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low and locate them. Then his whole
body snowclogged, wearied, exhaust
ed, he realized that he must set about
seeking some safe shelter for the
night.
At length Amos found a depression
under a rocky ledge, fronting away
from the fierce, roaring blasts. Day
was dying. The prospect was not
only forlorn, but even perilous. It
was a question which way he should
proceed with the morning, homeward
or townward.
"It's aiwo days' tramp either way,"
he reflected. 'The horses are lost
They will never find their way back
to the ranch, and in such dangerous
weather it is useless looking for
them,"
He had, some food in his knapsack
and after a brief repast settled down
to rest for the night. It was hard to
sleep amid the anxieties and uncer
tainties of the hour, however.
Suddenly, as he lay thinking and
planning for the morrow, Amos
sprang up as a quick glare showed
across the ridge valley. "Why," he
exclaimed, "it's a house a cabin,
and it is-burning up!" '
Amos left his shelter. The snow,
was blinding, progress almost impos
sible. The blazing structure was a
guide, however. He was fairly worn
out as he reached the scene of the
conflagration. He was startled,
thrilled, as just beyond the flaming
heap he noted a fair young girl, with
ashen face and terrified eyes shrink
ing within the doorway of a little
shed, apparently the only, human den
izen of the isolated spot.
"What doesit mean you and
alone?" he irresistibly exclaimed.
At first the young girl shrank from
him with a natural timidity. Then his
open, honest face seemed to reassure
her. She was overcome with excite
ment and- terror and tears. In frag
mentary scraps her story was told.
She was Elise Bradley and this was
the home of her brother. She had
come to visit him for a few days. He
had gone to Bartonville, where she I
.was a teacher of music. He had not
returned on account of the storm.
The place had taken fire. She was
homeless. Oh, she would never see
her own home again ! The storm, the
cold
"Dear young lady," broke in Amos,
valiant from- the true chivalry of his
earnest nature, her beauty, her for
lorn situation appealing to all that
was brave and manly within him,
"take cheer!"
In after years Amos could never
think of the ensuing three days with
out a shudder. The loose cold shed
was spared by the fire. He found
within it an old stove and soon had
its chilliness in a measure minimized.
Then with his charge half comfort
able he fought his way to the spot
where the wrecked wagon was. From
it he secured a package of food and
some robes. These he carried to the
old shed. A second trip he made,
bringing back two loose sides of the
vehicle and some other pieces of its
shattered timbers.
The snow let up in the morning. By
that time Amos had constructed a
fough but- long and wide exigency
sled. His first thought had been to
convey the refugee to his own home,
but she demurred.
"I must get to the town.'she in
sisted urgently, "to my brother and
and to others."
It was a terrible journey. In all the
slow, difficult jaunt they did not pass
a single human habitation. With
tears in her eyes the grateful Eliso
regarded the strong, noble man, who
made a beast of burden of himself,
dragging the crude sled that she
might reach friends and comfort.
Well did Amos look to it that his
fair charge was well bundled up in
the warm, thick robes. When they
halted at night he found for her safe
shelter. The food last out They
reached Bartonville.
By that time he had learned to love
her, and she her heart nearly broke
as she told him at the last that she
had promised her brother to marry
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