The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-20
Corralling a Quarter Section

The storm came apace There was
wind that few with the speed of a
bullet, It tore the snow into needle
IKE atoms and hurled the singing
particles reslsticssly before ii. Great
uriits formed. The iit,ie windo" as
appeared behind a thick tlnl OF frost,
outside ii Was Impossible 10 see a
5cuEth ahead A genuine Dakota
blizzard was haRmeltng the great
northwest.
\ ScuT, Of time during the day an
uucoAfesscd anxiety drew the girl 10
the window Thclt. melting a hole
in the frost win ner breath. sne
peered into the storm. 1t was bad
day even for an enemy to be out she
found herself late N the afternoon
praying tahs Grant would stay car
ln TIL the storm ahated. He had
hired man to do the chores, being
unmarried. they Kept bach haii' to-
rether. He did not need TO hurry
oack. And yet
Another fruitlcss look at the blank
white wall ~ flying SNOW.
At S.u',iock there came a mutiled
knock Hilda hurried TO the door and
threw IL open, to recon in Glnazement,
for the mild, patient head of a horse
protected into the cabin. II WAS
Braut's horse
With an exclamation she waded
through the snow 10 the cutter There
vas huddled. fur-cIad figure in the
bottom OF the vehicle.
As her cry brought the others out
Dareheaded into the storm, n shape
detached itself from the rushing white
gloom--Frank OIeson. Braut's hired
man. The Swede had been search
my afnut for his rnaSfer
lie bane freezing he cried, and
Tell upon Erant like hear. cutiiing,
shaking and worrying him back from
the verge Of the dreaded sleep which
has no waking.
Brant reused reluctantly ana looked
about him at the faithful Dleson, at
the Pentons. scarcely less concerned,
at the cabin beyond. warm and light
and coy. His face changed as at an
unpleasant memory.
Take me home. Frank." he said. in
a tone that bro0ked no diSobedience.
And for the second time within a
week Eiiida Fentou cried herself To-
sleep. The last Vestige al hope WAS
gone. He had hid in their land,
That is why he could not trespass on
their hospitality,
II was three days before little Jim
could go to the pustoffice, two miles
away. He came back. with letter
an Official looking article from the
county scat. ana a budget Of news
that kept him jumping up and down
, in excitement.
The envelope was addressed TO her
father. but llilda tore it open. caught
the sense at a glance. and dropped
weakly into rnair.
'Mother-father," she gasped; ITS
all right. We MoGl- luse-uur- farm
MIR Braut has loaned US the money.
Mr.. and Mrs Pepton craving heads
bent together laboriously gathered
that James Pcnton, by his agent. Ar
thur Grant. had paid the sum Of one
hundred and forty-tWo dollars and
seventy-nine cents. being the full
amount due for back taxes anad pen
altIes Oh the southeast one-Quarter of
Section --. oh. IL was all there, To
the last letter and figure of the de-
scription,
Meanwhile little Jim, ,by the eN-
pedient of whooping ar regular in
teryals, at last attracted the family
attention.
Listen to me- listen to me- he
yelled. "Lemme tell you about the
fight over 20 CRrlin Tuesday, Bin
Samut lson, ne saw it
Hey" said his father, raising his
eyes at last from the magic paper.
a fight--who?"
Arthur Brant and Pete snyder,
chartered little Jim. THAT mean old
Pete was there 10 get our land, and
he had check all made out. Bat
Mr. Brant came in aud said he was
your agent pa. an had the moneS
ready An Pete called him liar
and All BraDt told him he was q
taN-title shark, 50 Pete struck at MIN
And then they fought ana Knocked
over chairs, an the clerk climbed up
/ onto the desk, an Mr.. Brant black ed
Pete's eyes and hlooded his nose.
An
Little Sim stopped. the breath
squeezed out OF his body For his
sister. her eyes shining like twin
stars. Was hpgging him 10 her breast
laughing and crying AT the same
time.
Jim, she said. YOU go and tell
Arthur to come over here. we've
went to thank him, and beg his par
dom.
'Taint necessary" replied Jim.
wrgging free, Il asked him my
self. An he said he'd come"