Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-04-22


circle and the warm robes was SILVER
ing with cold and fright. She has read
of such storms but never seen any
thing like 1t. Neither women spoke
now Five minutes more perhaps and
Mrs. Testers cold fingers lost their
grasp on the reins and a groan es-
COPIED her lips, unheard, however
amid. the awful beating of the millions
of ice fakes that were ptilessly pelt-
| ing them. Darkness was settling
around them. The horse was plunginP
along as best he might before 1t fully
came to Crete that they were lost or
the wide prairles in a blizzard. She
began to vaguely wonder how hel
father would feel when he came tC
hear of 1t; IL his revenge on her lover
would be complete enough to satisfy
him; and how would Clark take it
dear Clark, how much she would like
to have seen him once more. Present
ly Mrs. Lester shouted in her ear:
"Forglve me dear, for bringing you
out. | meant well, and and forgive
John and for--for everything else"
Bue Crete only shivered and moan
ed. She was so frightened and cold,
There was only the noise Of the ele-
ments after that until something hap
pened-the cutter turned over on its
side and Gen. Custer pretty nearly did
the same Both women rolled out, but
Mrs Lester quickly righting herself,
reached forward and, after some diff
fculty, succeeded in unloosing the
traces. Then she pulled the blankets
out and made Crete lie down beside
her on them After this she arranged
the robes to cover them and pulled the
cutter over as protection.
1T is our che chance" she said. eve
must lie close together, but on no ac-
count go to sleep.
In three hours the fury of the storm
had spent itself and the stars came out
one by one to shine upon the broad ex-
panse of ice and snow; but 1t was cold
most intensely cold. The storm was
fairly on when the trai came In that
evening, and Oney Halligan, covering
in the shelter % the shanty dignfied
as the depot, had about decided that
there were no passengers to get off
when stranger touched his arm.
lis there hotel near here, my good
MANI"
There's a place where some folks
go, but the loikes of yez wouldn't like
1t, saven for the blizzard. Beloikes yez
won't want to stand out"
81 suppose it wouldn't be possible to
get to Mr.. Testers tonight"
AT the words Oney was another man
What's yer name, mister"
whats yours?" was the rejoinder
"Sme'nd it's Oney Halligan, that it
is"
"And mine Is Clark McKendrie."
"The same, Hiven bliss ye!" cried
Oney devoutly.
"Nd It's the darlint out to Testers
yer comen to see"
Exactly"
81 see her in town not an hour since,
nd it's meself ez hez been worth fer
fear there'll be trouble. There was
just the two wimmen."
The hand that Clark Mckendrie laid
on Oney's arm closed with vice like
grip.
I'VE must go after them"
Yer Honor, but it's jist impossible
in this blizzard. II they kept the way
they're all right; II not. the saints pro-
tect 'em but no man CT basic can track
'em till the storms over"
1t took some time to convince the
handsome stranger of the fool-hardi-
ness of trying to follow anyone in
such blizzard, and then, as 1t waxed
worse, he paced the floor of the tiny
building in a fever of anxiety, pausing
now and then to exchange few words
with Oney, who was his sole compan-
ion.
There's no waiting till morning"
he cried impatiently, when the storm
had subsidized and the lrishman had
limited at something of the sort. I'VE
must push on tonight. Come get out
and stir up men and oxen and FL
make it worth your while and there's
too"
Onev succeeded in securing the SER
vices Of Jimmy Murphy and German
who owned two yoke of oxen and soon
the little party was enroute, albeit
their exceeding slow progress we'll nigh
crazed the impatient lover 1t wac far
past midnight when they reached the
home of the Testers, there to find the
old father and mother IN frenzy OF
grief and despair. The husband, with
Il horse and dog had gone out on what
seemed indeed n fruitless search.
Again the oxens heads were turned
toward the open prairie, but now that
Clark Mckendrie's worst fears We're
realized, his excitement vanished and
In Its place came the logged deter
mination that had characterized his
political canvas, the determination
that was bound to win. 1t was not
long before they fell in with Mr. Lester
but 1t was sunrise before the white
mound that marked the place where
the women law was discovered and