West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-11-07

to assist the driUer.
men had indeed turned and wns moy-
Ing rapidly away at right angles from
the road.
Got some signal. you bet" said the
driver-"some yeller paper or piece OF
joss stick I'm the roadi Whatr
The remark was addressed TO the
passenger who had Just placed his fin
ger on his lip and indicated n stolld
looking Chinaman overlooked before,
who was sitting I'm the back. or "steer-
age" scat.
"Oh. he be darnedw said the driver
impatiently. "He is no account. He's
only the laundryman from Rocky Can
yon. I'm talkin OF the cody gang"
But here the conversation Jagged,
and. the air growing keener. the flaps
OF the leather side curtains were bat
tened down. Masterton gave himself
up to conflicting reflections. The infor-
nation that he had gathered was mea-
ger and unsatisfactory, and he could
only trust to luck and circumstance to
fulfill his mission. The first glow OF
adventure having passed, he was un-
easily conscious thnt the mission was
not 10 his taste. The pretty, flushed
but defiant face OF Clssy that afternoon
haunted him. He had not known the
immediate cause OF II, 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 a few
formal words OF sympathy. He had
always been half tenderly amused ut
her frank conceIt and her "airs"-the
Innocent, undisgulsed 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 lis 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 II brought
her. In the revelation that his own
directors had avniled themselves OF
that fathers methods and the ignoble
character OF his present mission, lie
felt stirring OF self reproach. What
would become of her? or course. friyo-
lous rs she was, she would not feel the
keenness OF this misfortune like nnoth-
er nor yet rise superior to It, She would
succumb for the present, to revive an
other season In DINNER glory else.
where. His critical cynical observa-
ton of her had determined that any
filIal affection she might have would
be merged and lost In the greater de-
privation OF her position.
A sudden darkening OF the landscape
below and singular Opaque whitening
OF the air around them aroused him
from his thoughts. The driver drew up
the collar OF his overcoat and laid the
whip smartly over the backs OF his cat
tie. The mir grew gradually darker,
until suddenly II seemed 20 dlslntegrate
into Invisible gritty particles that
swept through the wagon. Presently
these particles became heavier, more
perceptibie and polished like small
shot, and a keen wind drove them
Btingingly into the faces OF the passen-
gers or Insidlously into their pockets,
collars or the folds OF their clothes.
The leather curtains were battened
down, but the snow forced Itself
through the smallest crevices.
We'll get over this when once we've
passed the bend. The road seems TO
dip beyond" said Masterton cheerfulIy
from hls seat beside the driver.
The driver gave bIm single scornfuI
look and turned to the passenger who
occupied the seat on the other side OF
him. II don't like the look of things
down there. but CT we are stuck wen
have 70 strike out for the next station"
But" said Masterton ~ the wind
volleyed the sharp snow pellets I'm their
faces and the leaders were scarcely dis
tlngulshablc through the smokelikc dis
charges. "it can't hc worse than here"
The driver did not speak. but the 9TH
or passenger crancd over his back and
said explanaiorily
u reckon you don't know these storms.
This kind Of dry Snow don't stick and
don't clog Lookr
Indeed. between the voilcys Master.
ton could SEQ that tho road was per.
fcctly bare and wind swept and except
slight drifts md banks beside outlying
bushes md shrubs--whfch even then
were again blown away before his eyes
the level landscape was unciothed
and unchanged Where these mysterl.
Gus snow pellets went to puzzled and