Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-04
INSTALAaENT XVIII.

"HIs was the climax Of the storm
that had been gathering fol
days. Out upon the level desert
j. IL would have been serious fol-
travellers; here In this gorge II
was Q Maelstron. Jim did not expect
to live TO hear 1t pass away. Yet he
did. And then began the aftermath Of
o flood let loose upon such unstable
earth. The waterfall gradually rose 70
q laundering. continuous crash. It
dominated for Q while, until the thou
the rims to deaden al, to completely
deafen Jim.
A sheet Of water, sliding over the
rock. hid the opaque blackness from
Jim's eyes. Any moment now . food
would rise over the bank, and when 1t
did Jim meant TO climb higher with
the girl, to front the hurting rocks
and slipping sides, and night till the
bitter end.
But many changes a. the hours
brought, that flood did not rise above
the bank. Jim saw the sheet Of water
fall and the black space come down.
and the furious backlash Of the tor
rent below, and the lessening roar OF
the waterfall.
The time came to Jim, as II he
dreamed, when all sounds changed, hes
sened, faded away, except the pecuhar
thrashing Of the stream below. And
he got to listening for that sound,
which occurred only occasionally. For
Q while the sliding rush Of heavy water
swept on, suddenly TO change into Q
furious splashing.
At length Jim calculated IT was Q
strong current laden with sand. which
~ YfR0 AND I4R0
their twisting tips back upon them
selves. Long he heard these slowing
diminishing, gradually separating
sounds.
THE streams ceased flowing, the slides
ceased slipping, the rocks ceased rolling
and the waterfall failed from
laundering TO a hollow roar and from
that to q softening splash:
Jim imagined he saw aim stars ouC
In a void that seemed to change IRON
black to gray. Was dawn NJ nano .
Had they been spared? the gurgie Oh
the stream below merged into the as
tant low rumble Of the Dirty Devh.
Jim rested there, staring out 1t Inc
spectral forms on the oppc site wall
Thinking thoughts never before m
habitants Of his confused brain.
But the sky was grazing, the gorge
taxing shape in the gloom, and TINS
place which had heard DIN OF hloeouS
sounds was silent as grave.
At last Jim had to accept marvellous
phenomenon-dawnw was at hand. GentIy
he slipped Helen into the hollow OF
the saddle. She was still asleep. HIS
cramped limbs buckled under him ano
excruciatin pains shot through MS
bones and muscles. a.
In the gray light objects were ois,
cernible, He could not see to the neao
Of the gorge, where the waterfall had
plunged out from the wall. But silence
meant that it had been surface wafer
a product Of the storm, and 1t was gone:
Beneath che bank ran q channel OF
fine ribbed sand where not even
puddle showed On the bank the horses
stood patiently. except q bay, and ne
was nosing around for q blade OF grass
that did not exist on the sodden eartn;
The great slope appeared the same, and
vet not the same. A mute acceptance
Of ultimate destruction lowered over 1t.
Sunrise found Jim Wall topping rise
Of rocky ground miles beyond the scene
Of his night vigil. Again h followed
his sure footed lead pack horse.
The sky was blue, the sun bright ano
warm, and at the moment 1t crowned
with gold the top of the purple butte
Jim had seen twice before. 1t appeared
close now, rearing a corrugated peak
above yellow and brown hills. Jim was