The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-16

1880 49,
straight down the hill into that camp
ten minutes afore they could get there,
TO give them Cinnamon Warnln-what-
ever it was, Fact. Why I've seen 'em
~stringin' along the road just like them
| fellers we passed just now, and then
| stop all Of Il sudden like hounds off
the scent, jabber among themselves,
aud start off in a different direction"
Just what they're doing now. By
thunder, interrupted another passenger
who was looking through the rolled-up
curtain at his side.
All the passengers turned by one ac-
cord and looked out. The file Of
Chinaman had indeed turned and was
moving rapidly away at right angles
from the road.
Go some signal, You bet" said the
driver; ..some yeller paper or piece Q
joss stick III the road. WHAT"
The remark was addressed to the
passenger who had just placed his
finger on his lip, and indicated a stolid-
looking Chinaman overlooked before,
who was sitting in the back, or steer
age sent.
"Oh, he be darned..' said the driver
impatiently. He is no account-he's
only the laundryman from Rocky
CaI.on. I'm takin' Of the coolie gang"
But here the conversation tagged, and
the air growing keener. the flaps OF the
leather side curtains We're battened
down. Masterton gave himself up to
conflicting reflections. The information
that he had gathered was meagre and
unSltisfactory, and he could only trust to
luck and circumstance to fulfil his mis-
sion. The first glow of adventure having
passed, he was uncasily conscious thar
the mission was not to his taste. The
pretty. flushed but defiant face of Cissy
| that afternoon haunted him; he had not
known the immediate cause of 1T. but
made no doubt that she had already
| heard the news of her fathers disgrace
when he met her. He regretted now
that he hadn't spoken to her, ii only Il
few formal words of sympathy. He had
always been lIalf-tenderly amused at her
frank %conceit and her ''airs"-the inno-
cent, undisguised pride of the country
belle-so different from the hard aplomb
OF the city girl. And now the foolish
little moth, dancing in the sunshine Of
prosperity, had felt the chill of winter
in its pretty wings. The contempt he
had for the father had hitherto showed
itself in tolerant pity for the daughter
so proud of her fathers position, and
| what it brought her; in the revelation
that his own directors had awaited them
| selves Of that fathers methods, and the
| ignoble character of his present mission,
he felt a stirring of self reproach. What
would become of her? OF course, frivo-
louS as she was, she would not feel the
keenness of this misfortune like anoth-
er. nor yet rise superior to it. She would
succumb for the present. to revive at am
other season in a DINNER glory else
where. His critical, cynical observation
Of her had determined that any tilial af-
lection she might have would be merged
and lost in the greater deprivation of her
position.
\ sudden darkcning of the landscape
below. and a singular Opaque whitening
Of tire air around them aroused him
from his thoughts. The driver drew up
the collar of his ovcrcoat and laid the
whip smartly over the backs of his cat
tie. The air grew gradually darker, I'M
til suddenly it seemed to disintegrate
into invisible gritty particles that swepo
through the wagon. Presently these
particles became heavier, more percep-
tible and polished like small shot, and Il
keen wind drove them stingingly into
the faces OF the passengers, or insidi-
ously into their pockets, collars or the
folds of their clothes. The leather cur
talns were battened down, but the snow
forced itself through the smallest Grey
ices.
We'll get over this when once we've
passed the bend, the road seems to dip
beyond" said Masterton cheerfully from
his seat beside the driver.
The driver gave him a single s~cornful
look, and turned to the passenger Who
occupied the seat on the other side Of
him ~ Jcp't liI-o tho look ~ thino.
down there, but eff we are stuck Well
have to strike out for the next station
But" said Masterton as the wind
volleycd the sharp SNOW pellets in their
faces and the leaders were scarcely dis
tinguishable through the smoke-like dis
discharges. 1T can't be worse than
here"
The driver did not speak. but the other
passengers craned over his back and said
explanatory:
4 reckon We don't know these storms;
this kind O. dry snow don't stick and
don't clog. Look
Indeed, between the yolleys Masterton
could see that the road was perfectly
bare and windswept, and except slight
drifts and banks beside outlying bushes
and shrubs-which even then We're again
blown away before his eyes-the Level
i"itoNdDS a uIiIiolliSu dlIu ulCudlStU.
Where these mysterious snow pellets
went to puzzled and confused him: they
seemed to vanish as they had appeared
into the air about them.
I'd make 4 straight rush to the next
station" said the other passenger conf
IDENTIFY to the driver. If we are stuck
we are that much on the way; if we turn
back We'll have to take the grade any
way when the storms over: and Meth
er You nor | know when that'l be.
1t may be only 4 squall just now, but
it's getting rather late in the season.
Just pitch i'll and drive all We know"
The driver laid his lash on the horses.
ana for 4 few moments the heavy We
hlcle dashed forward in violent conflict
with the storm. At times the elastic
hickory framework of its domed leather
roof sWayed and bent like the ribs of an
umbrella. At times it seemed as if it
would be lifted bodily off: at times the
whole interior Of the vehicle was filled
With 4 thin smoke by drifts through
every Granny. But presently to Master
tons great relief the interninaHle level
seemed to end, and between the Whit
! nIfni i1x.t h.