Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-03-07

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Mrs. Morgan?"
Virgie's smile crinkled her facs
and she burst into = sudden laugh.
"No-don't let him out, Lucy.
Keep him there till he realizes what
a grand girl you are. Keep him
there till he melts."
Lucy smiled and II was as though
a candle had been lighted behind her
eyes,
Il think he's-melting, Mrs. Nor
gan!"
Its raining" Marian said sud-
denly aloud. Rain and sleet. I'd
better take you home, Mother-it's
going to be a dreadful night
And then the telephone rang. Mar
ian answered it, said, "Motheri"
family, handed the instrument to
Virgie, the color draining out of her
face.
Virgie barked, what did you say,
how? Who came there? You say he
took your gum"
She hung up slowly. sitting rigid
and aghast.
tom has escaped"
"When? How? How could her"
Lon says he got away thirty min
utes ago. They don't know how.
He took Ions gum"
"But-he'll freeze-on night like
this! Well have to find him, Moth
er-"
"Yes-we'll have to find him." Viz
gle looked at Wills. Lon says that
Wallace Withers was over there to-
day. Tom has found out who it is
that has been plotting to ruin US.
He's a mountain man"
"We'l Co." Wills said. They'll
look for him, of course?"
Lon said he was sending some Of
the boys out. They won't know
where to go. l know where Tom
will CO." Virgie's face was heavy
with trouble as she twisted into her
heavy coat.
"I'm going. too" Marian said
abruptly.
"It's going to be an ugly night"
Virgie objected. you'd better 60
home before it freezes"
"Mother-Im going. Tell Frank
to put the chains on
WRAP yourself up then. Lucy, you
stay here by the phone. II Lon
calls tell him we're out on a hunt
if we find Tom we'll bring him in"
Wills drove and Marian huddled
in the middle Of the single seat of
Virgie's old car. Freezing rain spat-
ted on the roof, coated the wind
shield. The light failed with the
swift completeness of mountain
night. Wills got out to scrub the
windshield clean. The wheels
slowed on the curves in spite Of
the chains and Virgie's profile,
against the dim light, was granite
and grim.
"Drive on" she said. "I'n tell you
when to turn"
"He wouldn't take the road, Moth
err" Marian worried. "And even if
we met him we couldn't see him."
"Drive on" said Virgie, fatty.
They passed a looming mill and
curve where a waterfall came
down, roaring and splashing under
high bridge
"Left-at the next road" said
Virgie
Mother" an edge of panic was
in Marian's voice. "You don't
think"
81 know!" said virgie, soberly.
"They were over there-Wallace
and the others. Tom didn't know
before who was working against US
but. now he knows. Take it slow,
~. - .-A L.
slippery"
cts freezing a little. The chains
hold. l can 60 faster if it won't
make you nervous"
Marian huddled, small and fright
ened. under Branford Wills elbow,
her head in snug beret, scarcely
reaching his shoulder. Once he
looked around and gave her a scrap
of smile, in the dim light from the
dash. but she was looking solemnly
and searchingly ahead.
How awful-to be wandering
around in the hills on a night like
this!" she said. Poor old Toni"
Il know how awful it can be-"
Wills agreed. Il had two nights Of
it. There's so much sky and black
air and empty wind and savage
dark around you-and you feel sort
Of hatred in it-as though it would
kill you if it could. And the branches
reach out and snatch and almost
snarl-and boulders al d roots trip
you up-and the wind gathers up
handfuls of ice and filings them in
your face"
"And you were lostl" said Marian
in small. frail voice.
He looked down at her. I'm still
lost" he said. levelly.
Virgie cleared her throat. "I'm
here" she reminded them, but I'm
old and my bearing isn't what it
used to be-"
Tom wouldn't be lost" Marian
essayed the commonplace again.