Mm
P
-:
PROLOGUE
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY BE
FORE. The Storm Within.
The Btorm wiih ono of tho worst
Unit hnd ever burst from tho moun
tains and swept iktohh tho plains.
Tho wind camo In wild bursts ctf trc
tncnilniiH speed. Kven In thn IiiIIh,
which were only comparatively hiicIi,
It blew perhaps 20 iiiIIch an liour. Tho
llerco lilaiitB were laden with flno
Enow frozen nplitdrirt from a white
ocean of cold! Need lea of Ico sharp
er Uinn their prototypes of Htcel cut
thn baro flesh of those w'hom evil for
tuno kept abroad on such n, night,
bringing the blood to tho freezing
akin. The onslaught of the serenm
InB tempest drove tho hnplcHB cnttle
mad with pain and terror. Tho thick
now compelled them to htiddlo to
gether nt last, and shelterless to Buf
fer, freeie, and die In tho pitiless hur
ricane JiiBt whero tho foothills lose them
olvca In tho prairie lay huddled a lit
tle town or camp. livery door and win
dow wan iihut and barricaded against
tho searching storm.
In one of tho poorest and most mis
erable BhantlcR on the outBklrt of the
town a womau waited alono. A com
mon kerosene lamp Ktood on n table
before tho window, set thero an If In
signal.
The house, a mete shack which
shook and quivered under the tre
mendous assaults of tho Btonn. and
might havo been blown down If It had
not been buttressed and protected by
heaps or-unnw yet threatening to over
whelm It, contained but ono room. In
the corner farthest from tho door
stood a tumbled, frowzy bed. A rick
ety chest of drawers, u kitchen table, a
rusty cook stove, a few uncertain
chalrH of the plainest and eheapoBt
quality, were nil tho rest of tho fur
niture. A few clothes hung from pegs
driven In tho boarded wall. A snddlo
In ono corner, a pickax and shovel, n
hoavy quirt, and a rlflo hanging from
pegs beneath a shelf sufficiently
pointed out the avocations of the
owner.
Yet fihe was n woman who, what
ever her outward circumstances,
Bhowed no poverty of plrlt. She
raged up and down Hie room as a
prisoned tiger pnees the narrow con
flncB of his cage. Sometimes she
paused and stopped by the window, to
rest her heud beneath her hand on
the Bash and peer eagerly, passion
ately, out Into the falling biiow. Sho
could see nolhlTig. and after having
stared with Increased disappointment
nnd further mutterlngu of angry
words, she would resumo her rest
less backward and forward march.
Had thero been any spectator when
sho assumed that picturesque position
at the window, whero the light, how
ever It failed to llluinlnato tho snow,
throw her own face and pernon In high
rcllof, tho observer would have been
nurprlsed at the coarse and yet not
unattrncttvo beauty of her face nnd
.flguro. Sho wbb full lipped und deep
bosomed, tall, lithe, Btrong. Hrr
cheeks wero full of color, her hnlr
black nnd coarsely crisp and curly.
Her hands, which she clasped nnd un
clasped nervously, were largo and
reddened by toll, but they wero shape
ly noverthelesc. Hut thero was nolth
or refinement nor goodness In her
faco. Thero woro gront possibilities
of evil which experience could havo
detected. IlerB had hcon a hard life,
nnd It had mndo her n hard woman.
8ho was perhaps twenty-llvo years
old, but looked older.
For hours the woman had waited In
that hut alone. It bad been storming
badlv when sho began nor vigil, and
the violence of tho tempest had In
creased until sho fcarod that no hu
man soul could brave it. That Bho
very much wanted eomo ono to at
tempt It, thot sho very keenly, 'ardent
ly, longed for that, was qulto evident.
Great Is the power of lovo. Even
Its counterfeit that which passes for
It In the eyes of the Ignorant nnd In
experienced may stir men and wom
en to mighty deeds. Thin woman
waited the arrival of one who fancied
blmaclf a modern Perseus about to re
leaso another bound nnd helpless An-
droinedft from a ilevnnrlnir ninnitar
I Whether the man who fatuously
filled thai role or the boy, rather, for
he had not reached man's years or
estate would arrive before hur hus
band, wns the problem that tilled tho
ovomeit's, uil.ad, In view of the bllz
card ragtag thp might have wondorod
whotUi. U Mia either of them
nought t lau, tear could find It or
leach H,5H. W slse tad stopped to
consider that (tfM C tho possibili
ties, she would MrVr.ljeen profoundly
glad hnd both ventured nnd had both
wnndercd on in the night until beaten
down nnd mastered by tho spirit of
tho Btorm, bo that tho senrchors, after
,tts violence, hnd abated, might find
jthem frozen to death ns many nnothor
poor fellow wns found frozen there
after. 'For while tho woman loathed
(and hatod her drunkon brttto of a huo
(baud, yot sho had no affection for tho
foolish young tenderfoot who had wan
(tared out west to epond a summer
SOME INCIDII1TAL
nuATiois lb me woman
By CvmrsTowftSEND Brady
uvart?Ar0N3 By Dcfittnomt Mzivll
rtnmcur itc srfttrtr rf.o e&t4y
hotldny nnd hnd lingered on through
tho winter, fascinated by her exubcr
nut attractiveness, and flattered by
her bold and artful pursuit of him.
aim had thought to nmuso herself in
her dreary, wrotchid, sordid life by
bis fresh, frank, open admiration. Tho
woman's drunken husband had cared
llltlo at first; but latoly, under tho
Jibes, sneers, nnd Innuondos of his
companions, ho had becomu fiercely
Jealous. Then in maudlin fury ho had
forbidden the boy tho house, and hnd
sworn that ho would kill him on
sight.
Tho wumnn thereupon swiftly made
up her mind to break tho thraldom of
her matrimonial bond, and in tho
young Btranger'B compnny or by his
agency to lenve tho country. Sho
neither desired nor intended to be
tied to tho boy n half dozen years
younger than she.
Once in civilization it would bo
easy to break away from him, sho
knew. Therenfter Bho hnd no fear
but with her beauty, her wit, and her
courage, with her utter unscrupulous
ness, sho could make her way in tho
east which sho hnd never seen. And
this wns tho night on which they had
agreed to toko their dopnrture.
Since nor husband's wild outbrenk
of Jealousy, sho had seen tho boy only
once, in that surreptitious Interview
they had concocted their plans. Her
hiiBbnnd spent the greater pnrt of tho
nights, whenever he had any money,
In gambling nnd drinking nt tho sa
loon. l)v a lucky chance a short time
"before in an nil night trial with For
tune ho had won something over
$1,000. Tho bulk of it In- hard cash
"You Are Going on a Longer Journey Than You Planned," Ho Panted.
still rcpoeod In the chest of drawers.
That, with what the boy could con
tribute, would provide for the expenses
of tho journey. Sho had got It out
and tied it up in a llttlo canvas bag.
It lay on the table near the lamp.
Flftcon miles south tho Union Pa
cific railroad ran across tho contlnont.
It had been her plan to ride thither
and take the . first truin eastward,
losing themselves In Chicago, and
thence by whatsoever route pleased
them making their way to New York.
Whether her husband would pursue
her or not, she could not tell. Hn
would bo without the money, since
sho meant to tako all with her. He
would hardly be nble to follow her
very soon. Dut if he did, that was a
ilsk Rhu miiBt take.
Kngrosscd in the presont, tho boy
thought nothing at nil about tho fu
ture. Tho woman's predicament
bulked so largo to his Immature Imagi
nation thnt thero was nothing elso on
I ho horizon. Tlioro wns no other horl
urn than sho, in fact. And his ono
dosiro wnB to got her away to freo
hor.
And now this storm bado fair to
render tho wholo plan impossible
Misunderstanding his temper Bho fear
ed t.at the boy would bo frightened
by tho bllzzaul. Yet there was more
In tho boy than Bho imaglnod; for
when sho had about nmdo up hor mind
finally that ho would not corao, tho
door was thrown open and he stag-
gored into tho room. Tho woman
crcaruod slightly and stepped toward
tho snow-covered, ico-incruated flguro.
Tho young man forced tho door shut,
turned and faced her. Ho toro off his
fur cap and threw It on tho floor. He
stretched out his icy gauntletted
hands toward her. To reach the cabin
ho had boon compelled to fare tho
blizzard. Ills face was white yet
bleeding. Tho woman shrank back
from him.
"Is this my welcome?" he said, in a
voice manly enough in splto of his
youthful aspect.
"You'ro so wet and so cold," said
tho woman. "Tho horses?"
"They're outside," returned tho
boy. "Hut you didn't think of ventur
ing In this blizzard? Why, It's llko
hell Itself, or would be if holl wns
cold!"
"I'd risk anything," said tho woman
fiercely, "to got away from him! You
won't fall mo now?"
"But, my (lod, girl!" answered tho
boy with Hint assumption of superior
age which so satisfied his pride, "we'll
dlo In this blizzard."
"No," persisted tho woman. "See,
the storm comes straight from the
north. Our way Is due south; we've
only to keep it at our backs."
"All right," Bald tho boy cheerily.
Ho turned and stared out of the win
dow. "You'vo no idoa how terrible it
Is, though."
"I don't care."
"Got ready, then."
"I'm ready," sho replied. "Sco!"
Sho lifted tho skirt of her dress and
showed him a pair of horseman's
boots with a pair of hor husband's
trousers tucked tightly In them. "It's
a good thing he bus n small foot," she
sneered.
"Curso him!" said the boy. "I'd
like to settle with him before we go."
"You'll scttlo with him enough,"
raid the woman cynically, "when you
take mo nway from htm."
She turned and took down from
ono of the pegs u heavy fur overcoat.
Tho boy assisted her to put It on.
From a holster hanging on tho wall
she drew a small silver-mounted 32
callbercd revolver.
"I'm ready." she said again.
"Let us start, then," cried tho boy,
stepping forward.
On the instant a whirl of wind dls-
I I n
,v, i
closed to them that tho door had sud
denly opened. They turned to faco
a drunken, Infuriated, loerlng figure.
He had on a short, thick fur Jacket,
which left his hips completely un
covered. A heavy revolver had dan
gled In his holster. He draggod It
out as ho Bpoko and trained it on the
boy.
"You're going for a longer Journey
than you planned!" he panted thickly,
as ho strove to steady the weapon and
cover the other.
Tho boy was fumbling at the fasten
ings of bis coat. His own revolver
was not get-at-ablo Instantly, as it
should have been nnd would have
been had he been a native to tho
west.
"Fumble at 'cm, you fool!" cried
tho man. "Before you got 'em open,
I'll shoot you dead. I don't do It now,
cause I want you to taste death and
hell as long ns possiblo before you
go into 'em. You thought you'd mako
a fool out of mo, did you, nnd you,
too, you"
Ho flung n frightful, mordant word
at his wife which stung not loss bo
cnuso It waa in large uicamiro unde
served, at loast so far as tbo boy was
concerned.
"I'll scttlo with you when I get
through with him. Your tlmo'e up!"
ho continued, as the boy at last suc
ceeded in reaching hla weapon.
Ho was gamo, that boy, although his
faco under Its blood was whiter tbaa
it had been whin ho entered the
cabin, while Iho othor man's, similarly
snow wounded, wao red with rage;
and, though he was covered and even
a drunken man could scarcely miss at
such range, he nevertheless drew his
own weapon. Dut before ho could
raise It there was a sudden movement
back of him. The man In the door
way turned sharply.
"What!" he cried to his wife. "You
would, you "
At that instant the boy wns con
scious of n sudden flash of light and a
sharp detonation. Tho room was
filled with noise, a little cloud of
smoko blow down oil him. Standing with
his own pistol butt clasped tight In hla
hand, he snw the man in the doorway
reel. The arm that held hla weapon
dropped to his side. With a convul
sive movement he pulled tho trigger
Tho bullet burled itaolf In tho floor,
while tho man sank down on his
knees, swayed a moment, a frightful
look in his eyes, and thon pitched for
ward on his faco and lay still.
"Good Ood!" whispered tho boy
turning to his companion, "you'vo shot
him!"
He stared at the woman, who still
clasped tho Uttlw silver-mounted
weapon sho had used with Buch ter
rible effect.
"It wns his life, or your llfo or
mine," wnB tho answer. "I did it for
you," she said quickly, seeing a look
of horror and repulsion spreading over
the faco of her companion.
"Yes yes! I know," ho replied;
"but--"
"Come, we must get out of here
Immediately."
"Of course, of courso," whispered
the boy nervously, "we can't stay here
now."
"Drag him Into the room and shut
the door!"
Tho lad hesitated.
"Are you afraid?" aneered the
woman, making as If to do so herself.
"Certainly not," was tho answer;
but the boy nevertheless was afraid
afraid of death, with nioro fear than
ho had ever felt for any ono living.
Yet something had to be done and at
once.
Forcing himself to the task at last,
he stooped down, seized tho man by
the shoulders, turned him ovor on his
faco, nnd dragged him farther into the
room. Then he shut the door. The
two stared, a moment at the prostrate
figure.
"He's not dead yet," said the boy
slowly.
"No; but he soon will be." The
woman stooped over and unbuttoned
the man's coat and waistcoat. "There!"
she said, pointing to a ghastly hole.
"I struck him fair in the breast.
Would to God it'd been In his black
heart!" sho added. "Don't you seo
that wo must go now and quick?
Come, wo can't delay any longer."
"I'll take the blame on myself If
we'ro caught," said tho boy. "It was
my fault and you saved my life."
"That's noble of you," returned the
woman indifferently; "but we won't be
caught."
"Well, then, I'll save your reputa
tion beforo I go," continued the other
quixotically.
There wero a few tattered books on
the shelf. Ho took ono down, toro
out tho flyleaf, drew a pencil from
his pocket, scribbled on it a few
words, Signed it, held it to tho woman
to read, laid tho leaf down on the
body of the dying man, nnd then
turned to the door. He opened it, and
tho woman followed him out into the
night.
Tho room was very still. Kxccpt
for tho long, slow, faint, und fainter
breathing of the man, there wns not
n sound within tho hovel.
Death hovered over him tho long
night through. The morning found
him still alive, yet barely breathing.
Ho was trembling on tho eternal
vergo later In tho day when men seek
ing him burst into tho room. They
found the letter of confession still
lying whero It had been placed. They
revived the man sufficiently by stim
ulants to enable him to spenk n preg
nant word or two before his lips
closed forever. """
Tho confession, the bullet that had
killed him, tho empty revolver, and
the man's last words, solemnly attest
ed by those present, were carefully
preserved by tho leader of them all.
They might be useful some day; who
knew? For the rent It wns evident
what had happened. The boy and the
woman were gono from the camp. No
search was made for them; none was
possible. The blizzard had spent it
self by that time; but the prairie was
covered doep with drifted snow.-A
period of intense cold supervened. It
was hardly within human possibility
that the two fugitives could have got
safely away. They must be burled
somewhere to the southward In the
vast drifts. Spring might reveal their
fate, it might remaiu forover a secret.
So far as the denizens of the country
were concerned, tho tragedy one of
the numberless ones of the frontier
was over. In a day or two it was for
gotten.
(TO BR CONTINUED.)
Slightly Modified.
Llttlo Viola had dleveloped the habit
cf holding her thumb In her mouth,
even whilo eating. Mother hnd re
sorted to all sorts of mothods to
correct the child and finally In despera
tion said:
"Violn, the first thing you know yon
will swallow your thumb, and then
what will you do?"
"Wall, motbor, 1 should bate to swal
low It bocnuso I'd havo a heaven of a
tlmo without it."
"Why, Violn," said the astonished
mathor, "where did you hear an expres
elon like that?"
"Well, veil." hesitated tho little girl--I
didn't hear It exactly like that,
mother, but I .thought -t would sound
I better." - ,.
FOR THE WARMER DAYS
HOT-WEATHER OISHE9 CONCOCT'
ED BY FAMOUS CHEFS.
New and-Palatable Food to Tempt
Jaded Palates How Breok Trout
Are Served at New York
Swell Hotel.
The chefs of New York hotels have
Invented many new dishes for the
hot days; every housewife will bo in
terested in them, as they suggest new
end palatablo food for Jaded' palates.
At the Waldorf-Astoria tiro brook
trout with sauce au blue. The trout
are taken alive out of a fountain basin
In the grillroom, then dipped Into boll-,
Ing water. When properly done they
are served In a delicious sauco made
from old Durgundy and other Ingred
ients, which are a secret of tho In
ventor, Chef Nence. Cooked In thti
way, one only knows tho delicious
flavor of a brook trout.
Another Waldorf-Astoria surprise is
a Foster salad, made by cutting In
halves large King of Slam oranges,
scooping out the pulp, lining the shells'
with small leaves of lettuce, returning
tho pulp mixed with finely-grated
pineapple, sprinkling with Jamaica
rum, covering with mayonnaise, dust'
Ing with paprika, then setting each
half orange on a leaf of lettuco or a'
plate, ready to serve.
Chef Huguot of the Hotel Knicker
bocker, has a number of new spring
dishes with which he is delighting thej
patrons. One of the most popular of
his surplses Is the following: Take a;
Boston duckling, a very young one. In
a baking pan put a layer of sliced
Spanish onions and some pats of,
sweet butter; sprlnklo with salt and
pepper; lay the duckling on the prep-1
aration of onion, put It In a hot oven,
and let It cook about forty minutes
Remove the pan from the oven, taW
the duckling out of the pan, lay It on
a platter, pour a glass of white wine'
and a glass of old Madeira in tho pan,'
put It over the Are, let it come to a
boll, then add one large glass of veal
stock, two fresh tomatoes, peeled and
Heed. Cook for thirty minutes, strain
the gravy through a cheese cloth
sieve, add one ounce of sweet butter
and half a glass of curacao.
In the meantime peel a lemon and
an orange, sllco these In Julienne
style, blanch In water and add to the
grajry. Pour It over the duckling very
hot. The. duckling must be laid on
slices of .toast on a hot, platter,. with
a slice of orange on Its breast and on
each side. Serve sliced oranges with
this dish.
Two-thirds whole onions sliced, one
third tart apples cut in dices. Smoth
er together In a closely covered dish,
and serve In a border around calves
liver saute In sweet butter.
A Milliner's Aid.
An excellent preparation of stain
less glue for millinery purposes has
"recently been put on tho market.
jKId, velvets and tapestries, as well
as tho most delicate silks and eatlns,
may bo glued on buckram frames
without Injury to the material. The
gluo is water and weather proof and,
Iwlll not dry or peel off. Tho lovoly
floral effects and smart butterfly and
quill designs, shown by tho loading
jrdllllners, may bo contrived at homo
iwlth a llttlo Ingenuity and the aid of
'moBt welcome millinery requisite.
Vogue.
Creamy Potatoes.
One quart of sliced potatoes, two ta
blespoons butter, two teaspoons Bait,
one-eighth teaspoon pepper, three
quartors pint of milk; wash und pare
,the potatoes, cut thorn into thin slices;
put all tho ingredients together In a
'small cooker pall or pan, Bet this In a
larger cooker pall of boiling water;
when it is steaming hot, put tho small
utensil directly ovor tho heat until It
bolls; replace It In the pall of boiling
,wator, set In cooker for one hour,
Serves four persous.
Deviled Meat.
The wings, drum sticks and Bide
.bones of chicken or cold, raro beef or
.underdone mutton may bo used. One
(tablespoon butter, one teaspoon of
vinegar, ono of Worcestershire sauce,
one-half teaspoonful of made mustard
and a pinch of cayenne; make a sauce
jot the butter, vinegar, etc.; mix these
.thoroughly, make cuts In the meat
with a knife, rub this sauce Into them,
rub the chafing dish with a llttlo but
Iter, heat It and grill tho meat. Serve
hot.
Asparagus Omelet.
Beat five eggs separately, add two
tablespoonfuls of thick cream to the
yolks with a tablespoonful of butter,
salt and pepper to taste. Fold In the
frothed whites, mix well, add a half
teaspoonful of baking powder and a
teacuptul of steamed asparagus tips.
Melt a medium sized lump of butter
In the frying pan, pour the omelet In.
.Fry a dellcato brown on both sides
and serve at once.
Qlaced Fruits and Nuts.
Boll without stirring 10 or 1C n'in
utcs, one pound of granulated sui.ar,
one-halt cup of water. When brittle
removo from tiro, ndd a tablespoon
lemon Julco and let it stand over hot
water. Then on the ond of a hat pin
Immerse sections of oranges (all
diced), grapes, figs, almonds and wal
r.uts set on oiled paper.
Old Trays.
When light oak trays have been
badly marked, well wash and rub
with warm beer until the stains have
disappeared. Polish In the usual way.
S7 oi J tll
Miced H
iDried Beef
Old Hickory Smoked
Highest Quality
Finest Flavor
Try This Recipe
To the contents of
one medium size jar of
Libby's Sliced Dried Beef,
add one tablespoonful cf
butter, then sprinkle
with one tablespoonful
of flour and aHd one-half
cup of cream. Cook 5
minutes and serve on
toast
Ask for Libby's In the
sealed glass jars.
At All jGrocers
J
LIbby, McNeill & Libby
IT DOES ON HOU8E8.
Wise Do you see that striking look
ing woman with tho veil.
Howo YC6.
Wise Do you know why sho wears
tho veil?
Howo No. Homely?
Wise No; t'ho's afraid tho sun
might blister tho paint.
Very Select.
The landlady wus trying to Impress
tho prospective lodger with an Idea of
how extremely eligible tho neighbor
hood wns. Pointing ovor the way at a
fine mansion, sho said in a hushed
whisper:
"Young man, over there ncross the
Btreet there's seven uillllou dollnrd!"
Out of the Hare.
"Here's a hairpin in the soup, wait
er," said tho mad diner.
"Yes, sir. It's all tight. It's bare
sopp, Bir."
N
Breakfast
A Pleasure
when you have
Post
Toasties
with cream
A food with snap and
zest that wakes up the
appetite.
Sprinkle crisp Post
Toasties over a saucer of
fresh strawberries, add some
cream and a little sugar
Appetizing Nourishing
Convenient
"The Memory Lingers"
Sold by Grocers
POSTUM CERKAI. CO.. U4
Battle Creik, Mich.
I
sm
gll Chicago Joo
y
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