Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-27

quarter of a mile beyond. the cloud had
closed about the ranch. shutting it from
my sight. and the mist drew nearer me.
hiding the distant landmarks one by one
while 1 looked. / recognized the fact that
a hard snow squall. If not an out and out
blizzard. was coming my way fast, and
my first thought was to run before it for
Marston; but could see by the speed with
which
1t Was Advancing
that 1t would overtake me in a Few min
utes. A fine snow like mist already was
coming with the wind and filled my eyes
and nostrils when L tried to look to the
north. From the top of the prairie swell
behind ME 1 saw Black Eagle signaling
me to come to him. l turned my horses
head and galloped to where the old man
was waiting. standing with his blanket
the storm. As ] drew alongside him and
stopped. he caught the horse by the bride
and ran with him back a few steps down
the slope. which took us u little out of the
full sweep of the wind.
"'Get off quick! Take saddle off, he
said. his voice half drowned in the roar of
the bride strap as he spoke. We stay
here: Let UNI horse go. Now"
The horse was restless and trembling
with fear. AS / lifted the saddle and blan-
ket from his back the indian slipped the
bride from his head, and the horse. re-
leased from restraint, vanished from our
sight in the flying snow that now hid every
object forty feet away. Off on our right Il
moaning sound came to our ears. and the
forms of two or three cattle. part of a
bunch running south before the storm, APP
peared for a few moments through the
snow mist as they passed us and disap-
peared. Had We been III their way they
would have run straight over us. not turn
ing to right or left. The Indian did not
delay to look at the cattle. He was
spreading the antelope skin on the ground,
and that done. he stood on it to hold 1t
down. He clutched the two blankets. the
one he had worn and my saddle blanket.
h tigh h,isr by ins the e edges ef to S,l keep SIn the wind from
Take your saddle. There:
overtaken by a blizzard. of rolling them
selves in a blanket and lying down on the
open plain to let the snow drift over them.
man1hs and ioe coId' The r. shi thing mem had from ne tne
struck me as inviting. or safe. for white
men. at least: however it might be for In
dams. Now 1 had to try it. for there was
nothing else to be done: I threw myself
down on the antelope skin. arranged my
saddle behind me for a pillow and wind
We pulled the blankets over our heads and
tucked them closely about our feet and
bodies.
".Um,' grunted Black Eagle from his
pillow formed by the two antelope quar-
tiers. Let UNI blow: blow himself out.
We stay here tn he stop
its singing cold and suffocating snow was
great, now that we were fiat on the
ground beneath our lankets AS the snow
drawn over the crest of the ridge behind
fell in showers upon us the blanket be-
came heavy with its weight. My be-
numbed toes and fingers began
To Ache and TfnEIe
now. and after this came a pleasant
warmth. The old Indian seemed to go to
| sleep at once. The relief from the cold
was so grateful that very soon I found
myself growing drowsy. With that feel
ing came a great fear-the fear of the
fate which ] had heard and read that
| people met who let themselves be over
come by sleep out in the winter cold. a
sleep that passed into death by freezing.
Then there was the consciousness that