The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18

After half al hour OF suspense she
heard a faint whistle. She answered
the signal with an Indian whoop
which frightened the horses. they
lunged forward into a galiop. but the
deep snow retarded dangerous prog
ress. and h girl brought them to a
halt just as Cal appeared with the
good news that he a found the road.
Belle was again placed inside and
snugly tucked away under a huge pile
OF robes. Cal drove on. remarking as
he remounted the box. that they would
soon be at Dearborn crossing. The
intensity of the cold together with his
weary plodding through the snow in
search Of the road had well nigh ex-
hausted Cal. who not once complained
In Bellies presence. While he chsered
her and encouraged her he was suf-
fering agon!es himself. and N the girl
had but known that her lone compan
Ion OF that dread night was I'm the
last stages of exhaustion. she would
not have closed her eyes and allowed
herself to be rocked tn sleep in the
coach as II rolled over the snow cush-
ioned highway.
Dearborn crossing once reached. Cal.
half walking. half crawling. burst
through the door OF the station house.
and fell In a heap on the floor.
Sitting IN front OF the big fireplace
were six wood haulers. who had an
hour before come in from the river.
and were waiting for the cook to pre-
pare them a meal. They jumped up
and cared for the half perished stage
driver. He didn't utter a word. and
the men feared that he would die.
They knew II was Cal. but in the con-
fusion IN trying to make him comfort
able they had given no thought of TIE
horses. which evidently had resumed
their journey down the river as soon
as Cal had left the box.
The horses must have gone a mile
or two when suddenly they halted.
The abruptness Of the stop awakened
the lone passenger.
What the matter. now. CALI" she
asked. Receiving no reply. she un-
buttoned the curtains and looked out
on the most desolate pan that
ever greeted her eyes.
Cal. Cal! where are we?' The s,3s-
pense vas terrible. Belle leaped out
OF the coach mo was horrifed to sec
no driver on the box. The lines had
dragged ON the ground and me ~
them had become entangled tround
the on wheeler's hind legs. which. no
doubt. caused the sudden halt. The
snow was already DIR fling high around
the wheels. The horses were cow Cx-
hausted and heeded not the screams q
hN' g'tie AahsH Wv hbHFo W aAtNl ut
some human by her cries. An Ind an.
or any kind Of a savage. would then
a been a welcome intruder.
The wonderful executive abiii'y cf
the woman was then put TO the tHst.
Belle d~isentangled the reins. climbed
into the box and urged the horses en-
ward. thinking hat she would in que
time reach Dearborn. as hat cieer'ng
Intelligence was the last Cal hal SiNen
her. Her belief was that once on the
road after finding IL. Cal had fallen m
the box. IL now occurred to her that
possibly he had become exhausted aft
er his long walk and succumhsd 20
the old prairie blasts 10 trace Of
a road was visible. and there .yas ut
tie 10 encourage the fair ir'y =.
All az once a thought seizel her.
she would release the horses from the
coach and 60 inside. cover herself ND
with the warm robes md await the
coming Of daylight. Just as she was
about to step down. she saw a faint
light in the distance. Heading her
horses towards II she urged them q.