Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-19
PIOW Woman 1
By LEANOR GATES,
COPYRIGHT 19O6 BY MCCLURE, PHILLIPS c Cof1PAN9'
 
Author of 1.-The Biography of Prairie Girl


 that Lancaster made them unpleasant Charley was necessary to him-but that the Indian was always in a fever to be gone Since the council his eyes were less downcast, his face was less stolid.
 One day brought totally unexpect- ed visitor, whom Lancaster recognized with some misgivings as the United States land agent at Bismarck. The section boss was soon treasured, how ever. The agent said that, having busi- ness near Brannon and remembering that Lancaster wished to file an entry on the bend when the first claimants six months were up, he had come by. In the case of man who was hurt, he said, the law allowed such course. The section boss, thus saved the ardu- ous trip, signed the necessary papers with a jubilant mark.
 Then came old Michael for time or two. It seemed at first as if he were 10 be a favorite. He could adapt him. self with all the art of his race. And before Lancaster he was intensely southern in bis views, whipping the north in many a broguey strife. Until it befell through slip of the tongue "a slip that sent him packing off, for he boasted how in 62 his freckled hands had helped in piloting the Fed erals to Island No. 10!
 It was an outcome that gave Dallas little concern. Marylyn was her wor- ". The younger girl was listless, pale and moody. Now and then Dallas be- lieved she saw look of actual suffer- ing in her eyes. Once, awakening in the night, she heard her sob.
 Marylyn was unhappy, and the thought made the elder girl desperate. This led her to plan: Lounsbury must be asked to forgive their father and come again-must be told of Marylyn's confession.
 Soon afterward a second worry pre- sented itself, one fully as serious. The provisions were dwindling, the seed sacks shrinking fast and, estranged from Lounsbury, they had nowhere to ask credit but at the fort.
 When Dallas spoke of it to her fla ther, he chuckled. "Waal, we got Si- mon, ain't we?" he said.
 That same night Marylyn put down her fork and stared across the table at her sister. ''Why, Dallas, you don't eat." she complained.
 Dallas laughed. T don't work, hon. ey," she answered
 The question of fuel entered next and became a grave one. So far the weather had been fairly mild for the place and the season. Now it took a more rigorous turn. The bitter cold was intensified by stiff wind. Snow began to fall, and the wind, growing, drove the flakes level so that they cut the face like filings of steel. Charley s trips became uncertain, then impossi- ble. The work of getting out hay for the stock was desperate tax. It was so difficult that Dallas dared not spare a straw for the fireplace, and Ben and Betty's manager had to be drawn upon for wood. When this source of supply failed, the benches were sacrificed one by one, the cupboard was torn down, and the bunk and part of the table were split into kindling.
 The family slept shoulder to shoul' der before the hearth, with the brave colored blankets of the partition for extra covering Lancaster and the younger girl stayed in bed all of the twenty-four hours. Dallas got up only long enough to tend the animals and prepare food. But day came when she could not make her way to the lean-to and when the warped dooi could not be opened in the teeth Of the raging storm. Toward noon she cooked some food. however. The seed sacks were empty, There was no rice ard no flour. While the blizzard howled without and Simon and tht mules called pitifully for their fodder and drink, she broke up what was left of the table. Over its blaze the last smitch of bacon went to savor tht last pint of beans.
 After the meal Dallas read aloud Lying down, she held her book in on' hand until her fingers were blue witt cold, then changed to the other. Ia ther and sister drowsed, and she pu the story aside 10 study over the pre- dicament, f. which she felt herself a fault. Counting on blizzards, but know ing nothing of their duration, she ha' determined to say little about thei needs until those needs pressed, when she knew, her father would see thei extremity. The extremity had come Yet. willing or unwilling. Lancaste was cut oT from seeking help
 That day closed in fearful cold. Th' wind was becoming a furious gale Sturdily the log house withstOod il Only the roof seemed threatened Witt each great blast it lifted d little, as i on the point of whirling away. bu when darkness came even the roof sci tied into quiet, for the drifts that ha' been piling up gradually to the Dortl and west of the shack, sealing the viii dows and the door, had risen to th grassy caves and Oyerfowed them an so weighted the thatch.
 Next morning long before MaTylyl and her father wakened Dallas reused . The room was in dusk. and its air wa so cold that it seemed fairly to sing the skin She could not read Pre- entIy Marylyn turned The elder gil hasteued to sOothe her. Then thei , father yawned Dallas feigned sleep. . But the evil moment could not D put of Lancaster propped himself o an nltnrr- and called fn her He wa