The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-12-30

breaking point by weeks Of eneryating
dry heat
He had looked across the table with
a look in his eyes hers could not
bear
"Will-you-shut-upl
She had sat stunned for moment
and then, choking down az sob.
said.
I'm sorry, Dick. You've been so
worried. It's been terrible .hi5
year
His face did not soften and ne
laughed harshly
"Xes, this year and last. and ha
year before that. and all the res IL
the sears TO come probably lie
stood up abruptly I'm going to
town.
She noticed the slight st0op oil tha
boEsh shoulders aud the Hstless drag
of bis feet and then she turned and
looh ont across the baking fields,
where the crowding rows Of alay-
green corn dropped rs if the heat
we're ENVY and bearing them down
The cniI5 that lay on tho bed oesed
ana vailed fre.fully After she had
soothol II hack INTO an uneasy sl0Br
bor aae commenced ID clear tho
table, working ewiely 70 ease the con-
strc.n % her areast
When acr ae touched tba 1ua-
lycIlaaoa oaean hecnf-alage 44aar-
bow taat a1ood iaeoneruouaIr amia
their homoly ho paused ana
Whispered aloud fha tae1sht thatahia
bare touch had awakened
"lio travels ,aa fastest Who travels
alone
Ills mother had said it--tbo same
who had given them the sugar bowl
said it n her presence when sha and
Diek mad gone % tell her their re-
solve, that they were going to be mar
ried.
Placing the ironing board across tho
backs OF TIVE chairs. she lifted the
iron from The s,o1a end tested it with
moistened finger. The light breazs
that stirred the curtains felt c0ol on
her damp brow hut She did not lool1
up to see the green haze.
Neither di1 she note Tho far-ag hum.
like the hum Of bees when aav aath-'
er at the home Hqo at iNaIl
hum that grew louder, and weliad Ia
volume till it sounded like the rumbla
of thousand hasy looms louder.
louder
An eery note Gang through It'll loud
er and higher, and louder and hlvhar
Ike the increasing roar of advancing
war.
The shfieFs Of the child seemed Geo.
Die and impotent ia the Face of tho
roar, 90 she seized it up ard plunged
neao ccwn intc the sWiriIa dasl o-t.
side.
For a moment she was bit q play.
thing Of the storm that NhirIad har
5klrts above her head and bln4ed her.
She was hurtled along until The mm-
Dled and fell to her knees on a mound
of earth, which with a hoartfeap of
oy she recognized as the slorm-hou88.
Then the door yielded clqshed down
over their heads. and from pants.
nonium she stepped into peace.
Long she sa. with wide.stratoaad
yes staring into the darkness OF their
'efuge, until things began to take on
/ dim, ghostly shape. and even fhe
iirt wall opposite came into view.
The mutter was dying lower aaa
over and the whine was stlled,
gher suddenly there came a clear.
harp tap on the tin door OF their
efuge. She caught her breath and
trained to hear, Yes, there was an-
'ther, and two three, four. until it
ounded Ike the preliminary rattle
nd then the full rolling Of a drum.
The woman hreathed in deeply. au.
IDLY. and then she screamed.
"Babyl-the rain,-the ralni'
Swiftly she rushed up the four stems
ud pushed back the trap-door. hair
obbing. half laughing craziv. She
red her arms and LET The vater
.ream down her upturned face. as fl
le we're drinking IL in along ulfh
lo thirsty earth.
10 was salvation 10 her Hfe that hs1
cen So near ruin that very dav nr