The Washington times., 1921-04-13
By Kathleen Norris.
Author. Of "M0ther,1 ~The Heart Of
Rachel,s "Sisterso and Other
Famous Stories.

Author. Of "MotAer,s ssTHe Heart Of
Rachel. "sisterso and Other
Famous Stories.
TOR a moment he looked down at
her. close in his arms, like some
lovely forest bird that painted
and rested against him. But his i'm
passive face did not change: he
turned and ploughed his way ahead
OF her. and rosy. shouting, slipping
and still pushing on, she followed
him.
What is it?" she called, stop
ping to point up at a soft clump of
small, blue-green leaves above her
head. A second later she recog-
nized the mistletoe, and they both
laughed.
stop laughing and talking" he
commanded. you need every ounce
CT your energy"
II never can make the station"
she confessed, stepping knee-deep
In fluffy crystal whiteness. But
when we get to the top of this
little rise we ought to be able to
look straight down upon 1t. And
there might be a train there now"
He nodded. with. rather q serious
look. and they fought on. The
wind was gaining although the
snow had stopped. and to Pa
tricia, at least, each step was in
creasingly difficult. Her breath
came painfully. and she was be-
ginning to feel tired. The exhil-
aration of the first half hour was
gone; her feet were wet. she felt
cold.
They gained the little summit
nA al Dat -s.t,
turned bewildered eyes upon her
companion.
"Dan. where's the trackg
"Where ought it to be?" he
countered.
"Why-why-right along there
through the clearing!' The girl
looked a little frightened as her
eyes went seeking in vain for a
familiar landmark. Across the
clearing and through the wooded
rise of the mountain opposite, was
orly the unbroken surface of the
snow.
Stumps, muffled in hoary white,
rose through IT here and there;
long, furry mound marked the lit
tie station platform and the low
freight shed. In every direction
ran the spokes of the forest. The
rising wind whirled a little curtain
of white powder over the utter
silence and emptiness Of the world
That's the answer" Dan said,
after a silence. The train couldn't
get through! The chances are that
wherever the train is. the Throck-
morton crowd is, unless they real
ized the storm in time to get back
to the city"
"But-but they'll send for us"
Patricia suggested.
Eventually a clearing train will
have to come through" Dan as
sured her. "But there's no use of
our plowing down there now!
doubt IL we could make 1t, having
to come backw He plunged a
gloved hand into his pocket and
produced an American flag that
they had found in the cabin, a flag
that reminded Patricia of an un-
happy Fourth of July when Aunt
Annie had insisted upon cross-ex-
amining her as to her prospects.
THE DINNER.
The flag was attached promi-
nently to a snow-laden sapling, and
the two fioundered back up the
trail. The wind was in their face
now, and although Dan was appar-
emily unaffected, Patricia felt al
most spent.
Chilled and cramped, she STUN
bled after him into the cabin. The
fire was almost out, and although
he Immediately rebuilt 1t, for ten
agonized minutes the girl could not
enjoy it, could not even straighten
herself to throw aside her snow
powdered wraps and the tangle of
soaked veil about her hat.
When at last the blood began to
run warm in her veins again, she