The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-08-15

10 me he was better of than we are
Just now. Hurt much. Carroll?"
"Crunched my leg mighty bad:
cant bear no weight on it. Twas
darn near froze stiff before: thet's
why | couldn't get out o the way
quick"
Sure; well. yen have ter ride, then.
Wen take the blanket off jim. +,
won't need It no more Brick an l
kin hoof 1t yet awhile--hey. Brick ?"
Hamlin lifted his head from the
shelter of his horses name.
Il reckon l 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 biz
yards generally last, SAM"
BLOW themselves out in about three
days"
Three days? Godl We can never
live it out here"
His eyes ranged over the dim out
| line of Wade stretched across the
saddle, powdered with snow. rested an
instant upon Carroll, 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; thet's 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 go on,
afore the whole three of US freeze
stiff"
The Sergeant thrust out his hand.
That isn't what's taken the nerve
out of me, Sam" he said soberly. IT'S
thinking of the girl out in all this
with those devils"
Likely as not she amt" returned
the other, tramping the snow under
his feet. I've been thinkin' bout tibet
too. Thet outfit must hev had six
hours the start O. US, didn't they?"
/ Ildulllu HOuu6u.
Well, then, they couldn't ben far
from the Cimarron when the storm
come. They'd be safe enough under
the bluffs; have wood fer a fire, and
lay thar mighty comfortable. That's
whar them bucks are, all right Why.
damn it. man. we've got to get
through. 'Taint just our fool lives
that's at stake. Brace up"
How far have we Gomez"
"A good ten miles. an the compass
has KEEP us straight"
They drew in closer together, and
munched a hard cracker apiece. occa-
sionally exchanging muttered word
or two, thrashing their limbs about
to keep up circulation. and dampening
their lips with snow They were but
dim, spectral shapes in the darkness,
the air filled with crystal pellets,
swept about by a merciless wind. the
horses standing tails to the storm and
heads dropping. In spite OF the light
refraction of the snow the eyes could
scarcely see two yards away through
| the smother. Above, about, the cease
less wind howled. its icy breath chill.
ing to the bone Carroll clambered
stiffly into his saddle, crying and
swearing from weakness and pain.
The others, stumbling about in the
deep snow, which had drifted around
them during the brief halt, stripped
the blanket from Wade's dead body.
and tucked it in about Carroll as best
they could
Now keep kicking and thrashing
about, George, ordered the Sergeant
sternly. For Gods sake, don't go
to sleep. or you'll be where Jim is.
Wen haul you out of this, old man.
Sam. you take the rear, and hit Car
roll a whack ever. few minutes; I'll
break trail. Forward! now"
(To BE CONTINUED