The record., 1914-08-27

told on the man w
nerves. already @S
strained to the
breaking point by weeks of enervatins
cTg heat.
lie had looked across the table with
a look in his eyes hers could not
bear.
Will-you-shut-up,
She had sat stunned for moment,
and then. choking down dry sob
said:
I'm sorry. Dick You've been so
worried. It's been terrible-this
year"
His face did not soften, and he
laughed harshly.
YES. this year and last, and the
year before that. and all the rest OF
the years to come probably. lie
stood up abruptly. I'm going to
town"
She noticed the slight stoop of the
boyish shoulders and the listless drag
of his feet. and then she turned and
looked out across the baking fields.
where the crowding rows of gray
green corn dropped as II the heat
were heavy and bearing them down.
The child that lay on the bed tossed
and walled fretfully. After she had
soothed 1t back into an uneasy slum-
. ber. she commenced to clear the
table, working swiftly to ease the con-
, striction in her breast.
, When her fingers touched the fine
, ly-chiseled edges OF the cut-glass sugar
bowl that stood so anonymously amid
, their homely ware. she paused and
: whispered aloud the thought that this
, bare touch had awakened.
I He travels the fastest who travels
y alone"
: His mother had said 1.-THE same
who had given them the sugar-bowl-
r said it in her presence when she and
a Dick had gone to tell her their re-
= solve. that they we're going to be mar.
ried
Placing the ironing-board across the
backs of two chairs, she lifted the
iron from the stove and tested it with
a moistened finger. The light breeze
l that stirred the curtains felt cool on
| her damp brow. but she did not looh
/ up to see the green haze.
| Neither did she note the far-off hum
like the hum of bees when they gath
| er at the home hive at nightfall-a
| hum that grew louder. and swelled II
| volume till 1t sounded like the rumble
| of a thousand busy looms-louder
louder.
An eery note sang through 1t: loud
| er and higher, and louder and highe
1 ciD nf ahvQncini
war.
The shrieks of the child seemed fee
BILE and impotent in the face Of tn
roar, as she seized it up and plunge
head down into the swirling dust OH
side.
For a moment she was but pla.
thing of the storm that whirled he
skirts above her head and blinded he
She was hurtled along until she stun
bled and fell to her knees on a noun
of earth, which with a heart-leap {
Joy she recognized as the storm-hous
Then the door yielded. crashed dow
over their heads, and from pand
monium she stepped into peace.
Long she sat with wi0e-stretcht
eyes staring into the darkness of the
refuge, until things began to take {
a dim, ghostly shape. and even II
dirt wall opposite came into view.
The mutter was dying lower al
lower, and the whine was stille
when suddenly there came clei
sharp tap on the tin door of the
5 in refuge. She caught her breath al
ONE strained to hear. Yes, there was g
with other. and two. three. four, until
e to sounded like the preliminary ratl
A and then the full rolling OF a drum.
lies The woman breathed in deeply. &
own dibly, and then she screamed:
t of "Baby,-the rain.-the rain!"
with Swiftly she rushed up the four ste
lace and pushed back the trap-door, HI
the sobbing, half laughing craziy. S
lown lifted her arms and let the wa,
sin stream down her upturned face. as
nded she we're drinking it in along W
ads; the thirsty earth.
ores Ii was salvation to her life that h
The been so near ruin that very day,
lckle II was salvation to the corn wher,
lay their hopes, and with a glad he
she turned to watch the torrents po
Ing on their fields.
that until she could no longer bear to 10
have and turned. There lay the house Il
nv Iudicrous mass, one beam erect, !
made a man lying on his side. his foot
and. the air
the She did not hear the mad splash
n and of morse dowh the ro'o' "here
sizes husband. bareheaded, came gallop
wildly through the rain. q terri
fear in his eyes.
He did not notice the fields.
even the house, but when he saw
standing there discOnsolate, his e
!, lighted up with a great Joy. and
iook of terror fled. Swiftly he ca
:. oan Up to her.
~ .a "Dick!" she cried. "Oh, Dick,
~ an It the corn" but he opened his a
: VIZ" and stilled her against his breast
uC0 Va ssTha oorp9 What do 7 coro for