Sallie Russell 135 



tween the two roads, and with a crack of his heavy 

 whip and a rough oath he forced Sallie and her mate 

 upon the road to the left. After going about half a 

 mile an opening among the trees was seen, and 

 presently the road led out upon a wide marsh that 

 stretched as far as the eye could see. A sober man 

 would have realized at once that he had lost his way ; 

 but the fumes of the liquor in the driver's brain 

 caused him to urge his team blindly onward. At 

 first the road seemed easier than the one through 

 the forest ; but soon the wheels began to sink, and 

 a thick ooze could be seen coming up from between 

 the stunted bunch-grass. Deeper and deeper sank 

 the wheels and heavier became the load. The driver, 

 almost unconscious of what was passing around him, 

 would occasionally open his eyes and apply the whip 

 with all the power of his drunken condition. At 

 length Sallie's mate fell to the ground completely ex- 

 hausted, and in doing so shifted jhe collar on Sallie's 

 neck so she could not lower her head. The driver 

 scrambled from the wagon and staggered to the side 

 of the fallen animal. He stooped to reach the har- 

 ness, and in doing so fell headlong by the side of 



