Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 88: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

80 A Dakota Blizzard. early date gave him reason to hope they might not be subjected to a severe trial. Just as they cinched the load upon the spirited eray, and were ready to jump into the saddle, the first snowflakes came sailing down from the dull gray sky, a small circumstance in itself, but one that gave the prairie boy much uneasiness. When one of these Western storms starts in, it means business from the word go—they have the same “hustle’ that pervades everything typical of the wide horizon. In two minutes the air was full of snow, and when twice that time had elapsed they were en- veloped in a white blanket. With the snow came the keen wind, gaining force as it sped across the level plain, unloosed from the lair of the Northern Ice King. Ugh! how it penetrated, despite warm garments. Cuthbert was experiencing a revelation—he had never before known what a keen-edged blizzard breath felt like, nor could he honestly say he was at all charmed with the sample. As usual, Karl kept his wits about him, ready to observe whatever was going on and take advantage of opportunities as they chanced to arise. “We got to run for it,” he cried; “home lies ’most in the teeth of the blizzard, and we’d be fools to try to make Sunset Ranch till the storm shuts down.” Shelter, then, was what they sought. His knowledge of the country would be of con- siderable benefit to them. The wind was apt to shift, so that it could not be depended on for guidance. Karl kept his com- pass where he could see it, though with the blind- ing snow and the appalling gloom that had fallen over the scene it was only by means of a determined effort he could make out which way the finger pointed. ConniclooOckks.€©