The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-06-19
CHAPTER xxx.
The Chase.

The Chase.
Hamlin never forgot those two days
and nights of waiting, while the storm
roared without and the clouds Of
drifting snow made any dream of ad-
vance impossible. Trained as he was
to patience, the delay left marks In
his face, and his nerves %throbbed with
pain. His mind was with her con-
stantly. even In moments of uneasy
sleep, %picturing her condition unshel-
tered from the storm and protected
only by lie Fevre and his two Indian
allies. II he could only reach them,
only strike a blow for her release, 1t
would be such a relief. The uncer-
tainty weighed upon him, giving unre-
stricted play to the imagination, and,
incidentally awakening a love for the
girl so overwhelming as almost to
brighten him. He had fought this feel
ing heretofore, deliberately. satisfied
that such ambition vas hopeless. He
would not attempt to lower her to his
level, nor give her the unhappiness of
knowing that he dared misconstrue
her frank friendliness into aught more
tender. But these misfortunes had
changed the entire outlook. Now he
flung all pretense aside, eager to place
his life on the altar to save her.
Even a dim flame of hope began blaz-
Ing In his heart--hope that he might
yet wiring from LIE Fevre a confess
sion that would clear his name. He
knew his man at last-knew him, and
would track him now with all the pitt
less ingenuity Of a savage. Once he
could stand erect, absolved Of dis
grace, a man again among men, he
would ignore the uniform Of the ranks,
and go to her with all the pride Of his
race. Ay! and down In his heart he
knew that she would welcome his COM
ing; that her eyes would not look at
the uniform. but down into the depths
of his own.
He thought Of it all as he paced the
floor, or stared into the fire, while out
side the wind ragged and howled, piling
the snow against the cabin front, and
whirling in mad bursts up the valley.
1t would be death to face the fury of
1t on those open plains. There was
nothing left him but to swear, and
pace back and forth. Twice he and
Hughes fought their way to the cor
raj, found the horses sheltered in a
little cove, and brought them food
and water. The struggle to accom-
plish this "a sufficient proof of the
impossibility Of going farther. Ex-
bausted and breathless they staggered
back into the quietness Of the cabin,
feeling as though they had been beaten
by clubs. Once, desperate to attempt
something, Hamlin suggested search
ing for the. bodies of WATSON and
Wade, but Hughes shook his head,
staring at the other as though half
believing him demented. The Ser
geant strobe to the door and looked
out into the smother of snow; then
came back without a word Of protest.
Carroll improved steadily, complain
ing of pain where the frost had nipped
exposed flesh, yet able to sit up, and
eat heartily. There remained q
numbncss in his feet and legs. how
ever, which prevented his standing
alone, and both the others realized
that he would have to be left behind
when the storm abated. Hughes would
60 without doubt; on this point the
Sergeant was determined. He did not
altogether like or trust the man; he
could not blot from mer.ory the cow
ardly shot which killed WATSON. o
entirely rid himself of a fear that he,
himself, had failed an old comrade, In
not revenging his death; yet n
thing was clear-the mans hatred for
LIE Fevre made him valuable. Treach-
erous as he might be by nature, now
his whole soul was bent on revenge.
Moreover he knew the lay Of the land,
the trail the fugitives would follow
and to some extent Black Kettles
camp. Little by little Hamlin drew
from him every detail Of LIE Fevre's
life in the cattle country, becoming
more and more convinced that both
men were thieves, their herds largely
stolen through ~connivance with In,
dams. Undoubtedly LIE Fevre was
the digger raSVal OF the TWO, ana pos
sessed greater influence because Of
his marriage into the tribe.
It was the second midnight when
the wind died down. Hamlin, sleeping
ftfully, seemed to the change;
he rose, forced the door open. and
peered out eagerly. There wa light
ness to the sky. ard all about. the un-
broken expanse Of now sparkled in
| cold crystals. Nothing broke the
| white ~desolation but the dark waters
of the river still ~unfrozen, and the
gaunt limbs of the cottonwoods. now
| standing naked and m~otionless. The
silence was profound, seeming almost
painful after the wild fury Of the past
days. He could hear the soft purr of
the water, and CAROLS heavy breath
ing. And It was cold, bitterly cold.
the chill of 1t penetrating to his very
bones. But for that he had no care
his mind had absorbed the one impor-
tant fact; the way was open. they
could 20. He shook Hughes roughly
into w~akefulness. giving utterance to
sharp, tense orders, as though he
HooYt With a mar If his own troop.