Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-06-08
Continued
The Storm Without.

The wuman's first thought when she
stepped outside the door was that at
all hazards they must 30 back. The
wind almost swept her away; only the
steadying grasp of the boy, better pre-
pared than she for he attack of the
storm. enabled her to keep her feet.
Yet the presence Of that CHASTITY thing
on the nOur which was affecting even
her iron nerve. prevented their return.
Whatever happened they must go on!
The door Of that shelter was closed
to them forever by the dead or dying
tenant. She realized however, that
their chances of escaping freezing to
death in this mad endcavor were SO
small as to be- practically none. Well,
fate had forced her into this position.
She would follow the path she had
chosen. whatever might be at the end
Of the way.
Speech was well nigh impossible.
TIL" boy staggered on past the win.
dow, and she followed until the lee
OF the house was reached. Between
a great drift and the wall, in a little
open space the horses were tied.
The boy was Il natural horseman.
He had picked out the best two bron-
cos in the camp II any animals could
take them to safety, these could. Not
yet chilled By the fierce cold, they
united the shiNering, reluctant, terri.
fled horses from the wooden pins driv.
en- into The chinks between the log
walls of the house to which they had
been hitChrd, mounted them, and
threading their way round the drift
started southwark on their awful ride.
They left death behind them-and 10!
death doomed 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 iul! force Of 1t. Although they
were thickly clad in wool and fur, the
pressure Of the storm drove their gar.
mclts against their bodies, and soon
filled them with icy cold. There was
10 help for it, no relief from 1t. They
lad 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 it 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 - miles III two hours under those
conditions. 1t was moro than prob,
able, however, that the limited would
be greatly delayed by the storm. and
il they kept going steadily they would
be likely to catch it. At any rate
when they reached the station, they
Mould find food, fire and shelter.
II their horses did not give out, 4
they were not turned adrift on foo
in the storm and snow, and left to plot
on until they fell and slept, and froze
and died, they would perhaps ge
away.
More experienced than the boy, al
these possibilities were present to her
She did not pray, she could ask moth
ing of God; but she went warily an,
carefully. helping the horse where sh
could.
Az for her companion, he did no
give these matters very much consit
Grafton. He kept going toward tn
south to the railroad station becaus
that was the only thing to be done.
Another, however, rode with him,
not with her. Before his eyes wa
ever present that CORY. grizzly spe,
tacle of a human form, the red bloc
yelling from its breast. redder sti
from the white snow with which /
was surrounded. That awful fgul
beckoned him on. He was younge
finer, better, than she. he was MOI
fool than knave; she was all knav
Her thoughts went forward to VIII
was before her: but his went bac
ward to what was behind.
After a long time 1t seemed to the
that the %fierceness of the storm WI
somewhat abated. The wind was &C
tainly falling: but the drifts we
steadily rising, and their progre
was more difficult every m (
that cause. Their very souls We
numb with the awful cold. Still tn
went forward. slower now, and mo
slowly ever
How far they had come. what til
IL was, where they were. neither
nor she could tell. 1t seemed to thu