Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-04
"she is Gone, Them" easped the Boy.

The boys senses were Quickened in
to instant action by her conduct. Aft
er the first moment Of surprise. he
knew at once that she was deliberate
ly abandoning him to die in the snow.
A hot rush Of blood, in spite Of the
cold, swept over him. He thrust his
hand within his coat and dragged out
a weapon. He raised 1t and trained
it on the woman's back, and for the
moment his hand did not tremble
Then there rose before him that other
CORY figure. Though he had lived
some months on the wild frontier and
had seen more than one man killed
there, he had never been connected
with the murder before, even as an
accessory after the fact. and the hor-
ror Of it was still upon him. He low
cred the pistol, though he could easily
have shot her dead.
Such treachery on the part of
woman would have killed some men;
not SO this boy. In that moment he
became a man. He saw himself
fool; he determined that he would not
also see himself coward. Clenching
his fists and summonins his strength,
he followed southwark afoot in the
woman's wake.
He walked-if that be the word for
his progress-with his head down and
his body bent lower and lower. He
took long rests between the steps. BY
and by he fell forward on his face.
The sensation of delicious rest and
lrowsiness that swept over him woeed
him to lie still and die; but there were
still sparks and remnants of manhood
and courage in him. He shook OF his
desire to sleep at last and strove fran
tically to rise. Finding that he could
not, he crawled forward on his hands
and knees, slowly working himself
over the snow covered ground, round
the drifts like great animal.
There was no use. Humanity could
not stand the strain any longer. One
he was about to sink down forever he
heard long. deep hollow. mournfui
sound. He stopped, interested, dimly
wondering what 1t could be.
Whatever it was, it meant life Of
some kind. 1t came from directly
N front of him. It nerved him to fur
Their effort. Summoning the last YES.
tige OF his strength, he advanced
little farther.
He knew what It was now. 1t was
a locomotive.
He lifted his head and saw lights
family. He OWNED that it was the
station, the train, the Overland Lin.
tied! She would get on it and go
away! What mattered it?
And what Of himself? There was
help; there was life! He actually rose
to his feet and wavered on. BY hap
py chance the contour of the ground
had caused the space between him
and the lights to be swept compare
lively bare of snow. 1t was not now
difficult walking. yet he staggered like
q drunken man.
All! the lights were moving before
his eyes, they danced and fickered.
The train was going! He broke into
Keeling run, hoarse whispers on his
frozen lips. Too late!
He stumbled and fell across the car
tracks, dimly conscious Of the lights,
Of the departing train He had just
sense enough and strength enough
to cry out as he did So Some one on
the station platform heard his voice.
Men came toward him: he was lifted
up and carried into Q warm room.
Something burning yet deliciously re-.
wing was poured down his throat
'The woman!" he gasped out, look.
UP IN the faces q TIA. station