The Red Cloud chief., 1905-03-17
Judge. what possessed the Eel.

NOW. cue IOOkpu NJ npr three COM
panlons, slowly and with growing ter.
ror, from one face to another. Min.
MES eyes were wide, and she had I'M
consciously grasped Lige's arm. The
Coung man was staring straight before
lim. 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, ~ had forgotten
that! You don't think they-you don't
think he
~ know what I think" Llge broke
IN. 81 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 I'll catch up with him
yet" He went to the front door and,
opening II, let In II tornado of wind and
food Of water that beat him back,
. Sheets of rain blew I'm horizontally In
spite Of the porch beyond.
Briscoc followed him. Don't be a
fool, Ligc," he said. "You hardly ex-
pcct to 20 ont in that Ligc shook his
head. 1t needed them both to get the
door closed. The young man leaned
his back against IL and passed his
sleeve across his wet brow. II hadn't
ought to have left him."
Don't scare the girls" whispered
the other; then in n louder tone: "All
I'm afraid of is that he'll get blown to
pieces or catch his death Of cold. That's
all there Is to worry about. They
wouldn't try II again so 500 after last
night. I'm not botlering about that:
not at all. That needn't worry any
body"
'I.ut this morning.
"rshaw, He's likely home and dry
by this time. All foolishncss. Don't
be an old woman"
The two men re-cntcred the room
and found Helen cllnging to Mlnnic's
hand ON the sofa. She looked up ut
them quickly.
"Do you thlnk-do you-what do
you
Her voice shook so that she could not
60 on.
The judge pinchcd her cheek and pat.
ted II. II think he's home and dry, but
I think he got wet first. That's what I
think. Never you fear. He's n good
hand at taking care of himself. Sit
down, Lige. You can't go for awhile"
Nor could he. 1t was Il long, long while
before he could venture out. The storm
ragged and roared without abatement.
1t was Carlow's worst since ~, the
old gentleman said. They heard the
rrnnt l,,ho ,r,nI. and hronE nttaf1n
while the thunder pealcd and doomed,
and the wind ripped at the caves till
1t seemed AS If the roof must go. Mean
while the Judge, after some apology, lit
his pipe and told long stories of Ne
storms of early days and of odd freaks
Of the wind. lie talked on calmly, the
picture of reposc and blew rings above
his head, but Helen saw that one of
his big slippers beat an unceasing little
tattoo on the carpet. She sat with fix
ed eyes, in silence, holding Minnie's
hand tightly, and her face was color
less, growing whittier as the slow hours
dragged by.
Every moment Mr.. Willetts became
more restless. He assured the ladies
he had no anxiety regarding Mr.. Hank
less. 1t was only his W derelicti0n OF
duty that he regretted. The boys
would have the laugh on him, he said.
But he vlsibly chafcd more and more
under the judges stories and constant
ly rose to peer out of the window into
the wrack and turmoil, and once or
twice he struck his hands together with
muttercd calculations. At last there
was a lull in the fury without, and as
soon as il was p%crceptible he announced
his intention of making his way into
town. He "lad ought to have went
before" he declared apprehensively.
and then, with immediate amendment,
Of course he would find the editor ut
work in the Herald office. There
wasn't the slightest doubt of that, he
agreed with the judge, but he better
see about It. He would return early In
the morning and bid Miss Sherwood
goOdby. Hoped she'd come back some
day; hoped it wasn't her last visit to
Plattvillc. They gave him an umbrella.
and he plunged into the night, and as
they stood for Il moment at the door,
the old man calling after him CHEEKY
good nights and laughing messages to
Harkiess, they could see him fight with
his umbrella when he got out into the
road.
Helen's room was over the porch, the
windows facing north, looking out up
on the pike and across the fields.
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