Evening star., 1936-02-09
Continued from, page nine

sign of the storm slackening. After
what seemed to be long time Slim
reached the pine grove. Against the
blizzard only the nearest trees stood
out black and indefinite.
Swinging his pony in and out among
the trees, Slim looked carefully about
him. But there was no sign of the herd.
He covered the whole grove. There
was not one cow there. He couldn't
understand it. Pulling his horse up in
the lee of the grove. Slim sat thinking.
Two things could have happened.
he decided, either Of which was most
unlikely. With the storm coming sud-
denly, the calves might have been
unable to follow their mothers out
of the pasture. and their mothers
wouldn't desert them. But the storm
had not come that suddenly. Or the
herd might have headed for the south
pass for shelter. But the pass was far
away. and the herd never went there.
Slim felt his hands growing numb.
He became aware Of heavy drowsi-
ness creeping over him. He dared sit
there no longer; If he fell asleep. it
would be the end Of him.
He decided to ride south through
the valley. If the herd had failed to
move. he would find it there. Or If the
steers had gone to the south pass, he
would be headed in the right direction
to find them.
He tried to ride in straight line
through the pasture. That way. he
felt certain, that he would pick up
stragglers from the herd even if he
missed its centre. But there was no
evidence that the herd had ever been
there. He seemed to be riding in a
great white void. empty and silent but
for the bowling Of the wind.
Suddenly the pinto stiffened and
spread her forelegs. Against the great
stretch of snow Slim saw dark shape.
He swung his spurs into his pony and
the little mare snorted and leapt
forward. In the next second Slim saw
that the shape was horse, which had
raised his head in alarm, at the sound
of Sims approach. Nearby, in the
snow, someone was kneeling. Sandra!
She called. ''Slim, is that you?"
He leapt from his pony and knelt
down beside her. She was leaning over
a calf half buried in the snow. He
shouted above the wind. What are
you doing here?"
Her reply reached him family:
''Never mind, we've got to save this
calf"
He took her roughly by the shoul-
der. Leave it," he shouted. The
storms getting worse. We've got to
get out of here" Sandra rose. Some
thing in Sims voice warned her that
to delay was dangerous.
well make for the south pass"
he told her as they mounted. Stay
right behind me-"
At the touch of his spurs, he felt
the pinto rise under him and he
glanced back to make sure that the
girl was following. A moment later he
understood why she was there. The
herd loomed out Of the haze ahead
of him. She had been driving them to
shelter.
We've got to leave the herd behind
and get out of here" he shouted.
But the pass is just ahead. Well
be safe there; so will the herd"
Slim saw that what Sandra said
was true. There was a vague grey wall
ahead with a gap in it. The gap
marked the entrance Of the pass across
the mountain.
I'VE can do it. he called. but be
careful. Watch out for gullies."
He saw her begin herding the steers
as he had taught her to do. He saw
her nod and swing her pony off to the
left. He started then and they moved
back and forth across the rear of the
herd, passing each other at regular