The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-08-24

also fall. and Ns vhaa ~ haA iallsa
like his dead bfotbsf hack - ths
trail. and then she and ths ~ voslA
Inevitably perish
Well. It vas his hSs or hers! fhs
decision vas forced upoa her. And
psrhaps aftsr al II vas Just - veil
to get nd of them both aaA have done
With II She reached over, and b.
fore the bog realised what vas hap
psninS she caught his hand. tore his
fingers from the saddle strap. and
thrust him vio,sntly backvard. Un-
prepared. unsuspecung. half-dazed. he
could Offer no adequate resistance. He
reeled and fell supins IN . deep and
overwhelming drift She struck the
horse heavily With the whip that hung
from the saddle bov. and The animal
plunged forward wildly. She knew
that she vas safe unless he should
Try to shoot her: for he was too weak
and too exhausted to catch her.
The boys senses were auickened in
to instant action BY her conduct AT
er the l1rst moment Of surprise, he
knew At once that she Vas 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
weapon. He raised II 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 ngurs. Though he had lived
some months on the Wild frontier and
bad seen moro than one man killed
there. he had never been connected
With the murder before. even - 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 shnt her dead.
Such treachery on the part of Q
woman would have killed some men;
not % this boy. In that moment he
became . man. He saw himself .
fool; he determined that he would not
also 80 himself . coward. Clenching
his 0sts and summoning his strength,
hs followed southward 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 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
more movement he made, and Just a.
he was about to sink down forever he
heard long, deep hollow, mournful
sound. He stopped. interested, dimly
wondering what It could be.
Whatever 1t was. 1t meant life of
some kind. It came from directly
in front Of him. 1t nerved him to fur
ther effort. Summoning the last ves-
tige Of his strength, he advanced q
little farther.
He knew what It 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 1t and 60
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 were moving before
his eyes. they danced and fickered.
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
curiously. THE train was two hours
and half late or she'd never have
got it."
She's gone them" gasped the boy.
Yes"
Thank God she got away" he mur-
INJURED as he lapsed into complete un.
consciousness.
There was good stun IL the boy.
He was glad the woman had escaped