Show MISS ALADDIN By Christine Whiting Parmenter L ht b by Parmenter CHAPTER X Continued X-Continued 11 ll I say we k keep lp right on to the first ranch That school wn i six 1111 or eight miles s back and when we passed 1 I noticed particularly that the bus bun had left they closed at nt noon to to- today day A stinging flurry nurry of snow was on on them now cutting across their fares like a whip hlll For tor a s moment It took lonk Jacks Jack's breath away then he tie pet I 1 guess youre you're right There was a ranch somewhere n along here I remember remember re rl member seeing ping the gate gale and moll mall box Help mo me Into this tins Jacket will you 7 I dont don't want to stop the car Josh I 1 Olaney were we're headed straight Into this storm That's It ns as she Rhe struggled to get act his arm Into a 1111 sleeve dont bother about the other let net Into your our own coat quick quick or or wrap It round you Look jok at this snow I The windshields windshield's covered already Ill I'll have to get out and wipe It off Are there any side she curtains In this told bid ld car carl cried Nancy as they started ton n after a short delay leloy Jack shook his head as nl ho bo bent bentI I tensely above the wheel Darned If It I know and you couldn't I put em lm on In this wind anyway Keep ep you OU eyes peeled for that mall box hox 1 Nance Wo mustn't miss It Wo We-we We we cant can't miss mills It 1 Do 0 you understand Nance understood only too well 1 followed a mile or so when neither spoke Twice Jack got out ont to wipe tho glass while his sister flister staring Into the tile wind swept spare space fought ter roe Jor Snow v was descending fast fut and furiously now Indeed ns as they kept kepton on n doggedly It seemed Incredible that I this was waR the same flame bare road rood they had hod traversed so short a time before with I friendly sunlight dappling the plains i on every side It might thought Nancy have ave been snowing here for hours and hours Could It be possible that they were of off orr the road 7 Straining her eyes yes into the drifting white watching In desperation for the wayside mall box visions of or frozen cattle rose up before I her and the girls girl's heart thudded At last Jack said Raid not looking at his ulster sister Weve missed that ranch It cant can't have hae beep been as far tar as this What nay fitlY we turn back now and andI I tl try to reach rench the schoolhouse The Ther r wind would be bo behind bellind us anyway and as It Is I 1 cant can't see four tour feet teet ahead It Jt looks to me as If our best chance was Vas to to to- The words were silenced by a cry from Nancy a cry of at warning that came too late Jack jammed on the brakes brakes so suddenly that his sister wali was wal i tt thrown forward against the windshield just a as the tho car cor collided with the ent engine en- en t cine gine of a big school bus which stood 1118 Us back wheels resting In a snow tilled sully Cully as It ft extended across the road rond I As AI Nancy righted herself again her els ryes eyes met Jacks Jack's a glance of stark despair passing between them Im afraid that crash has bus finished this this old car he be told her then added i. i Wh Why Nance I 1 think that bus Is full of ot children I IIII iIII III UI there P I came a voice almost at Ills file elbow Had lad a smash up didn't you Did you meet Clem Jack turned to see a bo buy boy of perhaps eleven standing amid the swirling I snow enow Skip back bock Into that bus kid he shouted were coming too He lie was already alread out stretching a helping hand to Nancy and together they fought their wa way to the door of d 1 ff to t d ti r rr yr K Wake Up Tommy I Need You Vou the stalled bus the youn youngster culling coiling over his shoulder Watch where you jou OU go 10 there I l Dont Don't step Into that deep Mel rut you oU you gutter gotter Jump It Then j f as the door flew lIew open to admit them end and Nancy l' exhausted sank Into the nearest Dearest eat at be he continued with a cap rap grin We got company kids These folks Is changing earn cars at this station Sa Say turning to Jack Jock did Clem Johnson send you rou after us J Jack rk shook his head and glancing ij about the bus Inquired la Is he be your youra a r f Just for today Our regular f r f sick explained the boy bOl I I S Came down with an awful pain palo when he was out the bus this mornIng morning morn morn- Ing and his wife got Clera Clem to drive us Teacher closed school early because because be be- cause theres there's some sort of convention In Denver tomorrow and she wanted to take a train this afternoon The storm sturm carne came awful sudden after aUer we left and when we got this far Clem sold said wed we'd better get back to ranch as fast as al we could moren a R few miles east of us but when he tried to turn the wheels went Into that gully and broke Clem worked for a long time and couldn't fix It So Ho he ho went for help It lie thought hed he'd get there easy rasy but the wind got fierce after he left We told tolt him not notto notto notto to go but hut lie he said wed we'd freeze to death out here and twos up to him to get getus getus getus us somewhere safe lies lie's been ben gone a terrible long time though Say what's your name narner Jack Nelson l' and this Is my sister Nancy What's What yours ours Tom Osgood Im I'm the oldest feller teller here but two of tho the girls are me 1110 What do you spose became of Clem lie ought to be he here At the front of the bus bUI two children began to cry and looking about at nt all those helpless youngsters Nancy forgot forgot for for- got herself There must bo be fifteen of them and two lovely little girls obviously obviously obviously twins of ot seven or eight Ight wore I only sweaters over summer dresses low How cold they must be bel I I Look lie hero she said sold rising to speak quietly these poor kiddies are getting frightened We must divert them Jack Jack ploy play games galDes of or some lame sort keep keep them moving n as much as possible pos pos- sible In to this crowded place Why Im I'm cold already even with this coat and not one of those children Is dressed as warmly I t Lets Let's start romping soon as asI asi I put my sweater on one of those little girls This Tills worked for tor a time and the tho smallest children not realizing their plight laughed with delight at the games gomes Nancy Invented The older ones however grew noticeably quiet as time loss passed trying to peer out of the tile snow covered windows and speak lag Ing ng together In to v lo-v v voices At last Jack Jock and Tom Osgood started started start start- ed some wrestling matches at the rear of ot the bus while the older ohler girls roused themselves In an effort to keep the others occupied They danced Jumped up and down and did gymnastics but despite this exercise they were growing growing grow grow- ing colder ever every minute and when during some roughhouse a small boys boy's elbow went through a pane of ot glass a acry acry acry cry of ot dismay arose from one and all It was Wa then that Tom Osgood had hadan hadan hadan an Inspiration Stored under the back backseat backseat backseat seat and carried for Just such emergencies emer emt r- r were canned food and a small portable stove Ill say we were pretty dumb not notto notto notto to think of em before he lie observed disgustedly I but weve we've never ne had a chance to use em and I guess every everyone everyone one forgot Ho lie bad had been rummaging about on his hands and knees and now stood up a bewildered expression on his manly little face Why they're not here I Not anywhere I eve Weve al aI always always ways carried em and extra blankets Wan blan too Say I I 1 bet I 1 know what happened Joe took em lm out when he cleaned the bus this morning and forgot for forgot got to put em Im back when he had that pain lie He always alwo's sets e f M s hur ness closet the du j 4 may maybe maybe be Clem they wa way Ight here or raps he didn't know they'd ought to be here lee l I Im I'm hungry and some o that canned soup soul would have tasted good There followed another fruitless search the children watching with strained faces Dont cry kiddie said Jack as a small girl burst Into frightened tears Im going to make muke a stove out of this milk can Iun Well We'll soon be opening windows window's to cool cM off orr I Nance forced a smile at her brothers brother's broth Irs ers attempt at cheer and lifting the drying crying child onto her lap lal wrapped her coat about the small cold roM legs The bus US shaking blinking with each gust gUilt gustof gustof of ot wind Blind and though every window was thick with frost she knew the storm had hall Increased In la fury Where that empty milk can came from the they never knew but for tor a while white It created treated not only diversion but a feeble warmth that was dearly wel conic come With the aid of at a It pocket knife Jack ripped the leather covering from fromI I the seats and used excelsior stuffing I tor Ir a fire School books came next nest I but out not Dot was de descend descend- Ing and all hope of ot seeing the missing driver was given up Id go for tor help Jack told his lister sister sister sis sis- ter grimly but even If It the roa road weren't drifted Id I'd never make It with night coming on Weve We've been here hereabout hereabout hereabout about four tour hours haven't we It seems a lifetime already and these youngsters have been here a good while longer It If things arent aren't better betterIn In the tho morning Ill I'll have to go Nance lIa Ilav v you noticed he lowered his voice those twins are aro getting drowsy both of em ern and sos so's Paul Ivans vans I 1 cant can't tell whether they're Just sleepy or Look or-or-Look or Look here Sill Its It's up to us to keep them moving I 1 II I Darkness came fast fut but slowly terribly terribly ter ter- slowly It seemed to Nance l' hour after hopeless hour dragged on Wild wind still raged about them and at atthe atthe atthe the back hark of the bus hus a snowdrift had collected sifting In through h the broken window and making their cramped III space ace smaller still Though all worked desperately to keep klep the fire burning a sudden especially fierce nerce gust had blown It ou out t and there were no more matches Jack had long since relinquished relinquished relin relin- relinquished his sheep lined Jacket and Nances Nance's knitted skirt was pinned securely securely se se- curlly about a shivering boy Pretense at games prancing games prancing up and down the aisle anything aisle an thing to keep blood circulating In those small cold bodies was kept up valiantly but as night bight descended de des the children who were not crying had dropped asleep huddled together to to- together gether In a corner and tears of ot fright and pity dimmed Nancys Nancy's eyes as she looked down at them Through that Interminable night a agrim agrim agrim grim and silent Jack kept moving constantly constantly con con- stopping at every turn to rub the tile legs or arms of some small sleeper Nancy exhausted ted sat for a time baldIng holdIng holding hold hold- Ing within her coat a boy of seven who whimpered with the cold Later when hen hena a semblance of ot warmth returned to him he dropped asleep she too aro arose e eto to move about the crowded quarters and like her brother chafe numb hands and feet Dawn came at last and the storm had md not abated But were we're alive said sold Nance teeth chattering as I she tried to speak Were all alive Jack Jalk faced fared her suddenly Almost It seemed that he was angry And how long will we e last lasU How Howlong Howong long ong I 1 ask you He lie raised a foot and she fhe saw a hare leg above the shoeI shoe I I put my socks on Joey Miller three hours ago when you were nodding That boys boy's all In tn Nancy anc and some of these little tittle girls wont won't live Ih-e the day through unless help reaches us If It we had hat food It might put ut new life lire Into them but er e every lunch palls pall's empty and and and- He tie stopped silenced by a moan from some one In the huddled mass and aud lifting a child worked at 01 her stiff stilT legs In desperation It was Nance saw saw the twin who wore her sweater and suddenly the girl was pulling ofT off her woolen stockings while Jack rk protested pro pro- protested tested You keep those on on Sis 1 I Say are you going crazy Do you want to freeze to dl death Youre You're In your our thin silk sUk now I know It I saw you sneak out of that knitted ed thing thin a white ago ngo I n H-n n you Nance Nelson you YO keep kelp those stockings on nn I Iancy Nancy ancy said nothing Jack was WItS she understood half crazed with anxiety for all those t helpless children and herself herself her her- self us as well Slipping bare feet Into her shoes a again alli she knelt to pull her warm hose hoe over the Icy legs of the small sufferer i while one of the Iris watching In silence strul struggled out of her coat and buttoned It about her little sister Nance lance threw a smile a drawn sad sud smile that Cousin Columbine wouldn't have recognized Come ome help me me Evelyn eln she said gently We must wake some of the littlest ones and keep them moving One after aCter another the they got them to their feet those weary youngsters Some unable to understand protested protest Id I'd weeping Others did their brave best to help It 11 was nearly noon when as the wind subsided Jack Jark said sold the words that struck terror to his sisters sister's heart Im Cm going now Nancy Naney ills voice 0 Ice trembled a little As I 1 see It It theres there's no nu other way 1 Keep up your courage and for tor fiod's iod's sake suke Nance Nanee keep fight ing log Unless the wind starts up again Ill I'll reach reuell that ranch In a few hours And And If If j y dont don't Their eyes eres wet and Nance knew her brother realized bow slim a chance he had bad Her lIer lips Ups trembled but he be mae maJe a gesture toward the children I 1 know know Lot but I 1 cant can't let them die Nancy l' while theres there's a chance to save them III turning to the boy who for help belp Im going wore ore his Jacket and It looks as 88 If It Id I'd have to take that coat No I 1 wont won't need the socks flOcks as the little boy stooped bra bravely vely to remove remove remove re re- move them Tom Tons Osgood you JOU keep the kiddies moving Im I'm counting on you older ones to help Look ook here spoke up the bo boy suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly you rou find Ond a fence tence Jack and follow It If It you 1 0 can Dad told me meonce meonce meonce once that If it ever I got caught out In 10 Ina Ina a blizzard to find a fence and Just hang hong onto OlitO It And If It you run Into a amail mall mail box you'll know a gate gale Is somewhere somewhere some some- where near Gosh I Jack I I-I I 1 sort a awl wl h you wouldn't go go goJack Jack forced a smile Now dont don't you yon worry kid Ill I'll get there sure so long as the wind stays stas quiet You Just help Nanc Nancy every wa way you can an and whatever er happens happen dont don't go to sleep Keep thinking that by night well we'll be bo safe home Good Good Good- good good-by by good ev ery one tine He lie did not look lonk at Nancy as he strode away The girl knew that he did not dare Clare to and In to another moment moment mo mo- ment meat his tall tal form was blotted out What fate would meet him alone on aD those terrifying plains she wondered tears stinging her eyelids And with witha a clutch of fear was the wind rising Time passed Interminable hours that seemed unending The dreaded wind died down returned and died flied again not to return No one could say soy Just when the blizzard ceased for one by bi one the children were succumbing succumbing suc suc- to the portentous drowsiness ness neBs Once Nance succumbed herself to be aroused b by the frantic franU pounding fists of Tommy Osgood The cold |