Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-05

Il 7 EITHER O'NeiI nor his host was
~ in sight when the girls came TO
4 breakfast The men had risen
early. il seemed. and were
somewhere out in the storm. A wilder
day would be hard 70 imagine: a hurri-
cane was raging. the rain was whirled
ahead OF It like charges Of shot The
mountains behind kyak were invisible
and 70 seaward was nothing but a dim
y dlscerniblc smother OF foam and
spray, for the crests of the breakers
were snatchcd up anG carried by the
wind The town was s0ddan; the
streets were running mud. Stovenipes
We're down. cents lay fattcned in the
miro, and the board houses were Shak-
ing - If they might fly to pieces ut any
moment The darkness was uncanuy,
and the tempest seemed to &c steadily
growing III violence
When m hour or two had passed
with no word from the men Eliza an
DouEced her intention Of looking them
up. She had spent tie tine at a win
dow, straining her cTcs through the
welter, While Natalie had curled UP
cozily with Il book in one Of Trevor's
armchairs.
But dea-ic. youn be drenched"
Natalie looked up in surprise, Mr..
O'Neu is all right"
"Of course lie is I'm not going out
TO scold him and bring him in. I want
to look at the storm"
so do 1, but it won't do any good.
can't make it blow any harder by get
ting my feet wet"
You read your novel and talk to
Mr.. Trevor when he comes back. II.
knows were TO blame for this storm
80 You must he nice to him. I can't"
She clad herself in raincoat. sou wester
and boots and hurried out. Walking
was difficult enough, even in the
shelter of the village but not until
she had emerged upon the beach did
she meet the fun strength of the gale.
Here it wrapped her garments about
her limbs until she could scarcely
move. The rain came horizontally and
blinded her. The wind fairly snatched
her breath away and oppressed her
lungs like a heavy weight She shield
ed herself as best she could. and by
clinCing 10 stationary objects and
watching her chance she managed to
work her way onward. At last she
caught sight of O'Nei standing high
above the surf facing the wind def /
antly. as if daring it to unfoot him /
He saw her and came in answer to !.
her signal But to breast that wind .
was like stemming a rushing torrent. /
and when he reached her side he was /
painting.
Child, what are you doing here"
he demanded.
Il couldn't wait any longer she !
shouted back. You've been out since /
daylight You must be wet through" /
He nodded. Il lay awake all night .
listening. So did Trevor. He's begin
ming to worry already"
ALREADY? IF the breakwater stands
this
The storm hasn't half started
Come. Wen watch it together" He
took her hand, and they Iunced into
the gale, battling their way back TO
his point of vantage He paused at
length and, with his arm about her
pointed TO the milk white chaos which
marked TrevOr's handiwork. The rain
pelted against their faces and stream
ed from their slicEers-
After a long time he spoke. See.
It's coming up he said.
She felt 10 increase in the wind, but
she noted that particles Of sand and
tiny pebbles from the beach were fly
ing with the salt raindrops. Her mus
cles began TO trcmble from the con
slant effort at resistance, and she was
relieved when Murray looked about for
4 place Of refuge. She pointed to a pile
Of bridge timbcrs, but lie shook his head
They'll 90 flying If this keeps up"
He dragged her into the shelter of a
title knoll. Here the blasts struck .
hem with diminished force, the roar .
ng in their ears grew less, and the la ,
'Or Of brea thing was easier.
High up beyond reach of the surf a
ory had been dragged and left bottom :
~. Under this the wind found a fin :
.er hold and sent Il flying
Even where the man and the woman
Couched the wind harried them like
hound pack. bur by clinging to the .
ranches of a gnarled juniper bush :
hey held thei4. position and let the :
pray whine over their heads. =
Farther west I've seen houses chain :
j TO the earth with ships cables he ;
aouted in her ear. To think %
gildIng q harbor in place like this" .
y Draycd for van last rf~ut | p~av-