The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-05-31

| Increasingly ulmcult. II was Well-nlgn
impossible to head the horses into the
storm, and De Spain looked with ever
more anxious eyes at Nan. After half
an hours superhuman struggle to re-
gain trail that should restore their
bearings, they halted, and De Spain,
riding up to the wagon, spoke to Nor
gan, who was driving: How long Is
this going to last?"
"All day and all night" Nan leaned
closely over to hear the curt question
and answer. Neither man spoke again
for n moment.
"We'll have to have help" said De
Spain after a pause.
"HelpT echoed Morgan scornfully.
"Where's help coming from?"
De Spain's answer was not hurried.
"One of us must go after It." Nan
looked at him intently.
Duke set his hard jaw against the
hurtling stream Of ice that showered
on the forlorn party. "I'll go for it,"
he snapped.
NO" returned De Spain. Better
for me to CO."
| GO tOgetner, Salu MN.
De Spain shook his head. Duke
Morgan, too, said that only one should
go; the other must stay. De Spnin,
while the storm ratified and shook at
the two men, told why he should go
himself. "It's not claiming you are not
entitled to say who should go, Duke"
he said evenly. "Nor that our men,
anywhere you reach, wouldn't give you
the same attention they would me-.
And 1t isn't saying that you're not the
better man for the job-you've trav-
eled the sinks longer than have. But
between you and me, Duke, It's twenty
eight years against fifty. / ought to
hold out while the longer, that's all.
Let's work farther to the east"
Qunrtering against the mad hurri-
cane, they drove and rode on until the
team could hardly be urged to further
effort against the infurinted elements
DE Spain riding at intervals as far
to the right and the left as he dared
In vain quest Of landmark. When
he halted beside the wagon for the
last time he was mass of snow and
Ice; horse and rider were frozen to
each other. He got down to the
ground with n visible effort, and in the
singing wind told Duke his plan and
purpose.
He had chosen on the open desert q
hollow falling somewhat abruptly
from the north, and beneath it's shoul
der, while Morgan loosened the horses
he scooped and kicked away mass OF
snow. The wagon had been drawn
just above the point of refuge, and the
two men, with the aid of the wind
dumped 1t over sldewise, making OF
the body q windbreak over the hollow
n sort of roof, around which the snow
driven by the gale, would heap itseli
in hard waves. Within this shelter the
men slowed Nan. The horses were
driven down behind 1t, and from one
of them De Spain took the collar, the
tugs and the whiffletrees. He stuck 6
J hltching strap in his pocket, and while
Morgan steadied the Lady's head, d.
Spain buckled the collar on her
doubled the tugs around the while
tree, and fastened the roll at her sid'
| in front of the saddle.
Nan came out and stood beside hin
as he worked. When he had finished
she put her hand ON his sleeve. HI
held her close, Duke listening, to tel
her what he meant to try to do. Eacl
, knew 1t well might be the last momen
: together. zone thing and anothe
r have kept us from marriage vows
r Man," said De Spain. beckoning a
!. length to Morgan to step closer tina
} he might clearly hear. Nothing mus
/, keep us longer. .Will you marry me-?
She looked up into his eyes. "I'v,
promised you l would. will promis
every time you ask me. l never coul'
have but one answer to that, Henry
, 1t must always be yesl"
"Then take me, Henry" he salt
,, slowly, "here and now for your weddet
! husband. VIII you do this, Nan?"
Still looking into his eyes, she an
swered without surprise or fear: "Hen
ry, do take YOU"
"And /, Henry, take you, Nan, her
z and now for my welded wife. for bet
ter for worse, for richer for poorer
from this day forward, until death u
do part"
They sealed their pact with q sIlen
embrace. De Spain turned to Duke
: "You are the witness of this marriage
Duke. You will see, If an acciden
:. happens, that anything, everything
3 have-some personal property-my ia
theirs old ranch north of Medicin
| A.,