The Ordway new era., 1904-05-27

ner they were not all right. At such
times the mind OF man is thrown on
Its balance. SO that It does strange
and irregular things. Both these
men had agreed q moment ago that
the wind should be ON the right; now
they disagreed, one thinking that
Hancock's house was to the left. the
other to the right. their ideas as to
the direction of the Buford ranch
being equally at variance. The horses
decided It. breaking once again down
wind. and striking a low-headed. sui.
len trot. as though they would out.
march the storm. And SO the two
argued. and 80 they rode. until at
last there was a lurch and crash.
and they found themselves In rough
going. the sled half overturned. with
no fence. no house, no landmark OF
any sort visible. and the snow drift
ing thicker than before. They sprang
out and righted the sled, but the
horses doggedly pulled on. plunging
down and down; and they followed.
clinging to reins and sled as best
they might.
We've lost the trail. but we done
the best we could" said Sam doggedly,
going to the heads of the horses.
which looked questioningly back at
him. their heads dropping. their
breath freezing upon their coats in
spiculae OF white.
Walt" cried Franklin. Il know
this hole! I've been here before The
teams come here for shelter"
"Oh. it's the White Woman breaks
why. sure!" cried Sam In return.
Yes. that's where II Is. We're less
than half a mile from the house. Wait,
now. and let me think. I've got to
figure this out a while"
IT'S OF there" said Sam. pointing
across the coulee; but we can't get
there"
Yes. we can. old man; yes. we
can!" insisted Franklin. IN tell you.
Let me think. Good God, why can't
1 think? Yes-see here. you go down
the bottom Of this gully to the mouth
of the coulee. and then we turn to the
lcft-no, it's to the right-and you
bear up along the side of the draw
til You get to the ridge. and then the
house Is right In front of you. Listen
now! The winds northwest. and the
house is west OF the head of the cou.
lee: SO the. mouth is east of us. and
that brings the wind on the left cheek
at the mouth OF the coulee. and It
comes more and more on the right
check as we turn up the ridge: and
it's on the front half of the right
cheek when we face tho house. I'm
sure that's right-wait. I'll mark It
out here In the snow. God, how cold
1t is! 1t must be right. Come on:
come! We must try it. anyway"
I'VE may hit the house. Cap" said
Sam calmly. 'but II we miss 1t we'll
go God knows where! Anyhow, I'm
with you. an II we don't turn up, we
can't help 1t, an we done our best"
Come" cried Franklin once more
Lets get to the mouth OF the coulee
l know this place perfectly
And so, advancing and calling. and
waiting while Sam fought the stubs.
born horses with lash and rein out
OF the shelter which they coveted.
Franklin led out of the fiat coulee
into the wider draw. and edged up
and up to the right, agonizedly re.
peating to himself. over and over
again. the instructions he had laid
down. and which the dizzy whirl OF
the snow mingled ever confusedly in
his mind. At last they had the full
gale again In their faces as they
reached the level Of the prairies, and
cast loose for what they thought was
west, fearfully, tremblingly. the voy.
age quarter of a mile. the danger
infinitely great: for beyond lay only
the cruel plains and the bitter storm
this double norther Of woeful
Christmastide.
Once again Providence aided them,
by agency OF brute instinct One OF
the horses threw up its head and
neighed, and then both pressed for.
ward eagerly. The low moan OF
penned cattle came down the wind.
They crashed into fence of lath. |
They passed its end-a broken, rat. |
tling end, that trailed and swept back
and forth In the wind.
Its the chicken corral" cried |
Sam, "an' It's down! They've been
burnin'-"
60 on! Go on-hurry!" shouted |
Franklin, bending down his head SO
that the gale might not quite rob him
OF his breath, and Sam urged on the |
now willing horses.
They came to the sod barn, and :
here they left the team that had saw.
ed them. not pausing to take them
from the harness. They crept to the
low and .white-banked wall in which
showed two windows, glazed with