The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-06-16
STORM BOUND
BY LOUISE HOFFMAN.
9p9p92Noeo 80 ooooooa.
by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.

Gee! the winds blowing 60 miles
an hour and everything will be drifte,
1uIi by morning" prophesied :lohr
Becklin as he came stamping into the
Kitchen after feeding the hens. %
thought I'd be blown away once OF
twice myself. I pity any one caught
out IN this storm tonight. Heard the
40 go up yet, mother?"
Mrs. Becklin, remarkably trim
young looking woman to be the moth
er OF such a stalwart looking son
was busy setting the table and alter
nately stirring creamed potatoes or
the stove
NO, John, / haven't heard a sound "
she replied in motherly tone. "But
thought l saw a sleigh with two
come around the bend in the road q
while ago. I've been watching every
niue Whlle' but | haven't seen any.
thing more of it,"
she went to the window again. II
was just dusk.
ON, John!' she exclaimed "rbere
is some one trying to get through the
orlrts by the old barn. There, the
horse is down."
John Becklin came to the window
ana peered out into the fast deepenina
gloom.
why, it looks as though there wa.
d woman in the sleigh. Too bad THEY'VE
Deeh caught out in this. But the drifts
are SOFT yet, and maybe they'll pull
through. wonder who they are? They
must be strangers. or they wouldn't
attempt TO drive through that SPOT"
well, the horse is up" announced
MIS- becklln with relief, ''but they are
trying TO make him go ahead. The
next plunge and the poor animal will
only go down again. Even if thew Dir
manage to get through this bank, they
can't go on In this blow. 1t would he
sure death. with night coming on. and
its growing colder every minute. Oh =
she gasped; there goe. er.~.,, !
a aver stefcyl hope that Door WON,
.sssaisK't hurt
She turned.
where are you going, John?" she
questioned as he began putting on his
things.
I'm going to- take down the bars sc
that man can come through the field
He was gone. and the mothe,
watched with keen anxiety as he bat
tied against the fierce wind and whirl.
/ ing snow. Once he turned his back ia
catch his breath. Twice he sank out
of sight. but finally succeeded IN
reaching the two weary travellers.
John directed the strangers through
the perilOus drifts into the open field
and up to their barn, where the hired
man took charge of the almost ex.
hausted animal.
Mrs. Beckiin ran to the kitchen
door and threw it as Hospitality wide
us the storm would allow to welcome
the strangers.
Come in, come in out of this wind"
she invited cheerfully. You must be
nearly frozen"
fortunately we both escaped. hui
such an experienced" returned a sweet
young voice, as the man. Invested of
MS furs. came into the living room.
"Myra," he gasped, gazing straight
into her clear gray middle-aged eyes
rs it possible?"
wilbur" breathed Mrs. Becklin
scarcely believing her eyes. IL
thought you were in the West. And
this" she paused gazing at the prett,
blue-eyed girl.
us my daughter Una" he said
briefly. "And this lad to whom we
are indebted for our escape is"
MY son." returned Myra.
After a moments silence, IF II
were not for the children. we might
think time had almost stood STILL" he
murmured.
Over delectable creamed potatoes
sliced pink ham, hot rolls and coffee
Wilbur NOreross told how the urge to
come East had been too strong for
him. In the fall he had bought a small
farm at Fallsburgh. His sister kept
house while Una taught school in the
old Everett district about five miles
distant.
Myra nodded. She had heard abou,
NAr"rnss family moving into the vii