The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1916-02-04

held to sell barely paid his debts.
Winter came on. and he was not able
to put In the usual annual supply Of
coal.
II was harsh. shivery season. full
OF privation and discomfort. Many
q night he sought rest early to save
the little heap OF cordwood he had In
store.
Then came two weeks spell Of
twenty below zero weather. To keep
from positive suffering, Norman had
to use up his little stock OF hard wood.
He began to gather up loose boards
and chips around the place. lie be-
came alarmed for his team. and bat
tened them into the little stable. tear
ing down shed to repair the barn.
A part of the refuse Of the shed and
its boards sutiiced tor quite fuel sup
ply for the rude fireplace In the kitch-
en- of the cabin.
There had been heavy fall of snow.
then II had cleared of bitterly cold.
Seated shivoring by the almost empty
fireplace. Norman half decided to drive
with his team to Plainfield and put
up at the hotel there TIL spring.
The day had opened clear and bright.
but towards noon tho snow had be-
gun. Now II was II bowling. binding
tempest. With the exception OF a few
bits OF wood the fuel supply was abso-
lutely exhausted.
What was that" cried Norman sud.
denly. and sprang to his feet. for above
the wailings of the wind q clear. sharp
cry had echoed forth In the grasp of
the tempest outside.
Dimly he made out a shadowy mass
In black contrast where the road had
been. lie struggled through the snow
to discover horse attached to a
sleigh. lying inert where II had fallen.
On tho seat was tho form OF u man.
evidently overcome by the intense
cold. Staggering towards him was u
woman. apparently attracted by the
lights In tho cabin. and screaming for
help.
II was Viola Tascott! She fell half
fainting into his arms. lilo bore her
into tho cabin, placed her on the big
settee near tho fireplace. dashed forth
again, discovered that the horse was
dead, and then bore In his arms into
the cabin the overcome brother of the
girl he loved.
Norman at once comprehendcd that
the TascOtts had started across coun-
try that morning for plainileld. to DO
overtaken by the storm. The brother
lay unconscious. Viola was half sen.
siblo of her strange surroundings.
Heat! That was the essential of
the hour. Recklcssly. Norman piled
on the last splinter OF wood. Then he
rushed to II corner where a Ratchet
lay. lilo glared about him desperately.
There stood the old desk his father
had left him. Crash! into It's timhers
the keen blade sank. II was soon
wreck, Soon. too. the fireplace blazed
Viola sat up and rubbed her eyes.
She told of their folly In trying to
cross tho bleak prairie. She aided
Norman In seeing that her brother
was administered to. Then he sat
beside her on the settee, waiting for
morning
Only once she referred to tho past.
Why had he deserted them2 lie
told her of those fateful overheard
words at tho window, and she. In
blank CONSIDERATION. told him that
what no listened to was part of nm
amateur play she was rehcarsing with
her cousins
Thcn-thcn- might he hope Hhe
would regard the words he had come
to speak to her in the long ago? All.
love was mightlcr than tho storm and
poverty. and there their troth was
plighted.
And then came wonderful discov-
cry. for among the litter from tho old
desk. dOubtleRsly driven out from
some secret drawer. Norman chancod
to pick up n folded sheet.
II was tho hidden release deed that
made him owner of the town property
and n rich man