Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-16

Lanzon, What IN HI are you all do
fingt" he roared, rushing back with Il
iusillade of oaths. Look alive, every
body :"
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 It's holster, and hurriedly began
ulc!ncling. Holsters running through
! the barn called shrilly back and forth,
and De Spain sprlngIng 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 stable-boy slid from
| her back ON one side ms Bull Page
threw the saddle across her from the
other; hostlers caught at the cinches,
while others hurriedly rubbed the legs
! of the quvering mare. De Spain, his
hand oil McAlpin's shoulder was Civ
ing his parting injunctions. and the
barn boss. head cooked down. and eyes
east 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 ont into this thin" clone
don't do it."
Il can't help it, snappcd he Spain
impatcntly.
Its Il man killer"
~ can't help IT.
"Bob Scott, If he VS. here, nd never
let you do 1t. III ride wi yc myself
Henry. | .'orkcd for your father-.-"
You're t"7 old Il men. jim"
"Hcnry--'~
Don't tail; to me DO as tell YOU !"
t.unGered De Spain.
McAlpin bowed his head
"Ready" yelled Page. bucklin- tnt
rifle holster in place. Still talking, ana
with McAlpin glued to his elbow, Dc
Spain vaulted into the saddle. Caught
the lines from Bulbs hands. and
stcadied the Lady rs she sidestenpoi
neryously-McAlpin following clos.
and lodging the dancing h;ofs rs ne
looked earnestly up to catch the last
word. De Spain touched the horse with
the lines. She leapeG through the door.
way and he raised backward hand
to those behind. Running outside the
door, they yelled a chorus of cries
after the sWftmoyng horSeman. and
clustered in ,tn excited group, watched
the Lady with n dozen great strides
round the CalabnSas trail and disap
pear with her rider into the Whirlinl
snow.
She fell at once into an easy reach
ing step, aud De Spain, busy with his
reflections, hardly gave thought t,
what she MAS doing, and little more t,
what WAS going on about him.
No moving figure reflects the impas
sive more than Il horselnan of the
mountains, on long ride. Though
never 81 swift-borne the man. looking
neither to the right nor to the left
moving evenly and statreike agains
the sky. part Of the Wiry beast under
him, presents the very picture of In
difference to the world around him
The great. swift wind spreading owe
the desert enptied on II snow-ludei
1pulfs that whirled and wrapped n clout
of flakes about horse and rider in tn.
symbol of Il Shroud. De Spain gave
no heed tn these skirmishng eddies
= but he knew what W:iS behind them
. and for the wind. he only wished i
might keep the snow in the mir til III
caught sight Of Nan.
The even reach OF the horse brough
him to the point where Nan hat
changed to the stage wagon. Witlou
a Break In her long stride, Lady Jan,
l took the hint of her swerving rider
nut her nose into the wind, and hcndc,
north. De Spain, alive to the Difficult
ties OF his venture, set his hat lowe
: and bent forward to follow the wagon
along the sand With the first of tn
e white hurldes passed he found hlnsel
in snowess pocket. as it were, of tn
: advancing storm. He hoped for moth
= Ing from the prospect ahead, but cy
cry moment of respite from the blind
. Ing whirl was Il gain. and with his eye
: close on the trail that had carried Ma
= into danger, he urged the Lady on.
Y When the snow again closed dow
about him he calculated from til
y roughness Of the country that h
4 should be within a mile Of the ron
q that Nan was trying to reach, from tn
$ gap to Sleepy Cat. But the broke
}. ground straight ahead would proven
d her from driving directly to 1t. II
knew she must hold to the right, an
4 her curving truck, now becoming diff
q cult to trail, confirmed his conclusion
A fresh drive Of the wind bulrote
q him as III turned directly north. Onl
t Mt intervals could he zee any trace G
/, the wagon wheels. The driving sno