Franklin led out of the flat coulee, into the wider draw, and edged up and up to the right, agonizedly repeating to himself, over and over again, the instructions he had laid down, and which the dizzy whirl of the snow mingled ever confusedly in his mind.

At last they had the full gale again in their faces as they reached the level of the prairies, and cast loose for what they thought was west, fearfully, tremblingly, the voyage a quarter of a mile, the danger infinitely great; for beyond lay only the cruel plains and the bitter storm--this double norther of a woeful Christmastide.
Once again Providence aided them, by agency of brute instinct.

One of the horses threw up its head and neighed, and then both pressed forward eagerly.

The low moan of penned cattle came down the wind.

They crashed into a fence of lath.