Suddenly Wasson lifted his hand, and turned his face up to the sky.
"Snow," he announced soberly.

"Thought I felt it afore, and the wind 's changed." Hamlin turned in the saddle, feeling already the sharp sting of snow pellets on his face.

Before he could even answer the air was full of whiteness, a fierce gust of wind hurling the flying particles against them.

In another instant they were in the very heart of the storm, almost hurled forward by the force of the wind, and blinded by the icy deluge.

The pelting of the hail startled the horses, and in spite of every effort of the riders, they drifted to the right, tails to the storm.