The Arvada enterprise., 1917-06-28

many a time. camp and forest were ia
millar to her. She wore a short
skirted dress, stout boots and leg
gings, and a yellow western slicker.
The exertion Of the upward climb,
stumbling over broken branches and
uprooted logs and floundering through
Doggy places on the trail, brought a
touch Of color to her face, and though
damp, the air sweet and fragrant.
clean and pure, refreshed and pleased
her greatly: the men. too. 1t was II
hard pull, and she was out of breath
when she reached the broken coulee,
or ravlne, which led to the top Of the
big red sandstone plateau.
"T'm terribly out Of practice" she
said to the two men. hut don't be-
lleve I'm in any worse state than you
are. Mr.. Winters"
II told you wasn't any good on
foot" said Winters, who was blowing
like grampus.
Rodney laughed at the two Of them.
! Look at me" he said. am as fresh
rs when began"
: VVhs yOukS ubeO " Wulhluks
turned Winters. ITS this plugging
along this broken trail that has
knocked us out. The rich. they ride
on-bronchOs. you know"
"When We get on top Of the mesa
we will find 1t easier going" said Rod
ney encouragtngly.
LET us start" said the girl, sud
denly serious. as she thought what
might be at the end Of the Journey.
Before we 60 any farther" said
Winters. staring up the ravine at the
sky which showed about It. "just take
q look at that"
He pointed to the black clouds rap
Idly rising. apparently against the
wind. which swayed rather violently
the tops Of the tallest pines, although
they were protected and In compare
tive quiet where they stood In the ra-
vine.
1T looks as II there were more rain
there" said Rodney.
ITS Incredible" answered Winters,
"after what we've had"
But 1t certainly IL coming down
again. and II I'm any Judge. It will be
another cl0udburst."
perhaps we'd better 20 back" sunl
Eested Winters to Miss Illlngworth.
go backw exclaimed the girl.
"When I'm as near as this1"
"But It's only a possibility. you
know"
Possibility or not. II would take
a deluge in my path to stop me.
Come"
1t was IN entirely practicable climb.
but rather a hard one on the wet,
crumbling rocks. 1t did not take the
three young people long to surmount
the difficulties. however, and after IA
few minutes they stood ON top of the
mesa.
Near at hand was the hut Of which
the conductor had spoken. 1t stood
upon little rise above the general
level. and from It one could see far In
every direction. Between the hills and
over the lower crest Of Bnldwin's
knob they could even see dImly the
far-on plains. q little sickly yellow
light still lingering there before the
advance Of the storm.
The hut was made Of stone and logs.
They had not any more than reached
1t before the storm began. Clans Of
thunder. flashes Of lightning under
which the army on the dam were fiKht.
Ing. were heard and seen with tenfold
clearness BY the little group on the
huge upland.
1t was sight to awe the very soul
Of humanity. Miles and miles down
the mountain side and among the hills
the whirling battnlIons OF clouds rolled
and tumbled and tossed and clashed
like aerial armies. The lightning,
while II WINS not In sheets, was prac.
tically continuous. fash succeeding
finish In uncountnble and binding sue.
cesslon. Again they noticed the strange
coruscntiEg, bursting effect an bolt
inter bolt apparently struck some gran
tie ledge and was then thrown bnck In
splinters OF fre. The hcnvy. awful roll
OF the thunder was continuous and ter
rife.
They stood staring through door and
windows In silence. Meade md their
quest forgot In tho appalling TEN.
pest by all except the woman. II was
She who recalled them.
LET us hasten on" she snid. and she
hnd almost to scream TO make herself
heard In the wild tumult. "It's mag.
nIficcnt, wonderful. but"
Az matter Of fact. oil tho mani.
fcstntions Of nature ut its Erandcst
would not have sufiiced to turn her
hcnd AWAY from her lovers face II she
could have seen him.
"You can't go now" said Winters
dccisIvcly. "thc rims bad enough a.
II Is, and TINT cloud will burst In q
minute. Old Nonh's flood won't DO .
circumstance TO It."
"I'm protected from the ruin." she
answered.
Winters shook his head.
The weight Of II would almost
bent you down. Miss Illingworth."
II haven't had any experience with
It. but I think Winters II right" said
Rodney.