Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-25

the fields before his eyes, while crash
on crash nunbed his ears. With that
his common sense awoke, and he look
ed about him. He was two miles from
town. The nearest house was the Bris-
Goes, far down the road. He knew the
rain would come now. There was a big
oak near him at the roadside and he
stepped under its sheltering branches
and leaned against the great trunk,
wiping the perspiration and dust from
his face. A moment of stunned quiet
had succeeded the peal Of thunder. 1t
was followed by several moments Of In
ccssant lightning that played along
the road and the fields. From that in.
tolerable brightness he turned his head
and saw, standing against the fence.
five feet away. a man, leaning over the
top rail and looking at him.
The same flash swept brilliantly be-
fore 1Ielen's eyes as she crOuched
against the back steps of the brick
house. 1t revealed u picture like a
marine OF big waves. the tossing tops
Of the orchard trees, for in that second
the full fury Of the storm was loosed,
wind and rain and hail. 1t drove her
aga inst the kitchen door with cruel
force. The latch lifted. the door blew
open violently. and she struggled to
close 1t in vain. The house seemed to
rock. A candle nickered toward her
from the inner doorway and was blown
out
Helen! Helen" came Minnle's voice
anxiously. as that you? We were
coming to look for you. Did you get
wet?"
Mr.. Willetts threw his weight against
the door and managed to close 1t. Then
Minnie found her friends hand and
led her through the dark hall to the
parlor where tho Judge sat placidly
reading by student lamp.
Lige chuckled as they left the kitch-
on. ~ guess you didn't try too hard
to shut that door, IIarsless," he said,
and then when they came into the
lighted room, "Why, where is Hark-
less?" he asked. Didn't he come with
us from the kitchen?'
NO." answered Helen family. "He's
gone" She sank upon the sofa and
put her hand over her eyes as II to
shade them from too sudden light.
Gone" The Judge dropped his book
and sat staring across the table at the
girl. Gone When?"
Ten utes-five-half an hour-I
don't know. Before the storm COM
menced."
"Ohw The old gentleman appeared
to be renssured Probably he had
work to do and wanted to get in before
the rain"
But Lge Willetts was turning pale
(Which way did he gc7 He didn't
come around the house. We were out
there till the storm broke"
"He went by the orchard gate. When
he got to the road he turned that way
She pointed to the west.
He must have been crazy exclaim
I'd the judge. What possessed the fell
low?''
II couldn't stop him. I didn't know
how She looked at her three com
panions. slowly and with growing ter
ror. from one face 10 another. Min
MES eyes were wide. and she had un
consciously grasped Lige's arm. The
young man was staring straight before
him. The judge got up and walked
nervousiy back and forth. Helen rOs,
TO her feet and went toward the ole
man, her hands pressed to her bosom.
"Ah." she cried out, II had forgottc.
that. Yon don't think they--you DON
think he
81 know what think" Iige brok
I'm. 81 think Id ought to be hanged 70
letting him out Of my sight. Maybe it
all right. Maybe he turned and starte,
right back for town and got there
But | had no business to leave hin,
and il can I'll catch up with hin
yet" fIc went 70 the front door and
opening It, let in a tornado Of wind an,
food of water that beat him back
Sheets of rain blew in horizontally il
spite of the porch beyond.
Briscoe followed him. Don't be
fool, Lige," lie said. you hardly ey
pect to 90 out in that" Lige shook b;
head. It needed them both to got tn
door closed. The young man leana'
his back against il and passed hi
sleeve across his wet brow. Il hadn
ought to have left him.
Don't scare the girls" whispere
the other: then in a lOWder tone: "A
I'm afraid or is that he'll gef blown I
pieces or catch his death Of cold. That
all there is TO worry about. The
wouldn't try it again so soon after Las
night I'm not bothrring about that
not at all. That needn't worry any
body"
But this morning
"rshaw. He's likely home and DR.
be an old woman"
Tho two men re-entered the Toor
and found Helen clinging to Minnie
hand on the sofa. She looked UP q
them quickly.
do you thlnk-do you-what d
. you
Hcr voice shook so that she could nc
, go on.
The Judge pinched her cheek and pa
ted it. Il think he's home and dry b.
think he got wet first. That's what
think. Never you fear. He's a goo
hand at taking care of himself. )
down. Lige. You can't go for awhile
Nor could he. 1t was long, long viii
before he could venture ont. The storl
, ragged and roared without abatemen