The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-06-04
2E 6HeNIIANTSgVRGINk
c%HMLF ERNIINIF RIVES .
a& LAUREN SIOUIx

/ clinging about him. Then n blank
a sense OF movement and OF troublous
disturbance. OF insistent voices that
called TO him and inquisitive hands
that plucked at him. and then voices
growing distant again. and hands fall.
ing away. and at last-silence.
lnky clouds were gathering over
the sunlight when Shirley came from
Damory Court. along the narrow wood.
path under tho hemlocks. and the way
was striped with blue-b black shadows
and filled with slghlng noises. She
walked warily, hating often at some
leafy rustic TO catch n quick breath
OF dread. As she approached the tree.
roots where the cape jessamines lay.
she had to force her feet forward by
sheer effort OF will. At a little dis.
lance from them she broke !. stick and
with II managed TO drag the bunch TO
her, turning her eyes with q shiver
from the trampled spot near by. She
picked up the flowers. and treading
with caution. retraced her ;teps to the
wider tath.
She stepped into the Red Road at
length In the teeth OF a thunderstorm.
which had arisen almost without warn.
ing TO break with the passionate In.
tensity OF electric storms in the South.
There vas no shelter. but even had
there been. she would not have sought
Il. The turbulence OF nature around
her matched. In q way. her over
strained feeling. and she welcomed
the fierce bulge OF the wind in the
up.blowing whorls OF her hair and the
drenching wetness OF the rain. She
tried to fix her mind on near things.
the bending grasses. the scurrying red
runnels and Tapping shrubbery. but
her thoughts wilfully escaped the
tether, turning again and again to the
events Of the last two hours. She pic.
tured Unc' Jefferson's eyes rolling up
In ridiculous alarm, his winnowing
arm flashing his Indignant mule In his
flight for the doctor.
At the mental picture she choked
with hysteTical laughter. then cringed
suddenly against the sopping bark.
She saw again the doctors gaze lift
from his first examination OF the tiny
punctures TO send a swift penetrant
glance at her. before he bent his great
body to carry the unconscious man to
the house. Again n At OF s~huddering
swept over her. Then, all at once
tears came, strangling sobs that bent
and swayed her. II was the discharge
OF the Leyden jar. the !, sing OF the
tense bow.string and II brought re-
lief. After a time size grew Quieter.
He would get well! The thought
that perhaps she had saved his life
gave her a thrill that ran over her
whole body. And until yesterday she
had never een him, She kneeled In
the blurred half.light. pushing her wet
hair back from her forehead and smil.
ing up In the rain that still fell fast
In a few moments she rose and went on.
At tho gate OF the Rosewood lane
stood a mail.box on a cedar post and
she paused to fish out a dragged Rich
mond newspaper. As she thrust II I'm
der her arm her eye caught a word OF
n headline. With a flush she tore II
from Its soggy wrapper. The wetted
fiber parting in her eager fingers. and
resting her foot on the lower rail OF
the gate, spread II open On her knee.
She stood ~stock.still until she had
read the whole, II was the story OF
John Valiant's sacrifice OF his private
fortune TO save the ruin OF the In
volved corporation.
Its effect upon her was n shock. She
felt her throat swell as she read: then
she vas chilled by the memory Of
what she had said to him: VIVA
has he ever done except play polo and
furnish spicy paragraphs for the 30
ciety columns?"
What a beast I vast" she said. nd
dressing the wet hedge. HE had just
done that splendid thing. II was be