Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-07-18
werm "a their veins they weufd kes


their feet and fight,
CAROLS horse stumbled and roliet
catching the numbed trooper unde
his weight. The jerk on the laria
flung Wade out of the saddle, danglin
head downward. With stiffened fl
gers, scarcely comprehending whs
they were about, the Sergeant an
WATSON came to the rescue, helpe
the frightened horse struggle to hi
feet, and, totally blinded by the fur
of the storm which now beat fairly /
their eyes, grasped the danglln
body, swaying back and forth as tn
startled animal plunged in terror. ]
was corpse they gripped, alread.
stiff with cold, the eyes wide-open an
staring. Carroll, bruised and limpinl
came to their help, grooming wit
pain, and the three men together mar
aged to lift the dead weight to tn
horses back, and to bind it safel
with the turn Of rope. Then, breath
less from exhaustion. crouching bd
hind the animals, punched helplessl
together, the howl OF the wind Xix
the scream of lost souls, the thre
men looked into each others faces.
Il reckon Jim died without eve
KNOWN it," said the scout, breakin
again the Aim of ice over his eyes, an
thrashing his arms. II alters hear
tell it was an easy way o. goin'.. Look
to me he was better off than we ar
just now. Hurt much. Carroll?"
"Crunched my leg mighty bad
can't bear no weight on it. Twa
darn near froze stiff before; theft
why couldn't get out O. the wa
quick
Sure; well, yell have ter ride, then
Wen take the blanket off Jim; b
won't need it no more. Brick an
kin hoof 1t yet awhile--hey, Brick?
Hamlin lifted his head from tn
shelter of his horses name.
Il reckon can make my fee
move" he asserted doubtfully, "bu
they don't feel as though there wa
any life left in them" He stamps,
on the snow. How long do these bills
yards generally last, Sam?"
BLOW themselves out in about thre
days"
"Three days? God! We can neva
live it out here"
His eyes ranged over the dim out
line of Wade stretched across tn,
saddle, powdered with snow, rested al
instant upon Carroll, who had SUM
back upon the ground, nursing his in
jured limb, and then sought the fact
of WATSON.
What the hell can we do?"
GO on; thet's all OF it; go on til
we drop, lad. Come, Brick my boy,
and the scout gripped the Sergeant,
shoulder, you're not the kind to liz
down. We've been in worse boxei
than this and pulled out. It's up t.
you and me to make good. Lets
crunch some bareback and go on
afore the whole three of us freez.
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 thei
too. Thet outfit must hev had si1
hours the start o. US, didn't they?"
Hamlin nodded.
well, then, they couldn't a ben far
from the Cimarron when the storm
come. They'd be safe enough under
the bluffs; have wood fer fire, and
lay thar mighty comfortable. That's
whar them bucks are, all right. Why
damn it, man, we've got to get
through. 'Tain't just our fool lives
that's at stake. Brace up!''
"How far have we conner
"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 dampenine
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, tina
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
stiffiy 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 thrashina
about, George ordered the Sergeant
sternly. For Gods sake, don't go
to sleep, or you'll be where Jim is.
Well haul you out of this, old man.
Sam, you take the rear, and hit Car.