Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-08-29

NO, ne SAID. II haven't Ound time.
You and 1 have had so much to tell one
another"
w always nave Deer very good
friends" said the girl and was going
to add something else when her words
were drowned by Il furious crash OF
thunder.
That's close overhead" Cambel re-
marked. and something else will fol-
low. II It's rain. we shall have a del
falling In ropes. but I fancy we're
In for something different. We had
better u back. Elsie"
I'm view OF this heat. a wetting would
be a distinct luxury. but l think. as you
say. there is something else coming be-
sides. Oh. Pat. here it Is. Run, or we
shall be caught"
The storm gave but one weird moan.
a rustic n a shrek from over the
tree tops and then was upon them. In
a minute it was blowing with a hurri-
cane force which no human being could
stand against.
them. and they fell to the deckings OF
the pier. gripping with their fingers in
the gaps between the planks. A storm
OF sand and leaves and twigs beat
against their heads. The crazy ~trestle-
work OF the pier buckled and swung
beneath their bodies.
w must get shoreward." Cambel
~ al AIo NOAlR1illOAA . cal. 4IIl6
jam crack thing will go by the board
directly
"Right-o!" came back the response
cheerily enough. and together they be-
gan to warp themselves toward the
beach and the wind. plank at a time.
The girl was strong and accustomed TO
using her muscles. but skirts are Il poor
gress was slow even with Cambel's
help. When they had gained a score of
yards, h babe him leave her to make
the best of his own way. II shall get
along all right" she cried. Go and
tell them I'm coming"
Naturally l should" he shouted
back. with a laugh. Here. let me link
my arm inside yours. That's right.
Now we'll ferry along at twice the
pace"
But they did not get much farther.
a minute afterward, to the kick Of a
hard squall. the gray old pier tottered
and clattered and crinched, and the
wind was filled with flying boards. and
Cambel found himself with one arm
clutching the weed clad stump of a pile
and the other wrapped round Elsie Kill
dare.
"Hurt?" he shouted a~nxiously.
Not a bit. Sound as q bell. You?"
"All right"
But where's the water? There
should be six feet here. and 1 can feel
nOne."
Blown away TO eea. We may thank
God the wind Is not on shore or we'd
have been drowned. al hundreds OF
other poor wretches are this moment.
All! That's a shave"
A lightning flash showed them a
huge tree plucked from its roots and
blowing past them. sQuirming and
crushing about like a live mad thing.
Then a heavy squared roof beam hit
their Jagged pile and missed Cambel's
arm by a nails breadth.
THE hotels going down." he shout
ed. THE air will be full Of this stuff
shall be Drained before we've got a
yard. Crouch down. dear, at the Dot
tom Of the post"
'sNo. there isn't room."
"Then l shall stand"
She dragged at his sleeve and pulled
him to her side. Stay by me. here.
Pat. You might get swept away. and
I could bear that"
o course I'll stay by o u, dear. I'll
never go till you turn me away" He
took nov grip with his arms. pinning
her between his breast n the weed
ragged leg of the. pile. Elsie 1 want
TO tell YOU something. You know I've
always liked you as a friend. but now
- AAA0 kOAbAS y VIAL At0 " OCAk
more-love, darling. Once my mind was
full Of another woman. and I thought
I could never are for anyone else as
I cared for ner, but that was a
since. thousands of years, 1t seems now,
and. Elsie. Twelve forgotten her. She
Is only a name to me and your sister.
Dear, II we get away from this. do
you think you could like me, too. a little
more than an ordinary friend?"
She put her lips to his ear. DO you
think we shall come out Of 1t alive,
Pat? Tell me honestly"
Il hope So"
Honestly. Pat"
chance"
Her soft. wet cheeks nestled against
him. and strands Of her hair Inter-
twined themselves with his. Pat"
she said. you never knew. but I loved
you all along from the first."
Then for the first time during many
years Patrick Cambel knew what It
was to fear death. Beforetime life had
held many torments for him. and II
lead or water or steel chose to show
him the great secret he did not very
much care. Now 1t was all different.
He lusted to live with q ~ferceness
which almost drove him mad.
a%nxiouoly.
II know I am. You have made me q
rank coward. DEAR"
She understood him and kissed his
mouth. but no other words passed be-
tween them.
The cyclone blew on. believing and
tearing. and the fiend fingers Of the
wind did mischief beyond all reckon
ing. Timber which had stood hundreds
Of years. ceibas and Expresses. live
oaks ana pines. sprawled down among
the tangled underground. mere masses
OF splintered matchwood. Tho man
grove th1ckets were clogged with
stones. with grasses. with granny tan
gles Of Spanish oss Lakes were
licked from their beds and spirited
far over tho Dreaming waters Of the
gulf. The land birds were driven like