The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-05

tTOuLlerSmen, same as us. You're living on what they did. We're getting this frontier ready for those who come after. Want our children to have better chance than we had. Our reasons same as theirs HiIIas told you the . truth. COuntTy's all right if we had a railroad"
 'Humph!" With a contemptu- Ous look across the desert ."Where's your freight, your grain, cattle"
 ''West-bound freight. coal, feed. seed-grain. work, and more neigh bors."
 "One-sided bargain. Road that hauls empties one way doesn't pay. No comp@ny would risk a line through here"
 The angles of Dams jaw showed white. Maybe. Ever get a chance to pay our debt to those Pilgrim pioneers? Ever take it? Think the stock was worth saving?"
 HE lifted his whip-handIe TO-
 TH ward a pin-point of light ~ across the stretch of snow. Donovan lives over there and Mis- Donovan. We call them old folks now; their hair has turned white as these drifts in two years. All they've got is here. He's a real farmer and a lot of help to the country, but they won't last long like this"
 Dan swung his arm toward glimmer nor by nor'est. Miss Clark lives there, a mile back from the stage road. Clark's down n Yankton earning money to keep them going. Shes alone with her baby holding down the claim" Dams arm sagged. We've had women go crazy out here"
 The whip-stock followed the empty horizon half round the com pass to lighted red square not more than two miles away. "Mis' Carson died in the Spring. There's three children-OIdest's Katy, just eleven" Dams words failed, but his eyes told. Somebody will brag of them as ancestors some day. They'll deserve it if they live through this"
 Dams jaw squared as he leveled his whip-handle straight at the traveller. I've answered your q utS llOnSr no" you diIS" Ci lLi-ilt- l We know your opinion of the cOun- you're not travelling for pleas ure or your health. What are you here for?
 Business. My Own!"
 There's two kinds of business out here this time of year. Faint healthy for either of them" Dams words were measured and clipped. l -g--- yl that's in it good and plenty. Now I say, damn the people anywhere in the whole country that won't l pay their debts from pioneer to 1 pioneer; that lets us fight the wild l erness barehanded an die fighting; that won't risk
 A gray film dropped down over | the world, a leaden shroud that | was not the coming of twilight. l Dan ierked about, his whip l cracked out over the heads of the leaders and they broke into a quick | trot. The shriek of the runners along the frozen snow cut through the OmninOus darkness.
 "Hillas," Dams voice came sharply, stand up and look for the light on CIark's guide-pOIe about a mile to the right. God help us if it ain't burning.'
 Hillas struggeId up, one clumsy mitten matching his eyes from the blinding needles. "I don't see it. | Dan. We can't be more than a mile away. Hadn't you better break toward it?"
 "Got to keep the trail til we | see-lightl"
 The wind tore the words from his mouth as it struck them in flashing fury. The leaders had dis appeared in a wall of snow but Dams lash whistIed forward in re- minding authority. There was a moments lull.
 See it. Hillas?"
 ''No, Dan"
 Tiger-liI-e the storm leaped again, bGndying them about in it's paws like captive mice. The horses swerved before the puuishing blows punched, backed. tangled. Dan stood up shouting his orders of menaCing appeal above the storm.
 Again e breathing space before the next deadly impact. As it came HIIas shouted, 'I see it-there. Dan, It's red light. Shes in trouble"
 FTHROUGH the whiTlinE smother
 the struggling horses the sled
 d and chaos of Dan's cries and lunged out of the road into un- broken drifts. Again the leaders swung sidewise before the flashing