Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-28

father yawned Dallas feigned sleep.
But the evil moment could not be
put OF. Lancaster propped himself on
an elbow and called to her. He was
hungry.
Very quietly Dallas told him that
there was no food.
He grunted. arose and lighted the
lantern. you dish tibet snow on tn
floor" he commanded. Wen need it
fer drink"
"WhatN're you going to do?" she ask
ed, Fastening. to obey. Her voice was
lowered appreheiIsively.
He was wrapping some clothes over
his shoes. Butcher Simon" he said
CURLY.
Her face became a white spot in the
gloom.
"Critter IL be tough, likes not" went
on her father, but y en- poun' tn
meat"
After long wait she spoke. "You
triumphantly.
"Yas, All en-" he answered. "Ah en-
chop through with tn Ratchet" He
! was between the fireplace and a cor
ner, feeling over the logs with his
| hands.
She ran to him. ooh, how can you
| think of it?" she demanded huskily.
| "Simon's so friendly. and--came to us
for a home. How can you kill him!
Maybe you could eat him, but
couldn't. 1t d just choke me"'
"Oh, amt we sof'!" sneered her ia
Their. He was fumbling about near the
bunk, as if hunting something. 'Mebbe
| y d like All should kill mule. Ha,
| ha, No mule meat fer me. Ah'll give
tibet bull q funk tween tn eyes. an
We'll hev steak
She stood in the dim light, one arm
crooked up to cover her face. Present
ly Marylyn moaned. Then Dallas low
cred her arm and looked down at her
sister. "One of the mules would be
easier" she said bitterly. But, remem-
bering the Known eyes of the team and
the long. gray whiskered noses, she
covered her face again.
"Ah don keer wat " say" declared
her father We'll hev steak" He Sc
lected log and began to hack at it.
| Shuddering. she sank to her knees
one hand reached out to touch Mary
Ign. Maybe Charley IL come, honey
she whispered hopefully. Maybe
maybe"
And now it seemed as If she heard
something outside. She crept to the
door. Around the latch was little
space. She put her ear to it, and the
fey air blew against her cheek. There
it was again! The shrek of the gale.
She went back TO the bed.
Hack, hack, hack! Then muttereG
curses. And again the sound of chop
ping.
When she could bear it no longer she
got up and stumbled over to her ia
Their. Dad" she said. IF I break NJ
the mantel and fix something will yor
stop?"
He sat back on his feet, putting cross
ly. Light fire. he said. Use thes,
chips Anil resi- He threw down tn,
Ratchet and crawled under the blan
kets. He was glad of the interruption
for the duty ahead was assuming al
ugly guise.
Dallas had filled the coffee pail witt
snow. Now she gathered up the chips
. lit them and pried up the wide boart
| of the mantel. This she split with tn
Ratchet
: What are you going to make?
, asked Marylyn from the bed.
Pepper tea, honey. tn warm 20
) up"
: "Oh. I'm so glad. Ma made som
once"
Pepper tea 1t was. When the snoN
? had melted and the water was boilin
hot Dallas added pepper and sal
Then she spread cloth and turne
the wheat and corn sacks out upon i
She got handful of -four. With thi
: she thickened the water. Three cup
e were sitting upon the floor She too
the coffee pail over, poured into tw
: and handed them to her father an
Marylyn.
Don't spill a Drop" she cautioned.
you got some?" Queried Marylyl
sitting up.
Dallas went back to the other GU
"Well, what do you think I'm doing!
she asked and lifted it to her lips.
Soon the three were lying shouldt
to shoulder again, the section bos
. drawing a little added comfort fro
e his pipe. Before long he was asleel
Marylyn too. Then Dallas got U
cautiously and brewed a cup of pc
pered water for herself The h'
e draft relieved the pangs of her hunge
= She lay down again.
L Hours later she was awakened
u hearing faint squeals directly owe
- head. Hastily she lit the lantern al
took down the Sharps, then steppt
directly under the sounds and poke
e the rifles muzzle into the hay of Il
Ia roof. Above, storm driven and crow
: ing one another against the stones
I the chimney, were some pigsi
E In her eagerness she trembled
II violently that she became unsteady
her feet. 1t lost her the opportunity
"a firing, for as she waited, trying to 6
IL blind aim, the squeals suddenly di
u out. The pigs had gone over iowa
III the edge of the lean-to