The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-11-29

Ing on, MS limp inquire rocking ABOVE
them. Hour succeeded hour In cease
less struggle; no one knew where they
we're, only the leader staggered on,
his eyes upon the compass. WATSON
and Hamlin took their turns tramping
a trail, the snow often to their knees.
They had stopped speaking. stopped
thinking even. All their movements
became automatic. instructive, the re.
suit of iron discipline. They realized
the only nope-attainment of the Chm.
arron bluffs. There was no shelter
there in the open. to either man or
horse; the sole choice left was to
struggle on. or lie down and die. The
last was likely to be the end Of 1t.
but while a drop of blood ran red and
warm In their veins they would keep
their feet and fight.
CAROLS horse stumbled and rolled.
catching the numbed trooper under
his weight. The Jerk on the lariat
fiung Wade out Of the saddle, dangling
head downward. With stiffened I'm.
gers, scarcely compromising what
they were about, the Sergeant and
WATSON came to the rescue, helped
the frightened horse struggle to his
feet. and, totally blinded by the fury
Of the storm which now beat fairly in
their eyes, grasped the dangling
body, swaying back and forth as the
startled animal plunged in terror. 1t
was a corpse they gripped, already
stiff with cold, the eyes wide-open and
staring. Carroll, bruised and limping.
came to their help, groaning with
pain, and the three men together man.
aged to lift the dead weight to the
horses back, and to bind 1t safely
with the turn Of rope. Then, breath.
hind the animals. punched helplessly
together, the howl of the wind like
the scream of lost souls. the three
men looked into each others faces.
81 reckon Jim died without ever
KNOWN It," said the scout, breaking
again the film of Ice over his eyes, and
thrashing his arms. 81 alters heard
tell 1t was an easy way O. goin'. Looks
to me he was better off than we are
just now. Hurt much. Carroll?"
"Crunched my leg mighty bad;
can't bear no weight on 1t. Twas
! darn near froze stiff before; thet's
why I couldn't get out O. the way
quick"
Sure; well, yell have ter ride, then
Well take the blanket Off Jim; h,
won't need 1t no more. Brick an
kin hoof 1t yet awhile-hey, Brick?
Hamlin lifted his head from tn,
shelter Of his horses name.
IT reckon I can make my fee
move," he asserted doubtfully, "bu
they don't feel as though there wa
any life left in them" He stampe,
on the snow. "How long do these bli7
yards generally last. Sam?"
BLOW themselves out in about thre
days"
Three days? God! We can neve
live 1t out here"
His eyes ranged over the dim ou
line of Wade stretched across tn
saddle, powdered with snow, rested a
instant upon Carroll. who had sun
back upon the ground, nursing his IL
jured limb, and then sought the fac
of WATSON.
"What the hell can we do?"
go on; thet's all of It; go on IL
we drop, lad. Come, Brick my boy,
and the scout gripped the Sergeant
shoulder, you're not the kind to II
down. We've been In worse boxe
than this and pulled out. It's up I
you and me to make good. Let
crunch some bareback and go oil
afore the whole three OF us free2
stiff"
The Sergeant thrust out his ham
THAT isn't what's taken the nery
out of me, SAM" he said soberly. at
thinking of the girl out in all tn
with those devils"
Likely as not she amt" returne
the other, tramping the snow und,
his feet. I've been thinkin' bout tn,
too. Thet outfit must hev had q
hours the start o. us, didn't they?"
Hamlin nodded.
"Well, then. they couldn't ben II
from the Cimarron when the stor
come. They'd be safe enough und,
the bluffs; have wood fer lire, al
lay thar mighty comfortable. That
whar them bucks are, all right. VIII
damn 1t, man, we've got to &
through. 'Tain't just our fool liv
that's at stake. Brace up!"
How far have we Gomez"
, "A good ten miles, an the compa
has KEEP us straight"
, They drew in closer together, al
r munched a hard cracker apiece. occ
4 sionally exchanging muttered wo
A or two. thrashing their limbs abo
!, to keep up circulation, and dampeni
3 their lips with snow. They we're
4 dim, spectral shapes In the darknei
a the air filed with crystal pelle
Q swept about by merciless wind, {
v horses standing tails to the storm a
n heads dropping. In spite of the liz
refraction of the snow the eyes COT
Y scarcely see two yards away throu
n the smother. Above, about, the cea
q less wind howled, its Icy breath oh
H. a. H., Il, l.