CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-03-10

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a m.in trIs io,IHIHg OUcr the top ruU
aud booking at hiH.
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 big
oak near him at the roadside. and lie
stepped under its sheltering branches
and leaned against the great trunk.
Niping the perspiration and dust from
his face. \ moment OF stunned quiet
had succeeded the peal OF thunder. 1t
was followed by several moments OF in
cessant lightning that played along
the road and the fields. From that In.
solerublc brightness he turned his head
and saw. standing against the fence,
i've feet away, man, leaning over the
top rail and looking at him.
The same flash swept brilliantly be
fore HeIen's eyes as she croucled
against the back steps OF the brick
house II revealed a picture like
marine OF big waves. the tossing tops
of the orchard trees, for In that second
the full fur- OF the storm was loosed.
wind and rain and hail. II drove her
against the kitchen door with cruel
force The latch lifted. the door blew
open violently. and she struggled TO
close it in vain. The house seemed to
rock. candle dick red toward her
from the inner doorway and was blown
out
Helen! Heienr' came Minnie's voice
NJ IG has
coming to look for you. Did you get
wety'
Mr. willetts threw his weight agains,
the door and managed TO close II. Then
Minnie found her friends hand and
led her through the dark hall to the
parior. where the Judge sat piacidly
reading by a student lamp.
Lige chuckled as they left the kitch.
en-. Il guess you didn't try too hard
TO shut that door. Harkless." he said.
and then when they came into the
lighted room. why, where is Hark-
lcssy' he asked. Didn't he come with
US from the kitchenr'
NO" answered Helen family. Hes
gone" She sank upon the sofa and
put her hand over her eyes as II to
shade them from too sudden light
"Gonel'' The judge dropped his book
and sat staring across the table at the
girl Gone! whenT''
Ten minutes-tive-hal an hour-I
don't know. Before the storm com
menced"
'ohr The old gentleman appeared
TO be rcassurcd. Probably he had
work TO do and wanted TO get In before
the rain
But Lige willetts was turning pale.
(which way did he go? lie 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.
"Hc must have been crazyr' exclaim.
cd the judge. What possessed the fell
lowy"
Il couldn't stop him. didn't know
how" She looked at her three com.
panions. slowly and with growing ter.
ror, from one face to another. Min
mics 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
nervously back and forth. Helen rose
to her feet and went toward the old
man, her hands pressed TO her bosom.
"Ah," she cried out. ''I had forgotten
that! You don't think they-you don't
think he
II know what | think" Lige broke
In. II think I'D ought to be hanged for
letting him out OF my sight Maybe it's
all right. Maybe he turned and started
right back for town-and got there
But / had no business to leave him.
and II can ri catch up with him
yet" He went to the front door and.
opefing n. Yet In a tornado OF wind and
food OF water that beat him back,
Sheets of rain blew In horizontally In
spite OF the porch beyond.
Briscoc followed him. Don't be Il
fool, Ligc." he said. "You hardly cx-
pect to go out in that" Lige shook his
head. 1t needed them both to get the
door closed. The young man leaned
his back against II and passed his
sleeve across his wet brow. ~ hadn't
eught b have left him."