready to start, he drew the hood of
his gown over his head, and with no
further preparation turned and lead
the way past the house among the
trees. The storm was at our backs, so
| we travelled more easily than before.
Soon the ground began to fall, and l
knew we had passed the mountains
brow and were descending slope;
beyond that l had no idea of the course
we were taking. Feeling their path
with their feet, our horses in single file
followed unhesitatingly the cowled fl
CURE that, swiftly walking, seemed all
the time about to vanish in the storm
ahead. 1t was not long before |
could tell we were descending the
ridge up which we had climbed In the
afternoon, but by different path.
"Suddenly the hermit stopped short
and stopped above mound of snow
which seemed to have drifted over a
small log, and above the snow appear
ed the end of slender feathered shaft
| He hrnahad tho snow awaV reveal