w struck her. By continually
assisting one another, the two made their way slowly over to Jerry's
home; and, when they paused within its shelter, Rose held her
companion's arm a moment, and said, "Thar haint no use tryin' ter
prevent me, Mis' Andrews, cause I'm ergoin' ter do hit. I'm ergoin' down
ter Fayville, an' send a telegram message fer er city doctor thet I
knows, ter come hyar an' make Lou well. Don't go fer ter tell grandpap
whar I've gone er he'll worry erbout me, an' thar haint no cause ter.
The storm's et my back, an' hits all down hill goin'. I hates ter tell a
lie ter him, but I allows I've got ter, this one time."

In sudden terror over the mad plan, the older woman began to protest;
but Rose shook off her detaining hand, and put an end to the sentence by
leading the way hastily into the cabin.

"Thar's a leetle child what needs my help, an' I've got ter take keer of
her fer er while, grandpap," Smiles said at once. "Mis' Andrews hes come
over fer ter stay with ye and Lou, now haint thet kind uv her? I'll git
back es soon es ever I kin, but don't yo' fret ef hit haint erfore yo'
goes ter bed ... or even till mornin' time."

She furtively obtained a few bills from her precious store, kissed the
old man's haggard, wrinkled cheek, and the white forehead of the baby
who lay on the bed, almost inert save for the restless moving of her
head from side to side, and the low moans which came with almost every
breath, and hurried out into the storm.

In later years Rose could be induced to speak only with the greatest
reluctance of that journey down the snow-swept mountain path--for the
blizzard was as fierce as it was rare--and even the recollection of it
brought a look of terror into her eyes.

There was flying horror abroad that night, and the demented trees
quivered and tossed their great arms so wildly that they cracked and
broke, to fall crashing in the path. Yet, accomplish the five mile long,
perilous descent, in the midst of lashing sleet and snow, over a
slippery, tortuous path, she did. With her clothing torn by flaying
branches and clutching wind, and drenched by icy water as the snow
melted; with her hands and lips blue, and her feet numb; with her wavy
hair pulled loose from its braids and plastered wetly against her
colorless cheeks; she eventually stumbled into the rude building which
contained the railroad and telegraph office at the terminus of the
branch line at Fayville. Then she fell, half