The Detroit times., 1913-11-11

voices growing distant again. and
falling away, and At last-silence.
CHAPTER XXI.
After the Storm.
Inky clouds were gathering over
the sunlight when Shirley came from
Damory Court. along the narrow
wood-path under the heml0cks, and
the way was striped with blue-black
shadows and filled with signing
noises. She walked warily. hating
often at some leafy rustic to catch q
quick breath Of dread. Az she ap'
pronched the tree-roots where the
cape jessamines lay. she had to force
her feet forward by sheer effort OF
will. AT little distance from them
she broke . stick and with 1t man:
aged to drag the bunch to her. turn
ing her eyes with . shiver from the
trampled spot near by. She picked
up the flowers. and treading with
caution, retraced her steps to the
wider path.
She stepped into the Red Road at
length In the teeth Of thunder
storm, which had risen almost with
out warning to break with the pas
siouate intensity Of electric storms
In the South The green-golden nelds
were now gray seethe Of rain AND
the farther peaks lifted like huge
tumbled masses Of onyx against q sky
stipplod with wan yellow and vicious
violet. The wind leaped and roared
and swished through the weeping TO-
liage, flashing the dull Pompeian-red
puddies, swirling leaves and twigs
from the hedges and seeming to be
intent on dragging her very garments
from her ~ she ran. :.
There Was no shelter, but even II
there had been she would not have
sought II. The turbulence Of nature
around her matched, In = way. her
over-strained feeling. and she welcom'
Cd the fierce bulge Of the wind In the
up.blowing whorls Of her hair and the
drenching wetness Of the rain. At
length. out of breath, she crouched
down under q catalpa tree, watching
the fangs Of lightning knot them
selves against the baleful gray.yellow
dimness. making sudden flares OF un-
bearable brightness against which
twigs etched themselves with the un'
relieved sharpness Of black paper Oil.
houettes.
She tried to AZ her mind on near
things, the bending grasses. the sour
rying red runuels and tapping shrub
berry. but her thoughts wilfully escap-
ed the tether, turning again and again
10 the events Of the last two hours.
She pictured Unc' Je6erson's eyes
rolling up In ridiculous alarm, his
,winuoWiug arm -lAahing hte tpdlgnanS
mule In His flight for tho doctor.
At the mental picture she choked
with hysterical laughter. then cringed
suddenly against the sopping bark.
She saw again the Doctors gaze lift
from his nrst examination Of the tiny
punctures to send swift penetrant
glance straight at her. before he bent
his great body to carry the uncon'
scious man 20 the house. Again Mt
OF shuddering swept over her. Then'
eli ct once. tears came. strangline
sobs that bent and swayed her. II
was the discharge Of the Leyden jar,
the loosing Of the tense bow.string'
and It brought relief.
After q time she grew Quteter. He
would perhaps still be lying on the
couch In the dull-colored library, un-
der the one-syed portrait, his hair
waving crisply against the white blan-
ket. his hands moving restlessly, his
lips muttering. Her Imagination FOL
lowed Aunt Daph shu6ling to fetch
this and that, nagged by the doctors
sharp admonitions.
He would ret well! The thought
that perhaps she had saved his life
rave her . thrill that ran over her
whole body. And until yesterday she
had never seen him! She kneeled 10
the blurred half.light. pushing her
wet hair back from her forehead. ana
smiling up In the rain that still fell
fast.
In q few moments she rose up and
went on. The lightning came now at
longer and more irregular intervals
and the thunder pealed less heavily.
The wan yellow murk was lifting.
Here and there . soaked sunbeam
peered half.frightened through the
racked mist-wreaths, as though to
smell the 0ver.sweet fragrance OF the
wet jessamine In her arms.
AT the gate Of the Rosewood lane
stood . mailbox on . cedar post and
abe paused to hsh out . dragged
Richmond Newspaper. As she thrust
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