Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-02-27

heavy door bolted. Through the thick
earth banking they could hear the
crash as the cyclone struck.
ITS a big one" said Mart; "if we
get the whole of it you won't see your
house, barn, harvester or wheat unless
you go into another county and gather
them up"
jeff did not answer. He was not
thinking of the safety of his property,
but of his wife. Was she safe out of
the track of the cyclone? How fright
ened she had been the summer before,
when just II slight cyclone had passed
through his fields! How she had clung
to him in the darkness and perfect
safety OF the cellar! He could still
feel her strong, young heart beating
wildly against his own as she clung
to him in an agony of fear and 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
hOLhc' II was Ouly loul lcCn uillcS W dS,
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 it.
1t opened outward, and when he
pushed it struck something that had
been blown against it. 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 ut 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
uilda lay motionless, her white, up
turned face ghastly beneath its coat
ing of dust. jeff took the DaDy 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 asideti 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 endcar
ing names she had been accustomed to
hear from his lips.
NO use, Jeff; she's gone; you can't
bring her to-" said one of the men, in
the hushed tones one uses in the pres
ence of the dead.
"She is not dead! She must not die"
contradcted Jeff. "Hilda! Hildaw
There was more determination than
despair in the cry.
Il can feel her pulse" he cried, hope
fully, a 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 a 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
sop
A troubled look came into the child.
like blue eyes
"They did tell me-Marts woman,
and the others-that all you cared for
me was to work. And sometimes | felt
that the work was too hard. so
thought | would go away till | was
once more strong and could work for
you"
"They lied, Hilda 1t was you l
wanted, not your work! Where were
you when the cyclone struck"
She wrinkled her forehead little in
anxious thought.
81 was home. | went out with baby,
and / turned this way aud 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 | run. oh, run
miles, miles! Then the wind took me
up. and then-I forget till | saw you,
JEFF"
Mart put his head in at the door.
THE roof of the barns gone, and the
harvesters missing, and every bundle
of wheat's been blowed garay west,
and all that was standin' Is fiat. 1t
was terrible cyclone, now | tell
you"
Jeff turned happy face, and said,-
"Not a terrible cyclone, blessed one:
it brought my wife back to me. Farm
and Fireside.