The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-03-04

her through the Chinks of the frame
work. She drew back and sought
shelter in a niche at the side. Mar
row as was the slit above the top of
the door, it let in a torrent of water.
which spouted clear across and
against the far wall of the cave. 1t
gushed down upon her bed and was
already flooding the cave floor.
She piled higher the cocoanuts
stored in her niche, and perched her
self upon the heap to keep above the
water. But eevn in her sheltered cor
ner the eddying wind showered her
with spray. She waded across for her
skin-covered sunshade, and returned
to huddle beneath it, in the still mis-
cry and terror of hunted animal that
has crept wounded into a hole.
During the first hurricane there had
been companions to whom she could
look for help and comfort. and she
had been to a degree unaware of the
greatness of the danger. But in the
few short weeks since she had caught
more than one glimpse OF Primeval
Nature-she of the bloody fang, blind,
remorseless. insensate, destroying.
ever destroying.
True, this was on solid land, while
before there had been the peril of the
sea. But now the girl was alone. Out
side the straining walls of her refuge,
the hurricane yelled and shrieked and
roared-a headless, formless monster.
furious to burst in upon her, to over
throw her stanch old tree giant, that
in his fall his shattered trunk might
crush and mangle her. Or at any in
stant thunder-bolt might rend open
the great tower of living wood and
hurl her blackened body into the pool
on the cave floor.
Once she fancied that she heard
Blake shouting outside the door: but
when she screamed a shrill response.
the blast Knocked her with echoing
shriekS, and she dared not venture to
free the door. If it were Blake. he
did not shout again. After a time she
began to think that the sound had
been no more than a freak of the
shifting wind. Yet the thought of him
out in the full fury of the cyclone
served to turn her thoughts from her
own danger. She prayed aloud for his
safety, beseeching God that he be
spared. She sought to pray even for
Winthrope. But the vision of that
beastly face rose up before her, and
she could not-then
Presently she became aware of a
change in the storm The terrific
gusts blew with yet greater violence
the thunder crashed heavier, the light.
ming filled the air with a flame of
dazzling white light But the rain
TO longer gushed across ON the spot
where her bed had been. II was en-
tering at a different angle. and its
force was broken by the bend in the
thick wall of the entrance After a
time the deluge dashed aslant the en-,
trance, gushing down the door in a
cataract of foam.
Another interval and the driving
downpour no longer struck even the
veering rapidly as the cyclone center
moved past on one side The area of
the hurricane was little more than
thrice that of tornado, and il was
advancing along its course al great
speed. An hour more and the out.
ermost rim Of the huge whirl was
passing over the cleft
Quickly the hurricane gusts fell
away TO gale; the gale became a
breeze; the breeze luled and died
away, stifled by the torrential rain.
Within the baobab all was again
dark and silent. Utterly exhausted. the
girl had sunk back against the friend
ly wall OF the tree, and fallen asleep
She was Weakened by hoarse call l.:
Miss Jenny Miss Jenny, answer
mel Are you all right"
She started up, barely saving her
self from fall as the big unhusked
nuts rolled beneath her feet The
morning sunlight was streaming in
over her door. She sprang down ankle
deep into the mire Of the cave floor,
and ran to loosen the bars. AS the
door swung up, she darted out, with
cry of delight: You are safe-safe!
Oh, | was so afraid for you, But
you're drenched! You must build a
fire-dry yourself-at once!"
Wait" said Blake I've got to tell
you something"
He caught her outstretched hands.
and pushed them down with gentle
force. His face was grave, almost sol
emn.
Think you can stand bad news-a
shock"
Z What is it? You look so
STRANGE"
It's about Notwithstanding
very bad"
She turned, with a gasp, and hid
her face in her hands. shuddering with
horror and loathing.
"Oh! OH" she cried. 81 know al
ready know ALL"
AMP" demanded Blake, staring
blankly.
Yes; all! And-and he made me
think It was you!" She gasped, and
fell silent
Bake's face went white He spoke
in clear. vibrant voice. tense as an
overstrained violin string: Il am