Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-04-28
WICKLYS WOODS
w. TAYLOR
By II. w. TAYLOR


and confession of her need of protection
and her belief that he afforded it.
He pointed to the widening central
greenish dun opening of the vast black
cloud, an opening as symmetrically round
as if made with all the elaborate appara-
tus pertaining to modern civil engineer
ing.
Across the opening nearer the lower
edge than the upper, and stretching in q
horizontal line from rim to rim of the
visible heavxens, few what looked most
like an innumerable flock of wild pigeons.
such as used to fly twice in a year across
the whole western continent in an almost
unbroken line
What is it? What are theyT she
asked, in terror of curious wonder
A vast low-noted roar began to make
most twigs Of the tallest poplars, the
the hills tremble. High up in the top
broad leaves began to be whirled about
iu a growing fury.
Look! look" he said, pointing to the
edge of the wood. "There is the answer
TO your question"
AS he spoke a cloud Of brown, dead
leaves seemed to rise up from the edge
of the forest like a mighty covey of
whirring quails frightened at the ap-
proach of the huntsmen of the upper
air, and few away to the hills for safe
~. Then, too, the air was filled with
green leaves. Little twgs of poplar and
oak, and pieces of the iron-like covering
of the shellbark, dropped about them.
Lower bent the trees, as If preparing
for a mighty leap, an attack upon al
the harshest powers of sound, and then
the whole universe seemed smitten with
one roaring. stunning crash that filled al.
space with the darkness of flying leaves
and twigs, and branches, and dust, and
stinging gravel, and the crushing, and
rending, and splintering of mighty trees.
Shouting something in her ear that she
was utterly unable to distinguish, he
seized her about the waist and literally
dropped her into the pit below the flap
ping and beating tarpaulin. In an in
slant he was at her side, and here his
shrillest tones could be distinguished even
In the awful roar of the cyclone, and the
redoubling crash of splintering trees.
Keep up against this side of the pit.
1t is safest here! Don't try to move, no
matter what happens! | will stand be-
tween you and the worst"
She knew that he took her in his arms
and pressing her to his breast, held her
immovable against the side of the firm
clay wall with her whole figure almost
welded into his own. She knew it, but
she made no protest. She saw that this
was the very extremity of devotion and
courageous self-interposition against an
imminent and appalling death.
She thought of it as with crash after
crash great trees thundered down to the
reeling, resounding earth, whipping their
smaller topmost branches down upon tar
paulin and taut cable netting, with stun
ming report like the crackle of rifles in
the roar of artillery. One great splin-
tered oaken branch tore through the
tarpaulin and pinned it against the oppo-
site side of the pit at the very bottom of
| the wall.
Then there came a mighty dash Of
falling waters, and the fury of the cy-
clone had whirled away to the north
east. She did not realize that the awful
peril was over, until he gently and almost
stealthily unclasped his arms from about
her, and drew back little way.
II will get up and see if l can draw
the tarpaulin far enough over to keep
the rain out" he said gently as he reach
ed up and drew himself along the sturdy
oaken branch that the storm had hurled
upon them in its rage at their escape,
Presently he came back. 81 couldn't
move it an inch" he said with a faint
smile. But the rain will be practically
over in half an hour, and l think our
| "a nf will ha dol hI.
that time"
Nevertheless they were compelled to
abandon their cavern of refuge, as he
had named it-some minutes before the
rain had entirely ceased. Again he climb
ed up and lying down upon the unbroken
cable netting, he reached down aud took
both her hands In his own.
See how apparent eyils work out for
our good" he said laughingly IF the
cyclone had not hurled this ragged oak
limb into our cavern, | should be COM
PEELED to make rope ladder for you.
AS il is, you can walk up it with my
help. There, put your boot upon that
little snag. It's as hard as iron and will
support twice your weight. Now, let me
take you, so. There! You are once more
above ground and safe. Look around
you and judge of the awful force of a
real cyclone, and the saving grace of a
pit that l assure you was not dug for
my neighbor, although fortunately she
fell into it at the right moment"
''Or was cast into it by my Jealous
brother" she said with an effort at gay
ETY.. And then seeing the sudden shadow
upon his face, she hastened to say: "Look
at this path through the forest, Mr.. Ma
son. Every tree cut down as If by the
blows of some titanic ak. Nothing but
the slender saplings and dwarfed bushes
remaining. Actually, l can see straight
down into the Argus-eyed village of Sand
town. And If / can see clearly, there
isn't 80 much as roof lifted off"
"No! The storm ieaped over that Dor.
ton of the river bottom-a long leap
probably from the opposite bluffs, alight-
ing just In the edge Of your property,
Miss Lizzy. Look! Yonder are your
Argus-eyed villagers trooping up here to