The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-07-21
PROLOGUE
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY BE.
FORE.
The Storm Within.


The wind came In wild bursts OF ire
mendOus speed Even In the lulls,
which were only comparatively such.
Il blew perhaps 20 miles an hour. The
fierce blasts we're laden with fine
snow-frozen spindrift from a white
ocean Of cold! Needles OF ice sharp
er than their prototypes of steel cut
the bare flesh OF those whom evil for
tune kept abroad on such night
bringing the blood to the freezing
skin. The onslaught OF the scream
lug tempest drove the hapless cattle
mad with pain and terror. The thick
snow compelled them to huddle to-
Eether at last, and shelterless to suf-
fer. freeze. and die In the pltiless hur-
ricane
Just where the foothills lose them
selves in the prairie lay huddled a lit
tie town or camp. Every door and win
dow was shut and barricaded against
the searching storm.
In one OF the poorest and most mis-
cradle shanties on the outskirts OF the
town woman waited alone. A com
mon Kerosene lamp stood on a table
before the window. set there as II in
signal
The house. a mere shack which
shook and quivered under the ire
mendous assaults OF the storm. and
might have been blown down II II had
not been buttressed and protected by
heaps OF snow yet threatening to over.
whelm II. contained but one room. In
the corner farthest from the door
stood tumbled. frowzy bed. rick
ETY. chest OF drawers, a kitchen table, a
rusty cook stove. a few uncertain
chairs OF the plalnest and cheapest
quality. were all the rest OF the fur
niturc. A few clothes hung from pegs
driven in the boarded wall A saddle
In one corner, n pickax and shovel. n
heavy quirt, and a rife hanging from
pegs beneath a shelf sufficiently
pointed out the ayocations OF the
owner.
Yet she was a woman who. what
ever her outward circumstances
showed no poverty OF spirit She
, ragged up and down the room as a
prisoned tiger PAGES the narrow con.
fines of his cage. Sometimes she
, paused and stopped by the window. TO
rest her head beneath her hand on
, the sash and peer eagerly. passion.
ately. out into the falling snow. She
could see nothing. and after having
, stared with increased disappointment
and further mutterings OF angry
words. she would resume her rest.
, less backward and forward march.
Had there been any spectator when
she assumed that picturesque position
, at the window. where the light, how.
, ever II failed to illuminate the snow.
, threw her own face and person In high
. relief. the observer would have been
, surprised at the coarse and yet not
, unattractive beauty OF her face and
| figure. She was full Tipped and deep
, bosomed. tall. 1.-the. strong. Her
cheeks were full of color. her hair
, black and coarsely crisp and curly.
, Her hands. which she clasped and un.
, clssped nervously. were large and
Redeemed by toll. but they were shape
ly nevertheless. But there was neith-
er refinement nor goodness In her
face. There were great possibilities
Of evil which experience could have
detected. Hers had been a hard life.
and IL had made her a hard woman.
She was perhaps twenty-five years
! old. but looked older.
For hours the woman had waited In
that hut alone. II had been storming
badly when she began her vigil. and
. the violence OF the tempest had In.
creased until she feared that no hu.
man soul could brave It. That she
very much wanted some one to at.
tempt II. that she very keenly. ardent.
D. longed for that. was quite evident
Great is the power Of love. Even
: its counterfeit-that which passes for
y II N the eyes Of the ignorant and In,
experienced-may stir men and WON.
? en- to mighty deeds. This woman
J. waited the arrival Of one who fancied
!. himself a modern Perseus about to re-
lease another bound and helpless An
dromeda from q devouring monster.
Whether the man who fatuously
filled that role-or the boy. rather. 10,
he had not reached mans years OF
> estate-would arrive before her hus
band. was the problem that filled the
woman's mind. In view Of the bliz
= sard raging. she might have wondered
. whether. In case either OF then
sought the house. they could and II OIL
reach II alive. II she had stopped u
n consider that phase OF the possibili
y ties. she would have been profoundly
glad had both ventured and had botl
wandered on In the night until beatss
!. down and mastered BY the spirit o
the storm. 20 that the searchers. afts
It's violence had abated. might nns
them frozen to death - many anoths
, poor fellow was found frozen there
after. For while the woman loathe<
and hated her drunken brute Of hus
= band. Jet she had no affection for tn,
, foolish young tsndsrfoot Who had van
6srsd cut west TO spsna . summs