The Coolidge examiner., 1935-12-06

the entangling meshes of grass
over the familiar and the treacher-
GUS ruts Of fallow field which was
wavering strangely now with livid
patches of shadow. She paused
and glanced over her shoulder TO
reassure herself that she had come
at least half way, when there came
sound that was a shrill demon
iacal whine, followed by roar that
stunned all thought.
Then rain came.
The rain, the rain. the blessed
rain! Silver threw her arms wide
and laughed in sheer pagan joy as
the rich, drowning flood of it de-
scended upon her. 1t washed away
all drouth and hunger and defeat
1t washed all error from the human
heart and wrong thinking from the
human mind.
The rain ceased as suddenly as il
had begun. Presently, from the d.
rection of the Willard hill, Silver
saw dark shape plunging toward
her. 1t was Roddy.
What the devil are you doing out
here"' he demanded as he came
within speaking distance.
Il started out to find you-when
the rain came" she replied halt
ingly.
I'VE hit for the house when we
saw it coming" he said.
You've been home-you've found
Corinne'S letter?' she asked.
II found it," he replied in
clipped tone.
Il tried to stop her, Roddy. I
fought with her-but l couldn't do
anything. Then l ran-to get you
so that you could go after her-be-
fore it was too late"
Roddy smiled bitterly. HI,
they've gone to Mexicor' he said.
That's too far away for me-"
You're going to let her go?"
ut isn't as bad as it looks, kid"
he said slowly. "Corinne really
left me-months ago. But-come
along. Steve is out looking for you,
and Phronie is having fits because
you're not in the house."
He put his arm about her gently
and they walked in silence toward
the house. To the eastward, light.
ming STROBE across the sky, and all
about them the air Quaked with
thunder.
Don't you think too much about
this, Silver" Roddy said steadily
as they went across the field. I'm
giving COrinne chance to live the
life she wants to live. I've known
what she wanted-but I've never
been able to give it to her. 1 was
a ID fool, / guess. But there's
something want to tell you-Co-
! rinne is really in love with Lucas
have suspected it all along, but
when she came home last night
there was something about her-a
sort of glory in her face that I've
never seen before. l asked her
about Lucas and she told me she
loved him. There wasn't anything
could do about it, kid. told her
she could go when she felt like it,"
Silver's heart beat so rapidly that
she could make no reply. They
made their way across the field un-
til they came parallel with Roddy's
experimental tract of corn. The Sky
was lifting now as though the lid
were being raised from a casket
of glowing jewels. Green and gold
and blue, in cleansed and hal
lowed world-it cast over the heart
spell of awe and wonder.
Silver, her eyes upon the field,
thought of Corinne. How could
she go away from this Roddy-and
take chance on the life"
Roddy smiled down at her. "Iife's
gamble-wherever you live 1t,
Silver" he said. Its when you
live it with someone you love that
makes the difference"
He took her shoulders in his
hands, and turned her about and
looked through almost a year Of
Illustration, despair and defeat
into the serenity of Silver's eyes.
And across his shoulder, Silver
saw a rainbow above the land.
Cu'IILN END