Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-04

OIL LIlo nOuSo Was ISaCuSu. Between
great drift and the wall, in little
open space the horses were tied.
The boy was q natural horseman.
He had picked out the best two bron-
cos in the camp. II any animals could
take them to safety. these cc.lld. Not
yet chilled by the fierce cold, they
united the shiverins, reluctant, terri
fed horses from the wooden pins driv-
en- into the chinks between the log
walls of the house to which they had
been hitched, mounted them, and
threading their way round the drift
started southwark on their awful ride.
They left death behind them-and 10!
death loomed before and on either
hand.
Except where the storm was broken
by houses, drifts had not yet formed.
The wind was too terrific; it swept
the level prairie clean. But away
from the shelter of the house they got
the full force Of it, Although they
were thickly clad in wool and fur, the
pressure of the storm drove their gar
ments against their bodies. and soon
filled them with icy cold. There was
no help for it, no relief from it. They
had to bear it. They could only bend
their backs to it and keep on. trust
ing to the endurance of their horses.
The woman Judged that 1t had been
about one in the morning when they
had started. The Overland Limited
ran through the station at three. No
horses that lived could have made
that Is miles In two hours under those
conditions. It was more than prob
able, however. that the limited would
be greatly delayed by the storm, and
if they kept going steadily they would
! be likely to catch it. At any rate.
when they reached the station. they
would find food, fire and shelter.
If their horses did not give out, if
they were not turned adrift on foot
In the storm and snow, and left to plod
on until they fell and slept, and froze,
and died. they would perhaps get
away.
More experienced than the boy, all
these possibilities were present to her.
She did not pray, she could ask moth
ing of God; but she went warily and
carefully. helping the horse where she
could.
AS for her companion, he did not
give these matters very much consid-
GRAFTON. He kept going toward the
south to the railroad station because
that was the only thing to be done.
Another, however, rode with him. If
not with her. Before his eyes was
ever present that cory, grizzly spec
tacle Of a human form, the red blood
yelling from its breast, redder still
from the white snow with which he
was surrounded. That awful figure
beckoned him on. He was younger.
finer, better. than she. He was more
fool than knave; she was all knave.
Her thoughts went forward to what
was before her; but his went back
ward to what was behind.
After long time 1t seemed to them
that the ferceness of the storm was
somewhat abated. The wind was GER
tainly falling; but the drifts were
steadily rising. and their progress
was more difficult every moment for
that cause. Their very souls were
numb with the awful cold Still they
went forward, slower now, and more
slowly ever.
How far they had come. what time
It was, where they were. neither he
nor she could tell. 1t seemed to them
both that they had been hours on the
way. Tho woman was sure that they
must have comprised the greater part
Of the journey. when her horse sud
denly stumbled and fell. Ter bron-
cho's matchless endurance had at last
been exhausted by the terrible strug-
gle Of their Journey. He lay dying
where he fell, ana nothing she could
do could get him up again. The boy
had stopped, Of course, when her horse
had fallen. He lad dismounted and
helped her to rise. He had assisted
her vain efforts to get her own played
out horse on its feet. The two now
stood staring at each other in dismay.
"You must take my horse" said the
boy at last.
The woman nodded. With his as
sfstance she climbed slowly and pain
fully into the saddle. took the reins
from the boy, and started on. Her
cS-apanion caught hold Of the stirrup
leather and staggered forward by her
side. The going was now Infinitely
harder for the remaining horse. The
woman Immediately realized that with
this almost dead weight plunging
through the deep drifts and dragging
heavily at the stirrup leather, the
remaining bronco would soon be ex-
hauSted
She had meant to play fair with
him but 1t could not be. And SO for
long time the trio plodded on In this
way, tho woman nervinE herself to .