The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-11-28

10 and a way back again. Even IN the
gray light Of dawn he could see moth
ing distinctly q dozen yards distant.
And WATSON had the compass. This
was the thought which brought him
tramping back through the drifts
WATSON! Wade val dead. Carroll
little better, but the scout might have
been only slightly wounded. He wad-
ed through the snow to where the
man lay, face downward, his face still
gripping the rein. Before Hamlin
turned him over. he saw the jagged
wound and knew death had been in
Simultaneous. He stared down at the
white face, already powdered with
snow; then glared about into the
murky distances. revolver ready for
action, every nerve throbbing. God!
If he ever met the murderer! Then
swift reaction came, and he buried his
eyes on the neck Of the nearest horse.
and his body shook with half-sup-
pressed sobs. The whole horror Of 1t
gripped him in that instant, broke his
iron will. and left him weak as a child.
But the mood did not last. Little
by little he gained 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 to act; reloaded his revolver,
thrust 1t back into the holster at his
hip. and, with II parting glance at
poor Sam, plowed across through the
drifts to Carroll. He realized now his
duty. the thing he must strive to ac-
complish. Wade and WATSON were
gone; no human effort could aid them,
but Carroll lived, and might be saved.
And it was for him alone now to serve
Molly. The sudden comprehension Of
all this stung like the lash of a whip.
transformed him again into a fighter,
a soldier of the sort who refuses to
acknowledge defeat. His eyes dark
ened. his lips pressed together in a
straight line.
Carroll lay helpless, inert, his head
hanging down against the neck of his
horse. The Sergeant :e-.>1 A:m erect,
Roughly beating him into conscious
ness; nor did he .desisl until the fell
lows yes opened IL a OWL stare.
I'll pound the LIE out OF you unless
you brace up. George" he muttered.
That's right-get mad II you want to.
It 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 Wasson's stiffened fingers.
and urged the horses forward. Carroll
lurched drunkenly in the saddle, yet
retained sufficient life to cling to the
pommel, and thus the outfit plunged
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 now lay deep here. but
they floundered 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
ly 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
between the banks Of ice and snow.
The Sergeant halted. examining his
surroundings cautiously, expecting ev.
cry instant to be fred upon by some
unseen foe. The violence Of the storm
prevented his seeing beyond a few
yards. and the whirling snow crystals
blinded him az he faced the fury oil
the wind sweeping down the valley
Nothing met his gaz6; no sound reach.
ed his ears; about him was desola,
ton. unbroken whitcless. Apparently
they were alone In all that intense
dreariness Of snow. The solemn lone
illness Of 1.-THE DARK, silently flowing
river. the dun sky. the wide. white ex.
panse Of plain. the mad violence oil
the storm beating against him
brought to him q feeling Of helpless.
hess. He was q mere atom. strug.
Cling alone against Natures wild
mood. Then the feeling clutched him
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 lie, moi permit
Carroll to freeze In his saddle.
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 deliriun1, clutcninR at
snowdakes with his hands. At the end
Of the ravine. under shelter of the
bank. Hamlin trampled hack the snow.
herding the animals close, 20 a. 70
gain the warmth Of their bodies. Here
they were we'll protected from the
cruel lash Of the wind and fho shower