Evening star., 1928-05-28
Birthright t;::'::' =:;:;: ::

dering at the touch of snow water on
her face, her shoulders hunched and
her fingers clasped with the cramp
of the bitter cold. Shuddering, she went
back to the hearth, where the fire had
sunk to pink kgray ashes. and was feebly
trying to rekindle It wfen Dan sud-
denly sat up His big arm. In its black
Japanese wrapper, was helping her be-
fore he was fairly awake.
What are you trying to do? Why
didn't you wake me?' ne protested.
You're dressed What time Is 1t, any
way?"
Your watch says nine!" Patricia
said, with chattering teeth. as the
glorious blaze roared up the deep CHM
ney. and she crouched TO hold her fin-
gers to the warmth.
TITS pretty dark, for nine o'clock!"
Dan muttered, glancing toward the
windows
TITS dark, Dan, because we are lit
| orally buried in snow!" the girl
answered.
With a startled look he went to the
door. which was pushed open with some
difficulty. Patricia went to stand be-
side him, and in silence they looked out
upon world Of snow. Fine snow was
still whirling In the air. although the
wind was falling. and there was an uIl-
earthly stiffness without.
The porch, usually three feet above
the ground, was level with the surface
of the snow, and great drift, at one
side, rose up higher than the cabin. In
every direction lay the unbroken sur
face OF hawless white, from which the
muffed forms of the trees rose TO lose
themselves in the soft yelling Of the air.
The road had vanished. and only a
| great furry mound showed where the
| car was buried. Every possible ridge
and crevice was packed and blanketed
| with exquisite white, and about them
and above them were only trackless
deeps upon deeps of snow.
Voiceless before the awful beauty OF
| it, the man and woman stood for two
or three long minutes looking their fill.
Not a branch cracked, not sound
broke the stiffness: nothing moved ex-
cept that softly turning and twisting
| curtain Of white, or an overladel spray
| that gently lowered its burden into the
| feathery depths below it.
| "The gorgeous beautiful. heavenly
| waste of it," Patricia whispered after
| a while And we go TO 'Parsifar and
| praise the scenic effects, while this
divine thing happens at least two or
| three times every winter, in miles and
7
by gosh. it's worth coming up here
| for this" Dan added. no less stirred.
But you'll get pneumonia" he abruptly
| concluded. Here, come in and shut the
| door"
Dan" Patricia said. a little later.
| when they were enjoying their break
| fast. "can We get out in this?"
we can make a stab at II" he ad-
| mitted. but TO tell you the truth, ]
| don't see US getting far!"
II was thinking" Patricia went on
| that il We could somehow founder
| down as far as the railroad, We could
| simply wait there until some train came
| along and take 1t, wherever 1t was
| bound"
rs there a waiting room?"
She smiled ruefully. mo. There S
nothing but freight shed and plat
| form"
stove In the shed?'
Heavens, I don't know But
| shouldn't suppose sol"
we might have to wait there for
| hours" Dan unused Better TO founder
| down there. as. you suggested and leave
some sort of a signal. If We hung red
/ rag there, the man must stop, and then
| we could leave note asking him to
/ -- -"
| ITO blow five or six times with his
| whistlel" Patricia suggested. But then
| II would take Us an hour 10 get down
| there" she added. They must send up
| Tor us today. DAM" she presently said
anxiously. as he remained thoughtful
| and silent.
Il should think So" he answered.
Unless your aunt thinks that We didn't
come. and my mother thinks We are
| safe with the rest OF them. It's t0SSup
| whether they find 1t out. How In the
name of everything sane did the
Throckmortons think they were going
to get up here. anyway"
1T was Roberta's idea" Patricia ex-
planned, "a regular primitive country
party. There Is an old fellow named
Thurston, who is station agent IN sum-
mer. and has team, and I imagine
that they wrote him that the boxes
would arrive-oh. DAM" Patricia broke
of, with child's joyous laugh. Happy
New Yearl''
by George. so it isia he answered,
as she gayly stretched both hands to
him across the table. Well" he added
lit starts IN heaven. Whenever 1t ends"
viii you fry me one more egg?" was
the girls prosaic response. And look
at that toasti" DO people in mountain
cabins always eat so much, do you sup
pose?"
After breakfast Dan decreed.
well wrap up warm. and see what we
can do. I creased your shoes--I must
have read in some kids book, long ago,
that shoes had to be greased!"
'I saw that you did. They're just as
soft as ever: thousand thanksl" Pat
ricia buttered fresh toast rapidly. and
put a piece on his plate. TN tell you
what, DAN" she added, well make a
fire in the kitchen and roast that
turkey! If we are reseuded, weH nave
to come back here anyway to put the
fires out. and We can have 1t for lunch,
and II we're not, we'll have New
Years dinner" Her voice stopped;
she was confused by his look.
from the hearth. They looked into each
others eyes.
Il think-I think have never
liked anything so much!" she answered.
ITS like fairy tale!'
up here alone with you, roasting
our own turkey for our New Years din-
ner." he said half aloud. BY gosh: II
! see q rescue party coming up tnat
trail, I'll stand on the porch and shoot
IT."
Laughing In the first enveloping
breath OF the pure. sweet, freezing air.
they presently set out. Patricia had
pinned UP her skirt, tied her small hat
f1rmly with billows OF veil. And still the
first few steps into the sinking. whirl-
ing, bewildering whiteneSS exhausted
her suddenly and surprisingly.
Snow crept melting and wet into the
collar of her coat. snow tlckled her
eyelids, she felt the wet snow penetrate
her stockings above ner high boots. The
heavy. Icy atmosphere penetrated her
lungs like a pain.
Floundering. laughing and gasping
abe sfrlIgaled ainnR In Dams fOnlnrintS.