The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-01-20

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calm reply. 1--WE have over 500 BUSH
els of wheat"
But we can't eat wheat!"
I'm not so sure of that. 1 heard
AIR. McCrae say that lots of families
had wintered on wheat. Indeed, boiled
wheat is something of delicacy. Even
the best city families rarely have it,
although it is more nutritious than
flour and much easier to prepare"
Harris thrilled with joy over his
wife's vivacity. The strange gloom
that oppressed her so much Of late
had cost him many anxious hours.
So. in high spirits, they planned for
their winter. There were long hours,
and little diversion, and the deSolatiOn
of bleak. snOw-bound prairies on ev-
cry side, but through it all they kept
up their courage and their hopeful
ness. Mary spent much time with her
needle from which John. when he felt
she was applying herself too closely,
beguiled her 10 game of checkers or
an hour with one of their few but val
ued hooks. And there were frequent
visits and long evenings spent about
scoZy fire, when the MOrriSons, or
the Grants, or the RiIeses, dropped in
to while away the time. The little
sod house was warm and snug. and as
the men played checkers while the
women sewed, what cared the piO-
neers for the snow and the cold and
the wind whistling across the plains?
At last came the crisis. At in the
afternoon Harris kissed his wife an
affectionate farewell, hitched his
horses to the sleigh, and started out
post-haste for Plainville. He drove by
way of the Morrisons, where few
low words sent Tom to the stable at
a trot to hitch his own team, while
the good wife hustled about in the
room" almost overwhelmed with the
importance of her mission.
81 will go for the doctor. Jack, and
you go back and take the wife with
yoH." was Morrison's kindly offer, but
Harris would not agree. 1t was dark
1y this time, and he felt that he could
trust no one else to make the journey
70 plainville. Besides, there was more
than a chance that DR.. Blain might be
incapable, and in that case it meant a
drive of 80 miles farther.
ITS good of YOU Morrison" he said.
but you are more used to your wife's
| bidding than am, and you can be of
good service there. if you will" And
| without waiting to argue he sprang
into his sleigh again and was whip
ping his team into the darkness.
'Night, Harris" said the landlord.
who had a speaking acquaintance with
every settler within 20 miles. "Ye're
drivin' late. Yell have bite of sup
per an stable the team?"
mo, Hank, not tonight, thanking
you the same. But I'm after Dr. Blain,
and I'm in a hurry. Is he here, and
is he ft?" There was an anxiety in
the last words that did not escape the
host.
"Nothin' serious. I hope? Frost. or
sometime" Then, without waiting for
reply, he continued: ''Yes, Doctors
here. Upstairs, bed to the right as ye
go up. lust got in little back. As
for fit--dig i'm out an judge for your
SELF
Harris lost no time scaling the lad
der which led to the upper half-story
of the building. 1t was a garrett
nothing better-where the cold stars
looked through knot holes in the pop
lar shingles. and the ends of the shin
gle nails were tipped with frost. An
other wall lamp burned uncertainty
here, Pickering in the wind that whis-
tied through the cracks in the gables,
and by it's light Harris found 'the bed
to the right" The form of a man lay
/ diagonally across it, face downward,
with arms extended above the head,
! and so still that Harris paused for a
| moment in a strange alarm. Then he
slipped his hand on the doctors neck
and found it warm.
Come. Doctor" he said, ST want you
with me-" But the sleeping man an
| Swered with not so much as a groan.
Come, DR.. BIain," Harris repeated,
shaking him soundly. 81 want you to
go home with me-" He might have
been speaking to the dead.
In sudden evaporation he seized the
doctor by the shoulders, and with one
heave of his mighty arms set him up
right on the floor and shook him Wig
orously.
/ DR. BIain opened his eyes and
blinked uncertainty at the light
"Whatche doing, Harris?" he said al
! length. and the recognition brought a
thrill of hope. as no use Got
ia sleep it off. s no use. Harris. IS
10 use" And he crumpled up in the
bed
But Harris was desperate. ''NoU
Tn not going to fool with you" he
said. you get up and, come with me
or I'll take you Which is it?"
But the doctor only mumbled ''S nj
use" and fell heavily TO sleep.
Throwing open his coat to get fret
motion for hissarms. Harris in a mo
ment wrapped the sleeping man In &
couple of blankets from the bed. threw
him over his shoulder, carried lin
down the rickety ladder, and deposit
ed him. none too gently, in the sleigh
/ There was. a mild cheer from the mel
about the stove over these heroi,
measures, and one of them thoughtful
lily threw the doctors satchel into th'
sleigh. The next moment all wer
lost in the darkness.
I Harris DRIVE for an hour Watchin,