The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-08-15
CHAPTER XIV.
In the Blizzard.

There was no cessation. no abate-
ment. Across a thousand miles of
plain the ice-laden wind swept down
upon them with the relentless fury OF
hurricane, driving the snow crystals
into their faces, buffeting them merci.
lessly, numbing their bodies, and blind
ing their eyes. In that awful grip they
looked upon Death. but struggled on,
as real men must until they fall
Breathing was agony; every step be-
came torture; fingers grasping the
horses bits grew stiff and deadened
by frost; they reeled like drunken
men. sightless in the mad swirl, deaf
ened by the pounding of the blast
against their ears. All consciousness
left them! only dumb instinct kept
then battling for life, staggering for
ward. foot by foot, odd phantasies of
imagination beginning to beckon In
their weakness, delirium gripped their
half-mad brains, yielding new strength
to fight the snow fiend. Aching In
I'every point trembling from fatigue.
| they dare not rest an instant. The
wind. yeering more to the east, dashed
their faces like whip. They crouched
behind the horses to keep out of the
sting of it. crunching the snow. now
in deep drifts. under their halffrozen
feet
Wade, 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 one knew where they
were, only the leader staggered on,
| his eyes upon the compass Wasson
| and Hamlin took their turns tramping
trail. the snow often to their knees.
They had stopped speaking. stopped
thinking even. al their movements
| became automatic, instructive, the re-
suit of iron discipline. They realized
the only nope-attainment of the Gin.
AKRON bluffs. There was no shelter
there in the open, to either man or
| horse; the sole choice left was to
| struggle on, or lie down and die. The
last was likely to be the end Of it,
but while q 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
he 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 corpse they gripped, already
stiff with cold. the eyes wide-open and
staring. Carroll, bruised and lmping.
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 it safely
with the turn Of rope. Then, breath,
! less from exhaustion. crouching be-
hind the animals, punched helplessly
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. Il alters heard