Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-05-17


Even as he spoke, the swift-rolling
curtain of mist overhead blotted the
sun out of the sky.
De Spain sprang from his saddle
with ringing order to McAlpin. Get
up fresh saddle-horse -
"A horser' cried the startled bar7
| boss, whirling on the hoStler. The
strongest legs in the stable, and don't
lose a second! Lady Jane; up with
her! he yelled, believing his orders
into the echoing barn with his hands to
his mouth. up with her for Mr.. de
Spain in a second! Marmon! BeckerI
Lanzon! What In Ii are you all do
ing|' he roared, rushing back with a
fusillade of oaths. Look alive, every
| bodyl"
Coming" yelled one voice after an
other from the depths of the distant
stalls.
De Spain ran into the office. Page
caught his horse, stripped the rifle
from its holster, and hurriedly began
unclnching. Holsters running through
the barn called shrilly back and forth
| ana De Spain springing up the stairs
TO his room provided what he wanted
for his hurried flight. When he dashed
down with coats on his arm the hoofs
OF Lady Jane were Gathering down the
long gangway. A stab!e-boy slid from
her back on one side as Bull Page
| threw the saddle across her from the
| other; hostlers caught at the cinches,
| While others hurriedly rubbed the legs
| OF the CHiveyjng mare. De Spain, his
hand on McAlpin's shoulder, was Civ
ing his parting injunctions, and the
! barn boss, head cooked down. and eyes
cast furtively on the scattering snow
! flakes outside, was listening with an at
tention that recorded indelibly every
uttered syllable
Once only, he interrupted: Henry,
| you're ridin' out into this thing alone
| don't do It."
81 can't help it," snapped De Spain
impatiently.
| ITS a man killer"
81 can't help It,"
Bob Scott, if he WIS here. 'ud never
let you do it. I'll ride WI We myself,
Henry, worked for your father"
you're too old a man, jim"
Henry"
Don't talk to me! Do as tell you"
! Numbered De Spain.
| McAlpin bowed his head.
READY" yelled Page, buckling the
rifle holster in place. Still talking and
with McAlpin glued to his elbow, De
| Spain vauited into the saddle, caught
the lines from Bulls hands, and
steadied the Lady as she sidestepped
nervously-McAlpin following close
and lodging the dancing h0ofs as he
! looked earnestly up TO catch the last
| word. De Spain touched the horse with
| the lines She leaped through the door
| way and he raised backward hand
| to those behind. Running outside the
| door, they yelled a chorus of cries
| after the sWift-moving hOrseman, and,
| clustered in an excited group watched
| the Lady with a dozen great strides
| round the Calabasas trail and disap-
| pear with her rider into the whrling
! snow.
| She fell at once into an easy reach
ing step, and De Spain, busy with his
| reflections, hardly gave thought to
what she was doing, and little more to
What was going or about him.
No moving figure reflects the impas-
| 'iVe more than a hOrseman of the
mountains, on long ride. Though
never so Swift-bOrne, the man, looking
neither to the right nor to the left,
moving evenly and statuelike against
he sky, part of the wiry beast under
! him, presents the very picture Of in
| Inference to the world around him.
! The great, swift wind spreading over
| he desert emptied on It snow-Iaden
| tufts that whirled and wrapped a cloud
| # fakes about horse and rider in the
| symbOI Of a shrOud De Spain gave
| 10 heed to these skirmishing eddies,
| nut he knew what was behind them,
ind for the wind, ne only wished it
| might keep the snow in the air till he
| ,aught sight Of Nan.
The even reach of the horse brought
| i'm to the point where Nan had
| hanged to the stage wagon. Without
4 break in her long stride, Lady Jane
| .OOk the hint Of her swerving rider.
! put her nose into the wind, and headed
north. De Spain, alive to the difficult
| ties CT his venture, set his hat lower
and bent forward to follow the wagon
along the sand. With the first Of the
white flurries passed, he found himself
in a snowless pocket, as it were, of the
advancing storm. He hoped for moth
ing from the prospect ahead; but ev-
cry moment Of respite from the blind
ing whirl was a gain, and with his eyes
close on the trail that had carried Nan
into danger, he urged the Lady on.
When the snow again closed down
about him he calculated from the
rOughness Of the country that he
should be within mile of the road
that Nan was trying to reach, from the
gap TO Sleepy Cat But the broken
ground straight ahead would prevent
her from driving directly to it. He
knew she must hold to the right. and
her curying tracl-, now becoming diff
cult to trail. confirmed his conclusion
4 fresh drive Of the wind buffetod
him as he turned directly north. Only
IT intervals could he see any trace Of
the wagon wheels. The driving snow
compelled him more than once to dis
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