The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-01-05

yep" the messenger added He
passed Tn tha envelope, and passed on.
rarroll gumhlng in his pocket for
match. found three. by the )isht of
the last he SAW the hlAok hcadltneS of
the Western linton and caught the
naue yellow TrNL" \ sensation
came to him such as our has when 4
ship rides over swell
The wind had grown stN Darkness
| thick warm omiuous darkness crush
"a around them An axle creaked the
horses sinking to their fctlocks, drew
out their feet with sounds like mtna-
| turc suction pumps All at once came
another sound II might have been
u snare drum at distance, II was
calling the forces OF Nature On Il
| came; there was the roar OF battle IN
It's roll The mountains echoed the
clouds were rifted with vivid darting
light The road lay aigaag and white
on the grade.
! Farroll still held the message In his
| hand, In the tittul glare the words
stared at him.
! Jackson struck Friday night Jum-
pers after Yellow Trail"
In the ensuing darkness Farroll be-
gan slowly talking aloud, as though
TO convince another, The assessment
work is one day short" he said.
Times the only thing can save us
now Oh Judy" He pulled out his
watch. and sat waiting for another
flash. 1t was twenty minutes after
ten, They were due at Hantord at
1880, but the trail lay on Hoods
Creek, Ave miles beyond. and the roads
were heavy. II h could reach It by
! twelve o'clock he had equal chances
with the others; he could jump his
own possession.
A rain of hail began to fall. The
stones bit at the horses and stung Ju-
dith's cheeks. Farroll climbed for
ward over the seats. The front cur
tains were drawn, but he leaned out
until he could see the driver
Il say" he shouted, its fifty dollars
if you drive through Hanford to Hoods
Creek. and get me there by midnight.
Hear, man"
aye" The voice conjured the face
Of Judith to his fancy
A half hour passed, then three quar-
ters, the minutes were days after that |
to Farroll. He got out his note book
and fountain pen, using his knee for
table. BY the flashes OF light he
began to print his location notice. We
the undersigned-do claim
Judith was on fire. Fifty dollars for
the baby. She would take 1t just to
show herself how she hated Dave! |
She did hate him! She must hate
him!
ITS fifty dollars" shouted Farrol |
Fifty dollars! We must reach Hoods
River by twelve."
Judiths head swan. She had called
him a draft horse She had said he
was ugly, and she was proud so proud
punish herself for that pride came to
her. The wind brought the cry Of the
baby. There were no conditions for
the money but those of speed. She
must show Farroll that she did not
love him. The other girl should never
have the claim. After that nothing
mattered. Maybe God would let her
die.
She wound the lines around the
brake. Slipping beneath the boot, she
brought up Morrisons waybook and I
pencil, braced her feet on the bags Of
mail. and held up her nat for a rain
shield Finishing printed page, she
tucked 1t into the overcoat and un-
wound the lines, Youth and hope
seemed buried back at the roadhouea.
Hanford was wide awake, for the
New Years dance was on. The rain
had begun to slackcn, and the plant
used for lighting the mines made the
town as light as day. Five miles to
Hoods Creek and the clock on the
school house pointed to 1925.
Farroll was beside himself. He must
save the Trail" for Judy! zone hum
dred d0Ilars,' he shouted. "Ill make
it one twenty-five"
The driver was standing, the pins
were out Of her hair. The rain drizzled
and stopped, the peerlng moon bronzed
the edges Of the clouds as up from
the town came the first mourn Of the