Mexico Missouri message., 1917-06-14

De spain threw the fur coat at him.
"Put Il on" he said. even look at
the wheel"
They tried together to wrench 1t
into shape, but worked without avail
In the end they lashed it, put Nan on
the Lady, and walked behind while the
team pushed into the pitlless wind.
Morgan wanted TO cut the wagon away
and take to the horses, but De Spain
said, not till they found n trail or the
stage road.
So much snow had fallen that in
spite Of the blizzard, driving with an
unrelentlng fury, the drifts were deep
ening, packing, and making all effort
increasingly difficult. 1t was well-nigh
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: "Iow long is
this going to last?"
All hly anu an night 4Nul itNlitl
closely over to hear the curt question
and answer. Neither man spoke again
for a moment.
"We1l have TO have help" said De
Spain after n pause.
''IIelpp echoed Morgan scornfully.
"Where's help coming from?"
De Spains 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'H go for it,"
he snapped.
mo" returned De Spain. "Better
for me to CO."
"GO together" said Nan.
De Spain shook his head. Duke
Morgan, too, said that only one should
go; the other must stay. De Spain,
while the storm ratified and shook at
the two men, told why he should go
himself. SIts 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 it isn't saying that you're not the
better man for the job-yOu've tray
eled the sinks longer than i have. But
between you and me, Duke, it's twenty
eight years against fifty. 1 ought to
hold out while the longer, that's all
Let's work farther to the east"
Quartering against the mad hurri.
cane, they drove and rode on until the
team could hardly be urged to further
effort against the infuriated elements
DE Spain riding at intervals as far
to the right and the left as he dared
in vain quest of a 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 visible effort, and in the
singing wind told Duke his plan and
purpose.
He had chosen on the open desert O
hollow falling somewhat abruptly
from the north, and beneath its shoul
der while Morgan loosened the horses
he scooped and kicked away a 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 sidewise, making OF
the body q 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 whlffletrees. He stuck @
hitching strap in his pocket, and while
Morgan steadied the Lady's head, Dc
Spain buckled the collar on her
doubled the tugs around the whifIle
tree, and fastened the roll at her side
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. He
held her close, Duke listening, to tel
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, beckoning al
length to Morgan to step closer that
he might clearly hear. Nothing mus
keep us longer. VIII you marry meT
She looked up into his eyes. 'TvG
promised you would. 1 will promise
every time you ask me. never coult
have but one answer to that, Henry
it must always be yes"
"Then take me, Henry" he sait
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, 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 III
do part"
They sealed their pact with a silen
embrace. De Spain turned to Duke
x,G