Rock Island Argus., 1909-08-02


close to the ground aud dartcd ints
the hollow beyond. Hits OF dust
danced in the road and whPped away
into nothingness. Stems OF grass that
had withstOod the SHOWS Of winfar
IooseneG themselves from the fence
and rolled past. Once stray paper
blundered aiong.[ Yet the girl could
feel little If any wind.
Suddenly the sky grew dark. and the
sun. which had been shining regard-
less of the things going on below. was
shut out. The snakelike cloud shot
into the sky above. and all was DARK.
In the distance was tile roaring OF
cataract. And neiier and nearer 1t
came, filing the universe with fear
The dust of the road swept back. and
there was a contrary current III the
air. Even the pony stopped ana turned
about. Neither did he mind the whip
which fell on his flank. but backed and
turned about until he faced the cloud
in the distance and then stubbornly
stood there. Bertha dismounted and
tossed the useless rein over a post or
the wire fence and whipped her own
skirts as she gaZed with fright mt the
cloud-the cloud twisting and roaring
and the lightning flashing from the
| middle of its dark folds.
Bertha WAS alone.
The course of the cloud changed. and
i it seemed to hurry across the valley
that stretched away between the girl
| and the houses and spires. cloud OF
dust followed and the roaring, almost
| unbearable. of the thunder In front
was farmhouse in the path or the
| cloud. Bertha clasped her hands as
she saw the inmates hurry like wlid
| quaiIs into the orchard. saw the barns
and the stacks melt. as 1t were. In the
| blast, and where they had stood there
was naught of them when the cloud
passed on. But the house was there
| and In the mist of dust the family
came from the trees of the orchard.
| Then the wind reached Bertha. and
the grass bent to the ground and
seemed to hide under the sod below
The pony bent his neck and closed bis
eyes. The cloud FASTENED toward the
girl and she stepped back to await the
| crash of the elements-stepped into the
path and was caught by a friendly
hand
Ralph Moore was there.
| Why. Bertha could notsinquire, for
the roar of the cyclone was too loud
md the play of the lightning and
| thunder too sharp. She understood
when he motioned to a hollow beyond
| hill. and like deer she ran to safe
ty Ralph was at her side and caught
her arm, pulling her down AS the
| storm passed over their heads and left
its cloud of dust and splinters and pa
| 1er and straw and grass. Gradually
tbe roaring died away. and even the
cloud unwOund its hold upon the sky
and disappeared as a puff OF smoke
disappears.
Bertha then thought Of the rescuer
10y her side. "Why are you here?" she
asked turning to her companion.
Business" Ralph replied. "You
see my horse refused to go farther.
and tried to come here. Then l saw
IL woman in the road and brought her
along. 1t was you. But I deserve nc
| credit"
whenever I have been in trouble
you have come to me. Do you remem
ber?"
"Rememberr' And Ralph told heI
Of the things he had meant to say. and
Bertha listened.
When she had found her horse anG
had returned TO the village she wrote
to her mother in the east. and the let
ter lay for many days unanswered
Then Mrs Ogden said Ralph would b,
welcome. When the long days came
there was wedding. and Ralph tool
his place forever at Bertha's side.
Lewis Single Binder - the famou