The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-09-01

when the animal she rode on would
also fall, and lie when he had fallen
like his dead brother back IN the
trail, and then she and the boy would
inevitably perish
Well. it was his life or hers! The
decision was forced upon her. And
perhaps after all 1t was Just as well
to get rid of them both and have done
with 1t. She reached over, and be-
fore the boy realized what was hap
pening she caught his hand, tore his
fingers from the saddle strap, and
thrust him violently backward. I'm
prepared. unsuspecting, half-dazed, he
could offer no adequate resistance. He
reeled and fell supine in a deep and
overwhelming drift. She struck the
horse heavily with the whip hat hung
from the saddle bow, and the animal
plunged forward wildly. She knew
that she val safe unless he should
try to shoot her; for he was too weak
and too exhausted to catch her.
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 it 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 a
woman would have killed some men;
not SO this boy. In that moment he
became a man. He saw himself a
fool; he determined that he would not
his fists and ~summoning 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
drowsiness that swept over him wooed
him to lie still and die: but there were
still sparks and remnants Of manhood
and courage in him. He shook off 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 a great animal.
There was no use. Humanity could
not stand the strain any longer. One
movement he made, and just as
he was about to sink down forever he
heard a long, deep hollow, mournful
sound. He stopped. interested, dimly
wondering what it could be.
Whatever 1t was, it meant life OF
some kind. 1t came from directly
In front Of him. 1t nerved him to fur
Their effort. Summoning the last YES
tige Of his strength, he advanced a
little farther.
He knew what 1t was now. 1t was
a locomotive.
He lifted his head and saw lights
family. He OWNED that 1t was the
station, the train, the Overland Linn
tied! She would get on it AMI 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
a drunken man.
All! the lights we're moving before
his eyes, they danced and flickered.
The train was going! He broke into
a reeling 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 a warm room.
Something burning yet deliciously re-
viving was poured down his throat.
"The woman!" he gasped out, look
ing up In the faces of the station
agent and his helper bending over
him.
"She took the limited not five min
utes ago." said the man staring at him
cnriously. The train was two hours
and a half late or she'd never have
got it."
She's gone then?" gasped the boy.
YES"
Thank God she got away" he muir
mured as he lapsed into complete un-
consciousness.
There was good stuff In the boy.
He was glad the woman had escaped