The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-05-29

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ICIose Up, Men; Come Here to Me-"
Imagination beginning to beckon. In
their weakness, delirium gripped their
half-mad brains, yielding new strength
to fight the snow fiend. Aching In
every point, trembling from fatigue,
they dare not rest an instant. The
wind, veering more to the east, dashed
their faces like a whip. They crouched
behind the horses to keep out of the
sting Of it, crunching the snow, now
in deep drifts, under their half-frozen
feet.
Wade, a young fellow not overly
strong, fell twice. They placed him
in the center, with Carroll bringing
up the rear. Again he went down,
face buried in the snow, crying like a
babe. Desperately the others dashed
him into his saddle, binding a blanket
about him, and went grimly stagger-
ing on, his limp figure rocking above
them. Hour succeeded hour in cease
less struggle; no n knew where they
were, only the leader staggered on,
his eyes upon the compass. WassoE
and Hamlin took their turns tramping
a trail. the snow often to their knees.
They had stopped speaking, stopped
thinking All their movements
became automatic, instructive, the re-
suit of iron discipline. They realized
the only nope-attainment Of the Cim-
arron bluffs. There was no shelter
there in the open, to either man or
horse; the sole choice left vas to
struggle on, or lie down and die. The
last was likely to be the end of 1t,
but while a drop of blood ran red and
warm In their veins they would keep
their feet and fight.
Carroll's horse stumbled and rolled,
catching the numbed trooper under
his weight. The jerk on the lariat
flung Wade out Of the saddle, dangling
head downward. With stiffened fin
gers, scarcely comprehending what
they were about, the Sergeant and
WATSON came to the rescue, helped
the frightened horse struggle to his
feet, and, totally blinded by the fury
Of the storm which now beat fairly in
their eyes, grasped the dangling
body, swaying back and forth as the
startled animal plunged In terror. 1t
was a corpse they %gripped, already
stiff with cold, the eyes wide-open and
staring. Carroll, bruised and limping,
came to their help, grooming with
pain, and the three men together man.
aged to lift the dead weight to the
horses back, and to bind 1t safely
with the turn Of a rope. Then, breath
less from exhaustion, crouching be-
together, the howl of the wind like
the scream Of lost souls, the three
men looked into each others faces.
81 reckon Jim died without ever
KNOWN It," said the scout, breaking
again the film of ice over his eyes, and
thrashing his arms. 81 alters heard
tell 1t was an easy way O. goin'. Looks
to me he was better off than we are
just now. Hurt much. Carroll%"
"Crunched my leg mighty bad;
can't bear no weight on it. Twas
darn near froze stiff before; thet's
why couldn't get out O. the way
quick"
Sure; well, ye1l have ter ride, then.
Well take the blanket off Jim; he
won't need it NJ more. Brick an I
kin hoof it yet awhile-hey, 'Brick'?"
Hamlin lifted his head from the
shelter Of his horses name.
II reckon I can make my feet
move," he asserted doubtfully, "but
they don't feel as though there was
any life left in them" He stamped
on the snow. How long do these bliz-
yards generally last, Sam?"
BLOW themselves out in about three
days"
Three days? God! We can never
live 1t out here"
His eyes ranged over the dim out
line of Wade stretched across the
saddle, powdered with snow, rested an
instant upon Carroh, who had sunk
back upon the ground, nursing his in
jured limb, and then sought the face
of WATSON.
What the hell can we do?"
go on; thets all Of It; go on till
we drop, lad. Come, Brick my boy"
and the scout gripped the Sergeant's
shoulder, you're not the kind to lie
down. We've been in worse boxes
than this and pulled out. It's up to
you and me to make good. Let's
crunch some bareback and 90 on,
afore the whole three Of US freeze
stir"
The Sergeant thrust out his hand.
- That isn't what's taken the nerve