The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-07-05
near on getting out of The lava. r

They tried together to wrench It
/ into shape. but worked without avail.
In the end they dashed 1t, put Nan on
the Lady, md walked behind while the
team pushed iuto the pitiless wind
Morgan wanted 10 cut the wagon away
and take TO the horses, but De Spain
said, not till they found trail or the
stage road.
| SO much snow had fallen that I'm
spite of the blizzard, driving with an
unrelenting fury, the drifts were deep
ening, packing, and making all effort
| increasingly difficult. II was well-ngh
impossible to head the horses into the
storm, and DE Spain looked with ever
| more anxious eyes ut Nan. After half
an hours superhuman struggle to re-
| gain n trail that should restore their
| bearings, they halted, and De Spain,
riding up TO the wagon, spoke to Nor
gan, who was driving: 'IIow 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 moment.
"We'll have TO have help" said De
Spain after n pause
"lIclpY echoed Morgan scornfully.
"Where's help coming from2"
De Spain's answer was not hurried.
zone of us must go after It," Nan
looked mt him intently.
Duke set his hard jaw against the
hurtllng stream of ice that showered
on the forlorn party. '1ll go for it,"
he snapped.
NO" returned De Spain. "Better
for me 10 CO."
$50 together" said Nan.
De Spain shook his head. Duke
Morgan, too, said that only one should
20; the other must stay. De Spain.
while the storm ratified and shook ut
the two men, told why he should go
himself. ''Its not claiming you are not
entitled TO say who should 20, 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--youve 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"
Quarterlng against the mad hurrl-
cane, they drove and rode on until the
team could hardly be urged to further
effort against the infurlated clements
DE Spain riding Mt intervals as far
to the right and the left MS 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 10
each other. He got down TO the
ground with a visible effort. and in the
singing wind told Duke his plan and
purpose.
He had chosen on the open desert n
hollow falling somewhat abruptly
from the north, and beneath its shoul.
der while Morgan loosened the horses,
he scOoped and kicked away n 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 II over sidewise, making of
the body wIndbreak over the hollow
sort of roof, around which the snow,
driven by the gale, would heap itself
In hard waves. Within this shelter the
men slowed Nan. The horses were
driven down behind It, and from one
of them De Spain took the collar, the
tugs and the whlllletrees. He stuck
hitching strap In his pocket, and while
Morgan steadied the Lady's head, De
Spain buckled the collar on her.
doubled the tugs around the whitlle-
In front of the saddle.
Nan came out and stood beside him
as he worked. When he had finished
she put her hand on his sleeve. He
held her close, Duke listening, to tell
her what he meant to try to do. Each
knew 1t well might be the last moment
together. "One thing and another
have kept us from marriage VOWS
Man." said De Spain. beckonlng at
length to Morgan to step closer that
he might clearly hear. Nothing must
keep us longer. VIII you marry me?"
She looked up into his eyes. "Tve
promised you l would. will promise
every time you ask me. never could
have but one answer to that, Henry
1t must always be yes!"
"Then take me. Henry" he said
slowly, "here and now for your welded
husband. VIII you do this, Nan?'
Still looking into his eyes, she an
swered without surprise or fear: "Hen-
ry, l do take YOU"
"And !, Henry, take you, Nan, here
and now for my welded wife, for bet
ter for worse, for richer for poorer.
from this day forward, until death us
do part"
They sealed their pact with silent
embrace. De Spain turned to Duke.
"You are the witness of this marriage,