Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-08-14

and he cheated her quick intelligence 4
second time.
They were gone. Perchance it was
his last sight of them in this life. Three
times the stalwart framework creaked.
Once it moved so perceptibly that the
curtain rings jingled. Then he remem-
bered the words of Isaiah:
"For thou hast been strength to the
poor. strength to the needy in his dis
tress, refuge from the storm, a shad-
ow from the heat, when the blast of
the terrible ones is as a storm against
the wall"
The blast of the terrible ones! What
q vivid pen picture of the awesome
forces of nature! How long would this
tornado continue? Already it must
have strewed it's path with havoc at
sea and on land. His physical senses
were elevated to the supernatural. He
seemed to acquire abnormal powers of
sight and hearing. He could see the
trees bending before the wrathful
wind, hear the crashing tiles and brick
work as houses were demolished and
people hurled to death. But there was
no ecstasy of soul, no mental altitude.
In quick reaction came the fanciful
memory of the hardy old salt who
cheered his shipmates during a ter
rife gale with the trite remark:
81 pity the poor folk ashore on
night like this"
What a curious tumble of emotions
jostled in his brain. A step from the
sublime to the ridiculousi Not even
step. They were ineXtricably inter
woven, the woof and the warp of
things. He recalled the odd expression
of an officer who had passed unscathed
through the inferno of Spion kop.
II had no sense of fear," said he.
"but my teeth began to ache
Brand, a student. even of himself,
discovered that his dominant sensation
was one of curiosity.
"If it has to be- said his nervous
system. 'let it come quickly" He felt
like man lying ON the operating table
waiting for the chloroform.
Suddenly the bright flame of the
lamp lessened. The use that was his
second nature caused him to raise the
wicks and admit more draft. Even
while his deft fingers arranged the
complex burner his ear caught
change in the external din. The Shrek
of the wind dropped to thunderous
growl. This was a gale not a tempest.
God be praised, the crisis had passed!
The hurricane had lasted thirty,fve
minutes A similar tornado sufficed to
wreck one-half of the city of st. Louis.
This one, as he learned afterward,
swept around the south of Ireland,
created a tidal wave which did great
damage to the Scilly isles and the
headlands of the south coast, yet spent
itself somewhere in the North sea-
Dwellers in inland cities were amazed
and incredulous when the newspapers
spoke of it's extraordinary violence. A
truth is harder to swallow than a lie
all the time.
Up clattered Enid with the steaming
beverage. Constance, the lantern bear
er, providing the rear guard.
II do believe it is blowing worse than
ever" said Enid, striving desperately
to be unconcerned. In reality the an
CRY wind was no longer able to behead
the waves. With rising tide and the
gale assisting there would soon be
sea worthy of Turner in his maddest
mood.
Good gracious, dad," cried Con.
stance, ''how pale you are! And your
forehead is wet. What have you been
doing?'
Brand hastily mopped his face with
h3l>..c"c,i::cr
During some Of the heavy gusts"
he explained, II was compelled to
stand on the trimming stage. And-the
micrometer valve required adjust
ment.'
She eyed him narrowly. The margin
of suspicion was wider.
There is nothing else wrong?' she
asked.
He approached and kissed her ear.
''Since when did my little girl begin
to doubt me?" he said quietly.
Her eyes filed. Even the hint of
reproach from him was intolerable.
For the life of her she could no longer
control the flood of terror which welled
up beyond restraint.
Forgive me, dad" she murmured,
"but 1 thought, and / still think, that
we We're and are in a position of the
utmost peril. 1 can't help knowing
that it is high water about o'clock.
1t is now only a quarter to 1. The
worst is not over. Do you think I can
not read your dear face! Dad, If there
is danger don't send us away again"
Tears were streaming down her
white cheeks. Enid, holding the tray
in speechless bewilderment during this
outburst from her proud and self re-
liant sister, set it down on the writing
desk with a crash.
"Oh, DEAR" she walled, 81 don't want
any cocoa if we're gug-gug-going to be
drownedr'
Certainly if Stephen Brand had i'm
agined two minutes earlier that he was
about to laugh long and loudly in gen.