Cañon City record., 1902-12-11
By HOY ward FieIdin 6


my friend" said wetherell. ''if we
are lost In this storm do you know
what will happen to us?'
Bunker shivered 30 that the little lei
cles on his grizzled beard seemed te
tinkle.
1--WE must come to house somrI
time" he said.
"We must come to one pretty soon" Il
said wetherell. Look at the horses"
They're nigh beat out" said Bunker
.An' som l. The wust OF 1t is that in|
this snow we may pass dozen houses|
an never know It. | can't see the side|
of the road half the time. an In this|
region people build way back an don't
have no gate. but n pair OF bars"
A gradual descent helped the tired
team n bit. and then came another hill
When they got to the top OF IT, Bunker|
said. with decision and seemingly With
his last breath. There amt no suchI
place as this on the road to Brantford.'
wetherell looked at the horses. TheyI
stood with their legs qulyering underI
them. They seemed TO be stricken notI
only with exhaustion. but with a DULL
terror. Upon the left side OF the roadI
was a heavy growth OF spruces. weth
erell scented out practical way lead
ing into this grove, and with great dif-
iculty the horses were forced 10 dragt
the sleigh under the trees The shelterI
there was considerable. and the weary
brutes seemed to feel some benefit
from h.
I'VE must give them n little rest,
wethcrell explained. You'll all bel
quite comfortable here while I go onI
ahead TO examine the road
Miss Hunt beckoned him to the side|
OF the sleigh
"Do you mean TO say that we are,
lost = she whispered
He nodded.
Are you going TO try to ind the
roadIr
The road won, do Us any good" he
whispered The horses are done for.
What we must have Is shciter-n house.
must md one"
''You viii lose your way" she said.
"You will become exhausted and fall
In the snow
Somebody must do IT," he replied.
and I'm afraid our friend Bunker has
very nearly reached his limit So it's
up TO me. az we say In New York"
"Picasc lie careful: be very. very
careful she called after him
Outside the grove the wind seemed
tierc-r than ever and the snow more
dense. wcthcrcll fought his way along
the road. sustained far beyond the
limit OF Ills physical strength by the
determination within him and the
knowledge of the utter dependence OF
the others.
Il s~rmed a long distance that be
had trsversrd. but Il was really not
uiorr than spo ynnls. when he came TO
gateway airning upon the left. He
WAS like n starving bcEgar who hnds a
-o.n upon tile street. incrcduious. fear.
Ing haliu-ination. hut the gate was
r-afiy thrr- and a roadway. dimly de
ane-i. led around clump Of trees.
wetbcrcli ran. icapInT through the
snow. and presently he cnmc to a large
house OF quality he certainly did not
expect to ind In such place.
There was a verandR along the entire
front. hut the snow was banked hcavi-
~ upon II and against the door. which
was locked Yet SO great was weth-
rreirs exhaustion OF mind and senses
that u did not occur to him that the
house was deserted. He rang the bell
with confidence anu sat down upon the
steps Of the verunda In the lee OF
post to wal; for n response. And there
In the moment Of safety he was ns near
ms possible to failing into a sleep.
which. considering the circumstances,
would probably have lasted until the
day Of Judgment Vague thoughts of
the people who were waiting for him In
the sled under the spruccs reused him
Just In time.
He sprang up and threw his weight
against the door. one. twice. and the
lock was ripped out OF the wood. He
was in n broad hall quite prctentious in
Its decoration A parlor was upon the
right, dining room beyond and n
kitchen Mt the rear. Here he came frst
upon signs OF recent occupancy. and
the whole truth was apparent This
was n summer residence that had been
in charge OF caretakcrs who had gone
AWAY probably for a Christmas visit.
No hrraan creature is inscnsiblc to
the Joy OF bearing good tidingr, cspe
cially when they relate TO his own not
able success wcthcrell returned to the
sprices with something In his breast
that closely resembled light heart.
Miss Hunt" he cried, II have found
4 vacant palace In the adjoining pas
turc. offer you nii the comforts Of
home"
II had been a solemn time In the
grove. Mrs. Williams, as wctherell
afterwnrd learned, had displayed n tai
ent for gloomy prophecy quite inappro-
pirate in one 10 fnt and hearty. She
had pictured wethcrell walking in cir
cles In the snow until he dropped dead
Just where he started. and she had