The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-07-20

81 approaching that Of the most un.
familiar ranehman.
smoke was coming from the chin.
ncy There were the marks Of snow.
shoes. But they might mean nothing
IN the battle for existence. Houston
scrambled up 70 the veranda and
banged On the door. A moment more
and he faced Medasne Rohinette.
~Just wanted 70 see Il you're all
right. came almost curtly.
~res-thank yee.~
Need any foodg"
Z have plenty
Anybody sickf''
mo. Lost wing has found wood.
We're keeping warm. Tell me-" and
there was the poilteness OF emer.
Ecncy In her tones---''is there any
need for women IN Tahernaelef am
willing to 50 lf~-~
Not yet Besides. woman
couldn't set In there alone"
4 could. I'm strong enough. Re
sides. I've been out went TO the
Rnrd Ranch yesterday Mrs. Hurts
siek--Iost Wing brought me the
word"
Then keep on with that. There's
nothing in Tabernacle--and no place
for any one who isn't destitute. stay
here. Have you food enough for
Hurdss"
Yes That ls--
I'm leave my pack Take that
over ~ you need Il. There's enough
for n week there. n things don't
let up BY that time. III b. BY again. .
Thank YOU"
Then the door was closed. and
Houston went his WA again, back TO
Tabernacle and fresh supply fer
hts pack--hnrily rcaiising the fact
that he had talked 10 the woman he
could not help wishing for---the won.
an he would mixed 20 have loved The
world was almost too gray. too grim.
too horrible for Houston even TO re-
member that there was arr cstrange-
nent between them. Duly. his In.
sellect numbed as hts body was
nurnbcd. he went hack 10 HIS tasks
tasks that were seemingly endless.
Day after day. the struggle re.
MANNED the Same. the wind, tho snow.
the drifts. the white fleece flying ON
tho breast Of the gallo even when
there were no storm clouds above.
htotfing cut the light Of the sun and
causinE the great bali TO be only
rsd. ugly. msnacinx thing in field
% dismal gray. Night after night
The drifts swept. changtns. deepening
IN spots where the ground had been
clear before. smoothing over the
hummocks. weaving across the coun.
try like the vagaries az shifting
sands before they finally packed Into
hard. compressed mounds. 10 form
bulwsrks for newer drifts when The
NEXT storm came. Day after day
and then quiet for ~ hours.
II caused men 20 shout--m~n who
had cursed the sun IN the blazing
noonday hours Of summer. but men
who now extended their arms TO u.
who slapped one another on the back.
who watched the snow with blood.
red eyes for the first sign Of melt.
ipx particle. and who became hystcrs.
c4lly fuhilant when they saw a.
rorsy-sirhf hourri Deeper and deeper
and deeper went the imprints OF
serrations OF white, az last to cease
The sun had faded on the Afternoon
Of the second day. The fhaw stopped
Thr srowshoes soon carried new
erunching sound that gradually be
came softer, more muffled- For the
clouds had come again. the wind had
rlxen with a sfiercer bite than ever
m n: again the snow was falling.
But the grim little army Of rsscuers.
ploddlnx from one ranchhouse to an
other. had less Of worriment In their
features now--even tho the situation
was no less tense. no less dangerous.
Az least the rneager stores Of the
small merchandise establishment In
Tabernacle could be distributed with
more ease; a two-inch crust of snow
had formed over the main snowfall.
permitting small siefs 70 be pulled