Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-20

could humble no words. 1t was the
fight 10 longer of IL man against no
ture, but only of an indomitable soul
against cruel, hateful death. He
struggled to his feet only to fall again
more heavily. He pulled himself up
this time by the stirrup strap. got his
hands and arms up to tie pOmmel, and
chung to 1t for few PAGES more. But
he fell at last, and could no longer rise
from the ground. The storm swept I'M
ceasingly on.
The Lady, checked by the lines
wrapped on his arm. stopped. De
Spain lay moment, then BACKED her
up step. pulled her head down by
the bride, clasped his wooden arms
around her neck, spoke TO her. and,
lifting her head. the mare dragged him
to his feet. Clumsily and helplessly
he lo0sened the tugs and the whftle-
tree, beat his hands together with idis
otto effort, hooked the middle point
of the whiffletree into the elbow of his
left arm. brought the forearm and
hand against his shoulder. and with
the hitching strap dashed his forearm
and upper arm tightly together around
the whlfletree.
He drew the tugs stiffly over the
1.ady's back. Embossed the cinches Of
the saddle, pushed 1t off the horse and,
sinking into the snow behind her,
struck with his free arm at lier feet.
Relieved Of the saddle, the Lady once
more started, dragging slowly behind
her through the snow still breathing
human being. Less than m hour be-
fore it had been man. 1t was hardly
more now, as the Lady plodded on,
than an insensate log. But not even
death could part II again from the
horse to which De Spain, alive. had
fastened II.
The fearful pain from the tortured
arm. torn at times almost from its
socket, the gradual swapping of strain
ing ligamcnts, the constant rupture OF
capillaries and veins sustained his
consciousness for while Then the
torturing pain abated. the rough drag
ging shattered the bruised body less.
1t was us II the Lady and the storm
together were making easier for the
slowly dying man his last trail across
the desert He still struggled to keep
alive. by sheer will power, tlckcring
sparks Of consciousness, and to do so
concentrated every thought on Nan. II
was poignant happiness to summon
her picture TO his fainting senses; he
knew he should hold to life as long
as he could think of her. Love.
stronger than DEATH welcd In his
heart. The bitter cold and the merci-
less wind were kinder as he called her
image from out Of the storm. She
seemed to speak--to lift him on her
arms. Ahead, distant mountains rose,
whitepeNked. The sun shone. He
rode witlrhcr through green fields and
great peace rested on his weary
senses.
Lady Jane, pushing on and on. en-
lightened by that instinct before which
the reason of man is weak and pitiful.
seeing, rs it were, through the i'm
penetrable curtain of the storm where
refuge lay, herself n slOw-moving crust
of frozen snow. dragged to her jour
ncys end-to the tight-sh,lt doors Of
the CalubnsaS bnrn--her unconscious
burden, and stood before them patient
. ~ waiting until someone should open
for her II was one Of the heartbreals
Of tragic day that no one ever knew
lust when the Lady reached the door
or how long she and her unconscious
master waited in the storm for admis-
sion. A startled exclamation from
John Lefcver, who had periodically
ana anXiclsly left the red-hot stove
IN the office to walk mood!y to the
window, brought the men tunlblins
over one another rs he ran from his
companions to throw open the outer
door and pull the dropping horse into
the barn.
It was the Indian, Scott, who, read
Ing first of nll the men everything IN
the dread story sprung forward wifi
stihetl exclamation, as the horse
dragged In the snow-covered log
whipped knife from his pocket chi
the incumbered arm and white hand
free from the whiffietree. and, carry
ing the stffened body into the Office
began with insane haste to cut away
the clothing.
Lefever, perceiving 1t was De Spair
thus drawn to their feet, shouted
while he tore from the blade Of SCOTS
knife the frozen garments, the orders
for the snow, the heated water, the
warm blankets the alcohol and bran
dy, and, stripped to his waist, chafec
the marble feet. The Indian better
than d staff of doctors, used the Gun
ming of Il sorcercr TO revive the spark
Of innnimatc life not yet extinguishet
by the storm. A fearful interval OF
suspense followed the silence into
which the work settled. n silence bro
ken only by the footsteps Of men run
ming to and from the couch over whlcf
Scott. l.efeyer and McAlpin, huff
naked, worked In mad concert.