Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-06-17


inevitably perish
Well, it was his life or hersl The
decision was forced upon her. And
perhaps after all it was just as well
to get rid of them both and have done
with it 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. Un-
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 that hung
from the saddle bow, and the animal
plunged forward wildly. She knew
that she was 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
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 q
woman would have killed some men;
not SO this boy. In that moment he
| became a man. He saw himself
fool; he determined that he would not
also see himself a coward. Clenching
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
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
more 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 it was, 1t 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 it was now. 1t was
a locomotive.
He lifted his head and saw lights
family. He OWNED that it was the
station, the train, the Overland Linn
itedi She would get on it and go
away, What mattered 1t?
And what of himself? There was
help; there was life! He actually rose
to his feet and wavered on. BY hap
Ply chance the contour of the ground
had caused the space between him
and the lights to be swept compare
| lively OdIS VI SHoW II was nOl AOW
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 Keeling 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 womani" 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 a half late or she'd never have
got it,
she's gone them" gasped the boy
l Yes"
Thank God she got awayi" he muir
| INJURED as he 1apsed into complete I'm
: consciousness.
There was good stuff in the boy
: He was glad the woman had escaped
in spite of all. He did not want an
: other human beiug'S life on his hands