The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-11-29

great. binding clouds. the ranchman held
the reins IN his half-frozen hands and
drove on. conscious that he was engaged
for his life. with the odds against him.
HORSES LOST THE ROAD.
For a short distance the horses con-
trfved to keep the main Travelled road. but
ere long the driver knew from the bump
ing of the cutter and the stumbling Of
the animals that they had wandered from
II. He drew in rein and clambered out of
the cutter to try to get his bearings. He
CROPPED around in the binding storm, not
daring to venture far from the cutter lest
he might not be able to find his way back
to 1t again. and by and by came upon the
ruins Of an old sod cabin, which he had
seen many snbefore. From this ia
miliar object he knew that the house of a
n~eighboring ranchman was only a few
hundred yards away: and he resolved to
try to find 1t, though by no means SAN
gu!ne that he should succeed in doing 50.
Near the ruins of the old sod cabin he
and, standing a stick upright in the snow
every few feet as he went along as a
means to guide him back to the cutter in
the event he should get lost; he walke
OF the house. But he saw no signs of 1t,
and, turning around with a sinking heart,
he retraced his steps to the cutter. Then
sticks as he had before, but no house did
he find. For several hours he plowed
through the snow in a fruitiess search
Ing steadily in fury, and then. hope dying
out In his breast. he reluctantly aban-
doned the quest, making up his mind that
the only practicable thing for him to do
should have spent its fury. and then, if
he were alive, to return home.
Only once In his extremity did he lose
his presence of mind, ard take a false
n ond that p.ao u-hep ramnyfnY his
mittens from his stiff and aching. hands
TO get out his knife, he dropped them In
the snow instead Of putting them in his
pockets, and thus lost them.
With his knife he cut the harness on
the horses, reasoning that they would be
less likely to perish In the storm running
at large h hitched to the cutter.
SAT DOWN IN THE SNOW.
Then taking a heavy blanket from the
cutter and wrapping it snusly about his
head and shoulders and showing his hands
into the pockets OF his great fur coat, no
sat DOWN In the snow, with his back
against the cutter. the vehicle breaking
fording him some shelter from the snow.
there srimly to await the end Of the
storm or death-he knew not which. He
had wandered about in the deep snow and
the raging storm until he was too eS-
hausted to walk farther. or even to stand
longer, and he wns compelled 10 81; down
II he would avoid. falling;
nights. with the fierce. crue! storm howl
Ing and raging madly about him. he sat
well-nigh mot!on!eN.
It was Friday morning when he set out
to drive from his home to Sterling, and
net until the next Monday morning did the
wind go down, the rnow cease failing. the
clouds clear away and the sun come out;
three nights not only had the ranchman
been exposed to the fury of the elements,
but not once had he closed his eyes in
sleep and not once had he tasted 1ood Or
taken q drop OF water.
Realizing that II he should suffer him
self to doEe even for an instant-and the
inclination to do go was wellniEh irTssist.,
ible-he would never awake this side OF
the grave, by an almost superhuman ef1ort
he had fought of sleep during all the long
days and nights Of his exposure and suf-
ferings and at no time lest possession OF
his mental faculties.
When the sun broke through the clouds
on the morning Of the third day and shot
his rays across the great glistening white
mound in the snow in a field by the road
sd market the spot where the ranchman
sat. He was more dead h alive, but
was grimly determined to continue his
brave battle for life.
ENcASED IN SNOW.
He was literally encased in snow, but at
once began an heroic struggle to get out
" HS ICY piisOn ALL " AhahS iS Wdy "
the ~ranchhouse, which he knew was only
a few hundred yards away.
In his weakened and frozen condition it
required several hours for hin to accom-
plsh this purpose. When finally he had
contrived to dig his way out of the snow
mound he looked about him and could see
plainly the house he had tried so hard to
find three days before. It was little more
than a stones throw from where he was
and the voices Of the ranchman and his
family. the believing of the cattle, the
neighing of the horses and the squealing
Of the pigs were carried to him distinctly
on the crisp morning air. He could not rise
to his feet, for hts legs were frozen solid
to the knees. He tried to call for help.
but discovered that he could not speak.
Then he set out to make his way to the
house. Slowly end painfully : he made
he crept. and it seemed to him at times
that he should die on the way, 80 weak
was he and SO acute were his suferings.
But by and by the owner Of the house, |
out in the farm yard doing his morning |
chores. caught sight Of the pitiable figure
creeping toward him on the crust Of the |
snow and FASTENED to the sufferers res
cue. The big. stalwart ranchman picked
the well-nigh hfeless man up in/his arms
and carried him Into the house. imme- |