The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-03-11

after dark.
After that Rousaby took 70 buying his
groceries in smaller quantities. necessi-
tating frequent trips to town. and it al
ways happened that on these trips he was
outside Of the. .schoohouse about the
time Miss Hawkins came out On Satur-
days II was always understood that
housaby was to be Miss Hawkins guide
Rousaby maryeled at the delicacy OF
some OF the pictures she secured. II was
an education In art but Rousaby was
being educated in matters Of far greater
import. He was learning that there are
good women and true, and from being
Woman-hater he sometimes feared that
he was going TO the other extreme. AT
such times Rousaby bought bacon in
more generous quantities and waa at
least day late in coming down for a
fresh supply.
But for ali Of his inward struggles he
never nissed a Saturday. even though
the weather was unpropltious.
The Gros Ventre Valley had been for
was well on past the middle OF December
before the first heavy storm came. "A blizl
zard that ragged fiercely for two days
NO one dared venture out in the storm.
and Rousaby had TO dig a tunnel to the
shsf. house and another to the stable,
for the cabin was almost buried.
This was no novelty to him. IT was
but the repetition Of previous experiences.
TO be taken as matter OF course For
all Of that he chafed at his inprison-
ment for the first time. II meant that
he could not go to the village.
TWO days later n thaw sci in. and the
moist snow packed through it's own
weight. This was followed by a freeze
that put hard crust over the surface
as slippery and as smooth as a sheet Of
polished glass.
During the thaw the trail had been
opened, but Rousaby could not go TO
town. There were paths to dig and he
Knew that the freeze would come. Unless
ne worked quickly it would be useless
nl In oh
was Of greater Importance
by saturday the plateau had been part
" cleared and he was comfortable again.
lie fumed because he could not 20 10
town. There was no one to take Miss
some pictures
Meanwhile the schoolhouse supply of
wood had given out. and there had been
no school since the first day OF the biz
zard. Miss Hawkins had chafed at her
inactivity, but when the thaw and the
sunsequent freeze had come she could
NOT restrain herself
She knew that the little waterfalls on
tne side Of the mountain would be things
Of beauty. There was ane particular spot
Wners the water came gushing from an
abandoned mine.
The original bed of the stream had been
used as a sort Of chute down which the
lumbernen had hurled logs for timbering
tne Pc, mines around Big Hill City
-, Ihe stream had run almost Ia straight
Nentre creek. Gradually a regular chute
had been formed, deepened by the rush
q ,1,g,. water r. during the spring thaws.
the early fall. She wanted a winter view
from the same point, for she realized
Wnat contrast the two exposures would
make as companion pictures.
. Her objective point lay to the north of
-, hr,ousaDy cabin ard just off the trail
She could not take the burro. but with
lne camera on a hand-sled she felt that
she could make it,
With infinite labor she dragged the
heavy outfit up the trail. at best a irving
ascent. 1t was five hours after the start
it up
Il was a most insecure position. She
maintained her footing with difficulty but
the camera was focused and she was
reaching for plateholder when she lost
her balance and fell
Her foot doubled under her, there was
a cracking sound, and. with one scream
she tainted dead away.
Rousaby, driving his burro to an i'm
provlsed snowplow. heard the cry His
quick ears not only located the sound
,, nut toid MN that It was Miss Hawkins
voice Unlocking the burro, he drove it
70 the stable, and he was soon bounding
down the incline to the spring
There lay Miss Hawkins insensible and
WIN Ha a COMPOUND fracture Of her left leg
Fol a moment Rousahy was stunned. 1t
would be impossible to take her to his
cabin. 1t was equally Impossible TO take
her doTn the trail Yet she must have
assistance al once
He raised her in his arms. She opened
ner eyes with a little moan lust as
kousaby pressed his lips to hers For in
that moment he knew that he loved her
the world
1T was well for Rousaby that she re-
gained consciousness. for there was an
answering pressure of her lips, and in
that exchange a question had been asked
and answered.
But this was not the time for love
making There were more vital things
at stake.
You have fallen and hurt yourself"
he explained rapidly. Il must get You
back to the town / can't take Won to
my shack and | can't take YOU down the
train. DO you think you can side
She smiled family. Il think I shall
nave 10 sne murmured, and tainted
again lie made her comfortable with
his fur coat and gathering up the cam
era hurried back to the house
Back Of his shack were two empty -four
barrels Hurrledly he knocked the sec
ond head out Of one and drove it into
the other. Then he secured the two with
nails and strips and dragged them to the
place where Miss Hawkins. half con
scious lay beside the stream
He forced a drink of brandy between
her lips and carried her to the head Of
the chute. Here the frozen snow retained
the outline of the ground underneath and
stretched away to the frozen pond a mile
away.
Carefully and tenderly he placed her
in the double header near the chute
Then grasping the ends Of the barrel he
hung himself on his stomach and pushed
the improvised sled into the runway
For moment 1t slid slowly along.
then II gathered momentum. and with a
roar il tore down the mountain side. The
CLASSY surface permitted the barrel 10
shoot along. and the friction was not suf
fcient to tear of the solid slaves. If
this should happen il would mean two
deaths. Still this was their only chance
Five hundred feet further along they
were going at the rate Of a mile a min
ute. MISS Hawkins. shielded by the bar
rels. did not realize their speed. nor was
she strangled by the rush OF air.
II was all R0usaby could do to hold
on The suction behind the barrels took
his breath. away. and the tiny particles
of crust thrown up by the barrels cut
his face and neck until they bled Only
the grim knowledge that the woman he
loved must reach Big Hill City made him
hold on.
1t was not long trip. but TO Rousahv
1t seemed an eternity AT last. with 4
roar, they struck a level, and he knew
that they had reached the lake. 1t was
narrow, and unless he wanted to be
crushed against the opposite bank he
must change their course with desner-
ate energy, he threw himself to one side.
ana they went tearing down the center
of the pond
A minute later the speed had slackened
and willing hands had taken Miss Haw-
Sins out Of the barrel ana to the
doctors office
Big Hin City celebrated Rousabv,s
feat, and later his wedding to the most