The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-02-06
THE LEON REPORTER, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1918

dreariness Of snow. The solemn lone
liness Of 1.-THE dark. silently flowing |
river, the dun sky. the wide, white ex-
panse Of plain, the mad violence of |
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 him I
that he was not alone; that from
somewhere amid those barren wastes |
hostile eyes watched. skulking MUIR
derers sought his life. Yet there was
no sign Of any presence. He could !
not stand there and die, nor permit
Carroll to freeze in his saddle. 1t |
would be better to take a chance; per-
haps they had become confused by the
storm
Foot by foot feeling his passage.
he advanced down the gully, fairly
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, clutching at
snoWflakes with his hands. At the end
OF the ravine, under shelter of the
bank. Harlin trampled back the snow,
herding the animals close, so as to
gain the warmth of their bodies Here
they were we'll protected from the
cruel lash Of the wind and the shower
of snow which blew over them and
drifted higher and higher in the open
space beyond. Working feverishly.
the blood again circulating freely
through his veins. the Sergeant hasti-
ly dragged blankets from the pack,
and cDread them on the ground, de-
posting Carroll upon them. Then he
set about vigorously rubbing the SOL
dlers exposed flesh with snow. The
smart OF it, together with the rough.
ness of handling. arotsed the latter
from lethargy. but Hamlin, ignoring
his resentment, gripped the fellow
with hands of iron, never ceasing his
violent ministrations until his swear.
ing ended in silence. Then he wrap,
ped him tightly in the blankets, and
stood himself erect, glowing from the
exercise. Carroll glared up at him
angrily out of red-rimmed eyes
I'll get you for that, you big boob"
he shouted. striving to release his
arms from the clinging blankets. you
wait! Ill get you!"
flush up, George, andp go to
Sleep the other retorted. poking the
shapeless body with his foot, his
thoughts already elsewhere. Dent
be fool. I'll get fire if can, and
something hot into you. Within an
hour you'll be man again. Now see
.here-stop that! Do you hear? You
lie still right where you are, Carroll
until l come back, or III kick your
ribs in!' He bent down menacingly.
scowling into the upturned face. "Will
you mind, or shall l have to hand you
Cne?"
Carroll shTank back like a whipped
child, his lips nuttering something
lldistinguiShab BILE. The sergeant, SIT
isEcd, turned and fourdercd through
the drifts TO the bank of the stream
He was alert and fearful, yet deter
mined. No matter what danger OF
discovery might threaten, he mu1t
build fire to save CAROLS life. The
raging storm was not over with:
there was no apparent cessation OF
violence in the blasts of the icy wind,
and tho snow swept about him in
binding shoets. 1t would continue
all day, al another night, perhaps
and they could never live through
without food and warmth. He real
lied the risk fully, his gloyed hand
gripping the butt Of his revolver, as
he stared up and down the snow.
craped bluffs. Ho wished he had
picked up Wassons rifle. Who was
it that had shot them up, anyhow.
The very mystery added to the dread.
Could it have been Dupont? There
was no other conception possible, yet
1t seemed like miracle that they
could have kept 50 close On the fel.
lows trail all night long through the
storm. Yet who else would open fire
at sight? Who else, indeed, would be
in this God-forsaken country? And
whoever it was, where had he gone?
How had, he disappeared so suddenly
and completely? He could not lie far
away, that was certainty No plains.
man would attempt to ford that icy
stream, nor desert the shelter of these
bluffs in face of the storm. 1t would
be suicidal And if Dupont and his
Indians were close at hand, Miss Nc
Donald would be with them. He had
had no time in which to reason this
out before, but now the swift realza-
tion of the close proximity of the girl
came to him like an electric shock.
Whatever the immediate danger he
must thaw out Carroll, and thus be
free himself.
He could look back to where the
weary horses hudGled beneath the
bank. grouped about the man so help.
lessly swaddled in blankets on the
ground. They were dim, pitiable OBJ