The Adair County news., 1922-11-28


bring forth.
II know they'll come tonight" Linda
had said. Tomorrow night there will
be a moon, and though it won't give
much light, it, will hurt their chances
Of success. Besides-they've found
that their other plOt-tO kill you from
ambush-isn't going to work"
Bruce nodded and got up to examine
the shutters. He wanted no ray of
light to steal out into the growing
darkness and make target. II was
a significant fact that the rifle did not
occupy its usual place behind the desk
Bruce kept 1t in his hands as he made
the inspection. Linda had her empty
pistol, knowing that it might-in the
mayhap of circumstance of aid in
frightening an assailant. Old Elmira
sat beside the fire, her stiff fingers busy
at a piece of sewing.
"YOu know" Bruce said to her,
that we are expecting an attack to-
night?"
The woman nodded. but didn't miss
a stitch. No CLEAN Of interest came
into her eyes. Bruce's gaze fell to
her work basket, and something gilt
tered from its depth. Evidently Elmira
had regained her knife.
He went back to his chair beside
Linda, and the two sat listening. They
had never known more quiet night
They listened in vain for the little
night sounds that usually come steal
ing, so hushed and tremulous, from the
forest. And they both started, ever So
slightly, when they heard a distant
rumble of thunder.
It's going . Storm" Linda told
him.
Yes. A thunderStOrm-rath IN
usual in the fall, isn't it?'
Almost unknown. It's growing cold,
too.''
They waited a breathless minute,
then the thunder spoke again. It was
immeasurably nearer. 1t was as if it
had leaped toward them, through the
darkness, with incredible speed in the
minute that intervened. The last echo
Of the sound was not dead when they
heard it third time
The storm swept toward them and
increased in fury. On "a distant hill
side the strange file that was the Turn
ers halted, then gathered around ST.
mon. Already the lightning made vivid,
white gashes in the sky and illumined
for a breathleSs instant-the long
sweep of the ridge above them. wen
make good targets In the lightning"
Old Bill said.
"Ride on" Simon ordered. "You
know man can't find a target In the
hundredth of a second of a lightning
flash. We're not going to turn back
now"
They rode on. Far away they heard
the whine and roar of wind, and in IL
moment it was upon them. The forest
was no longer silent. The peal Of the
thunder was almost continuous.
The breaking of the storm seemed
to rock the FOlger house on its founda-
ton. Both Linda and Bruce leaped to
their feet but they felt little tingle
Of awe when they saw that old Elmira
still sat sewing 1t was as if the calm
that dwelt in the Sentinel Pine out
side had come down to abide in her
No force that the world possessed
could ever take it from her.
They heard the rumble and creak
of the trees as the wind smote them,
and the flame of the lamp danced Wild
ly, filling the room with flickering
shadows. Bruce Strengthened, the
lines of his face setting deep. He
glanced once more at the rifle in his
hands.
Linda" he said, put out that fire.
If there's going to be an attack, we'd
have Il better chance if the room was
in darkness. We can shoot through
the door then"
She Obeyed at once, knocking the
burning sticks apart and drenching
them with water. She took off the
glass shade Of the lamp, and the little
gusts of wind that crept in the cracks
of the windows Immediately extin-
guiShed the flame The darkness
dropped down. Then Bruce opened thu
door.
The whole wilderness world Strug-
gled in the grasp of the storm. The
scene was such that no mortal mem
Ory could possibly forget. They saw
it in great, vivid glimpses in the inter
mittent flashes of the lightning. and
the world seemed no longer that which
they had come to know. Chaos was
upon 1t. The tall tops of the trees
wagged back and forth in frenzied sig
mails; their branches smOte and rubbed
together. And just without their door
the Sentinel Pine stood with top lifted
to the fury of the storm.
a strange awe swept over Bruce.
A moment later he was to behold a
sight that for the moment would make
him completely forget the existence of
the great tree; but for an instant he
poised at the brink of a profound and
far-reaching discovery. There was a
great lesson for him In that dark, tow
ering figure that the lightning revealed.
Its great limbs moved and spoke its
top swayed back and forth, yet still Ii
held its high place as Sentinel of the