Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-05-03
WITH
By
TONKA'S Honor.
AID ''''
Copyright, 1906, by Ruby Douglas

Barbara wandered about the great,
pleasant room restlessly. She liked the
| huge fireplace, with whips and rifles
above the mantel. The couches, with
the fur robes tossed across them and
| the long study table in the middle of
the room, heaped with magazines and
| varied collection of pipes, made her
forget that the nearest human habita-
ton was fifteen miles across the plains.
She paused at one of the windows,
snubbing her nose against the pane,
like a child, and looked out over the
brown, dusty plains toward the noun
tains This visit to her bachelor broth
er was suddenly proving lonely, since
he had forbidden her her daily ride be-
cause of threatening snow. Until to-
day everything on the ranch had been
so new anu strange to this eastern girl
that she had forgotten to be homesick.
THE sun is shiningI" she exclaimed
aloud to the empty room. TT is only
that funny haZy ring around it that
keeps it from being really bright.
lNNbe1ld 10 ~ SIN anu AuhAy ONNA bANi
like hen with one chick. What is a
snowstorm, anyhow, but fun? I'm go
ing to take Tonka out for just little
while"
All Lee, peering from the kitchen
window n little later, shook his pig
tailed head obviously at the sight of
slender figure in a heavy riding habit
making its way toward the stables.
ME no like missy glo," he said.
weather velly bad" Then. with an
indescribable gesture not unmixed
with disdain. he calmly washed his
hands of the matter and went on with
his pie making
Barbara found the stables deserted,
but Tonka nosed her softly with well
come in her great eyes, and pony and
girl swung eagerly out beyond the cor
raj to the open plain. Barbara shiv-
cred good deal at first. The air
lacked that clear, invigorating quality
that had hitherto made riding de-
light. There was raw wind rising
that penetrated her heavy habit.
1--WE won't go far today, Tonka," she
said, with chattering teeth-"just the
five miles out to the irrigating gate and
back again"
The murky ring about the sun grew
thicker and thicker until the sun was n
mere pale yellow dinner plate resting
on a gray blanket. The wind began to
sting Barbara's face unpleasantly.
"Oh, DEAR" she said, this isn't any
fun. It's so hazy l can't see the ditch,
and"-she turned In the saddle and
looked about In puzzled way-'I can't
see the ranch house either. Why-why,
Tonka, where are WEI"
She looked up into the sky, but dur
ing her short moment of uncertainty
the sun had become totally obscured,
and as she looked fine, driving parti-
cles of snow pelted her face. Tonka
shook her head stubbornly and started
off abruptly, but Barbara pulled her in.
"Silly thing" she said -"I don't want
to go to the irrigating ditch. We must
get home as soon as ever we cam"
But Tonka had ideas of her own on
the subject AS Barbara pulled on the
rein she shook her head again and
started to back,
SCOlucu DdIOaidy
her voice above the roar of the wind,
Il want to go home! Don't act like a
goose"
With the aid of the whip she finally
persuaded Tonka to turn, and they
started off in the teeth of the wind.
The drive of the snow was so heavy
that Barbara could not see a horses
length in front of her. The cold was
so intense that she felt as IL her face
were being scared, and she began to
be frightened.
''It must be blizzard" she thought
"Richard will be frantic"
For half an hour Tonka struggled
through the binding storm, while the
frightened girl on her back clung to
the reins with numbing hands and
urged her on. AS the cold grew un-
bearable Barbara pulled the pony in
and dismounted.
'Tve got to walk" she thought, ''or
freeze to the saddle
With the rens on her arm, she
plunged on, her heart sinking more
and more ''NNe are lost, Tonka," she
said, "lost in one of those terrible biz
zardsr' She stopped to breathe and
to pound her aching hands against the
pony's side.
Suddenly Tonka lifted her head with
shrill whinny, which was answered
from out the storm by another whinny.
Barbara looked about eagerly. rs it
only a stray pony" she thought, "or is
some one looking for me?"
g h. 81, ind nf
the shadowy form Of Il man, like Bar
bara, leading his horse. Barbaras
heart gave great throb
f'Mr. Ingrahamw she gasped.
Great heavens Miss Barbara, what
does this mean?" exclaimed the man,
turning his back to the gale and shout
ing to be heard above It,
"I'm lostv' called Barbara.
This is awful" answered the man,
his face tense. You poor child! Why
on earth did your brother let you out
account for this And | am Of no use,
This is my first experience with an
American blizzard. l. too, am lostp'
Barbara's heart sank. Her months
acquaintance with the young English
man, who was their nearest neighbor
and who during her visit had ridden
the fifteen miles regularly three times
4 week, had inspired her with pro-
found faith in his capabilities, AS he
owned himself lost she unconsciously
moved q little closer to his stalwart
figure. The man pulled off his fur coat
and in spite of her protestations wrap
ped it about her shivering little figure.
First" he said, you will put that
on"
mo. l WON'T" she cried.
"Oh. yes, you Will" he shouted, but
toning it firmly under her chin. Bar
hara changed the subject.
"It's lucky l didn't let Tonlla carry
me on to the ditch" she called. "She
almost refused to turn. | really got
mixed up with her backing and turn
ing"
The Englishman pondeFed ror mo-
ment. "Oh, / say he shouted, that's
| too pad. You are the one that prob
ably got mixed up. Those Indian
ponies always head for home they say,
as soon as blizzard strikes them. My
horse didn't know enough. But wait,
| Give Tonka her head and see what she
| does Itn afraid We'll have to walk