The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-19
CHAPTER I
Copyright by Harold Titus

CAON NohlC, HAlc ohOhi obAAsiiS
blizzard snow; it clung to the mans
clothing, to his eyebrows and
mantled the burden on his shoul-
ders.
Now and again he lifted his head
from the bending which protected
his face somewhat from the drive
of the storm and spoke.
"All right, Stevie?" he would ask
From the huddle up there, which
was a pack-sack with a blanket
drawn over the small boy riding in
it, would come a whimper.
"FOots are cold ~
"Wiggle 'em, Stevie, Wiggle 'em
FAST" the man would say and
plunge on, with something like des-
peration in the grit of his snow
shoes through the loose covering
of old snow, pulling the ends of the
blanket which he held in his hands
a bit closer TO keep the child's head
and shoulders covered.
The man was frightened. 1t
showed In his pace, which was too
swift for long journeying, showed
in his excited breathing, which the
effort of even forced travel alone
would not have produced; showed,
also, in the way he turned fire.
quently to look backward, as If
fearful OF pursuit.
For the first hour IL had not been
so bad. 1t was cold, yes, and blow
ing a bit, still, the conditions were
not discouraging to a man with less
than forty pounds on his back and
with only twenty miles to go; not
discouraging when necessity sea-
soned with desperation occasioned
the trek. Even II it had been storm
ing at the start and had the burden
been much heavier, the effort would
have been as nothing compared to
the prospect of Jail.
But he had scarcely left behind
the yellow squares of windows in
Fynn's camp before the first out
riders of snow squalls struck, and
before he had covered third of the
way the blizzard roared down upon
him.
For Drake, a blizzard was moth
ing new. For Drake alone, that IS
But with a four-year-old on his back
a storm like this was something
else again.
The little boy snuggled closer.
The mittened hands which had rest
ed on the mans shoulders under the
protecting blanket worked forward,
half embracing his fathers neck.
brakes breath caught and he
shook his head TO clear away the
mist which formed in his eyes. Co
ing back was out of the question.
The thing which had driven him Off
would be discovered by now. A
stop TO attempt to warm the child
would have been risky, even had he
a belt-ax with which to knock up
shelter and fuel.
But it was a dozen miles yet to
the railroad: a dozen miles, with
the going getting rapidly worse and
the cold increasing and his own
strength taxed by the demands of
his physical necessity and the sap
pings of twin fears, ebbing steadily.
He edged to the left, now, watch
ing the bank of the winter-lOcked
stream, looking for an opening in
the timber. Taking it, he would be
forced TO cross bald ridge and
face an even more intense sweep
of the storm, but men said it saved
three miles on the trip to town.
Three miles. an hours travel.
Daddy ~ The child whimpered
a little for the first time.
"All right, Stevie! Won't be long,
now. Here we arer' He saw
the leaning cedar and the opening
of the trail swung toward it.
The going was more difficult be-
cause loose snow had fallen TO shin
depth and lay unpacked by the
wind. The cover yielded a measure
of protection from the blizzard and
this was welcome but the climb was
a fresh demand on brakes over
worked lungs and heart muscles.
Breath began to sob in his throat
and he staggered until the little boy
clasped his neck in hold that
strangled.
Don't, Stevie !"-pushing the
small hands away. Cant breathe
when you q. do that. f. :"
The child began to cry softly and
the man stopped, painting and sway
ing slightly.
"Wiggle your toes, Stevie. Dadll
take care of you. Hush now
Don't cry. Please don'ty"
Drake bent lower and drew the
blanket tighter over his sons head.
He began to exercise caution of
sort in his progress so he might
surely mark the depression in the
snow which was the trail. He must
not leave that trail. He must not
lose it for an Instant He told him
self that, half aloud. between shut
teeth and held his pace to a eau
tious plodding. The wind drove
deeper than the marrow of his bones
now; it seemed to thicken the very