Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-12-15

too"
They waited a breathless minute,
then the thunder spoke again. 1t was
immeasurably nearer. 1t was as if it
had leaped toward them, through the
darkness, with incredible speed in the
minute that interviewed. The last echo
of the sound was not dead when they
heard 1t 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. ''We'n
make good targets in the lightning"
Old Bill said.
"Ride on" Simon ordered. you
know man can't find target in the
hundredth of 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 it's 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. It 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
- The trees as the wind smote them.
and the flame Of the lamp danced wild,
ly, filling the room with Pickering
shadows. Bruce strai ightened, 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 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 the
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
1t 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 it. The tall tops Of the trees
wagged back and forth in frenzied sig
nails; 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.
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.
It's great limbs moved and spoke; its
top sWayed back and forth, yet still ii
held its high place as Sentinel of the
Forest passionless, patient, talking
through the murk Of clouds to the
stars that burned beyond.
"See," Linda said. 1.-THE Turner's
are coming"
1t was true. Bruce dropped his eyes.
Even now the clan had spread out in
a great wing and was bearing down
upon the house. The lightning showed
them in strange, vivid flashes. Bruce
nodded slowly.
II see," he answered. I'm ready.
"Then shoot them, quick-when the
lightning shows them," she whispered
In his ear. They're in range now"
Her hand seized his arm. "What are
you waiting forT"
He turned to her sternly. Have you
forgotten we only have five shells?'
he asked. "Go back to Elmira."
Her eyes met his, and she tried to
smile into them.
Forgive me, Bruce-it's hard-to be
calm"
But at once she understood why he
was waiting. The flashes Of lightning
offered no opportunity for an accurate
shot. Bruce meant to conserve his
little supply Of shells until the moment
Of utmost need. The clan drew nearer.
They were riding slowly. with ready
rifles. And ever the storm increased
In fury. The thunder was so close
that it no longer gave the impression
Of being merely sound. 1t was a veri-
table explosion just above their heads.
The first drops Of rain fell one by one
on the roof.
Bruce's eyes sought for Simon's fig
ure. To Simon he owed the greatest
debt, and to lay Simon low might mean
to dishearten the whole clan. But al
though the attackers were In fair range