Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-04

was the thought which brought him
trampins back through tho drifts,
Wasson, Wade was dead. Carroll
little better. but the scout might have
been only slightly wounded. He wad
ed through the snow 10 where the
man lay. face downward his face s.ill
gripping the rein. Before Hamlin
turned him over. he saw the jagged
wound and knew death had beer in.
stantaneous. lie stared down at the
white face. already powdered with
snow: then Shared about into the
murky distances. revolver ready for
action. every nerve throbhng God
II he ever met the murdererl Then
swift reaction came. and he buried his
eyes on the neck OF the nearest horse.
and his body shook with hnlf-sup.
pressed sobs. The whole horror OF II
gripped him IN that instant. broke his
iron viii. and left him weak as a child
But the mood did not last. Little
by little he gaiIed control. stood up
again in the snow. and began TO
think. He was a man. and must do
a mans work. With an oath he forced
himself 10 act: reloaded his revolver.
thrust II back into the holster at his
hip. and. with one parting glance at
POOR Sam. plowcd across through the
drifts 70 Carroll He realized now his
duty. the thing he must strive to ac.
complish. Wade and Wasson we're
gone: no human effort could aid them.
but Carroll lived. and might he saved
And II WAS for him alone now 20 serve
| Molly The sudden comprehension OF
all this stune IKE the lash OF whip.
transformed him again into a fighter.
soldier OF the sort who refuses TO
acknowledge defeat His ey,S dark.
ened. his lips pressed together in q
straight line.
Carroll lay helpless. inert. his head
hanging down against the neck OF his
horse. The Sergeant jerked him erect.
roughly beating him into conscious.
ness. nor did he desist until the fel-
| lows eyes opened in a duh stare.
"Ill pound the life out of you unless
| you brace up. George" he muttered.
That's right-get mad II YOU want to.
II will do you no good. Wait until |
get that quirt; that will set your blood
moving. No! Wake up! Die. moth.
| ing! See here man. there's the river
| just ahead"
He picked up his glove. undid the
reins from Wassons stiffened fingers.
and urged the horses forward. Carroll
lurched drunkenly in the saddle. yet
retained sufficient life 10 cling to the
| a az 81, 4.
blindly forward into the storm, leav-
ing the dead men where they lay.
| There was nothing else to do; Ham
Inns heart choked him as he plowed
his way past. but he had no strength
| to lift those heavy bodies. Every
ounce OF power must be conserved for
the preservation OF life. Little as he
could see through the snow blasts
there was but one means OF passage.
that along the narrow rift between the
ridges. The snow lay deep here bu,
they foundered ahead, barely able to
surmount the drifts. until suddenly
they emerged upon an open space,
sheltered somewhat by the low hills
and swept clean by the wind. Direct
" beneath. down a wide cleft in the
bank. dimly visible. appeared the vel
come waters Of the Cimarron The
stream was but partly frozen over. the
dark current flowing in odd contrast
betw zen the banks OF ice and sncw
The Sergeant halted. examining his
surroundings cautiously, expecting ey.
cry instant to be fired upon by some
unseen foe. The violence OF the storm
prevented his seeing beyond a few
yards. and the whirling snow CRYSTALS
blinded him as he faced the fur OF
the wind sweeping down the valley
Nothing met his gaze. no sound reach
ed his ears; about him was desola
tion. unbroken whiteness. Apparently
they were alone in all that intense
Jreariness OF snow. The solemn lone
lsness OF 1.-THE dark. silently flowing
river, the dun sky. the wide, white eN
panse Of plain. the mad violence o
the storm beating against him
brought to him feeling OF helpless
ness. He was a mere atom. strug
Cling alone against Natures wild
mood Then the feeling clutched hin
that he was not alone: that from
somewhere amid those barren waste.
hostile eyes watched. skulking mur
derers sought his life. Yet there wa.
no sign OF any presence. He coulc
not stand there and die. nor permit
Carroll to freeze In his saddle.
Foot by foot. feeling his passage
he advanced down the gully. fai-l,
dragging his own horse after him
Behind. held by the straining lariat
lurched the others. the soldier sway
ing on the back OF the last, swearing
and laughing in delirium. clutchine a,
snowhakes with his hands At the end
OF the ravine, under shelter OF the
bank. Hamlin trampled back the snow
herding the animals close. so as tc
gain the warmth OF their bodies Here
they were well protected from the
cruel lash Of the wind and the shower
OF snow which blew over them and
drift ed higher and hirhar in the ono y