Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-01-31

feel her strong, young heart beating
wildly against his own as she cluns
to him in an agony of fear aud dread
Why had she left him? He had asked
himself the question hundreds of times
since she had left him-three months
ago. He suspected that she had gone
home: it was only fourteen miles away
but he was too proud to make any
search for her. Surely she would come
back some time! Mart's words burned
his ears, though he did not believe
their evil suggestion.
It's over. | guess" Mart's voice
broke upon his thoughts.
He went to the door and unbolted 1t.
1t opened outward. and when he
pushed it struck something that had
been blown against 1t. He pushed a
little harder: the door opened a crack.
and the man looking over Jeff's shoul-
der, said
'"The houses left, for one thing"
They pushed hard against the door
until jeff could squeeze through. He
looked down at his feet.
"Hildaw
At his feet, her long. fair hair swept
about her by the wind, lay Hilda. One
arm sheltered the baby that jeff had
never seen; it moved and cried. but
Hilda lay motionless, her white. up
turned face CHASTITY beneath its coat
ing of dust. Jeff took the baby from
her arms and gave it to one of the
men: he then stopped to raise Hilda.
Mart sprang forward to help. but JEFF
pushed him asidei and, unassisted.
carried her to the house and put her
upon the bed. His face was as color
less as hers as he rubbed his hands
and called her by all the old endear-
ing names she had been accustomed to
hear from bis lips.
mo use, jeff; she's gone; you can't
bring her to-" said one of the men. in
ence of the dead.
''She is not dead! She must not dfe!''
contradicted Jeff. "Hilda! Hilda!'
There was more determination than
despair in the cry.
Il can feel her pulse" he cried, hope
fully, few moments later. At last
she opened her eyes, but there was
no look of recognition in them. After
awhile the dazed, bewildered express
sion left her face. and her lips parted
in smile as she looked at Jeff. He
motioned the men from the room and
dropped upon his knees beside the bed.
"Hilda. how could you leave me
so?"
A troubled look came into the child
like blue eyes.
They did tell me-Mart's woman.
and the others-that all you cared for
me was to work. And sometimes felt
that the work was too hard, so I
thought l would go away till l was
once more strong and could work for
you"
They lied, Hilda! 1t was you I
wanted, not your work! Where were
you when the cyclone struck?"
She wrinkled her forehead a little in
anxious thought.
Il was home. Fwent out with baby,
and i turned this way and walked a
long time; then saw the cyclone COM
ing and was so afraid She shud-
dered and JEFF patted her hand reas-
suringly Then l run. Oh, l run
miles. miles! Then the wind took me
up. and then-I forget till l saw you,
jeff"
Mart put his head in at the door.
'The roof of the barns gone. and the
harvester's missing. and every bundle
Of '. heats been blowed gal-ay west,
and all that was standin' is fiat 1t
was a terrible cyclone. now l tell
you"
jeff turned happy face. and said.-
mot a terrible cyclone. blessed one:
it brought my wife back to me. Farm
and Fireside.