Chico High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Chico, CA)

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ing out across the wide, naked stretch of plain before her, cut and scarred by rain-washed gullies. The sun had set and dark clouds were gathering rapidly, driven by the cool wind which had sprung up. Presently a slim, fiery streak of lightning zigzagged up the black curtain of cloud, chased by another. Then they followed in rapid succession till they seemed to fuse and melt together, making bright yellow flashes of light. Dan and mother, come out and watch the sky! Marion called. I As her mother and brothger joined her, a heavy far- away noise rolled nearer and nearer, spreading, enlarg- ing in volume till with a bursting crash it broke, tearing the atmosphere, then growing fainter, losing some of its anger, finally bursting forth again and then again, as peal after peal of thunder followed. The livid streaks played up and down the horizon, and large spattering drops of rain pelted down. They turned to enter the house. I At that moment Lizzie, black, easy-going Lizzie, ran out on the porch, her face drawn with fright. Mrs Clark! Miss Marion! Janie is goin' to die! I know it! I know it! Oh, I know she is, she moaned. Marion pushed her aside and sprang up the stairs. In an instant she was back at the landing. '6Bring water, hot water and towels, quick, she called. ' For over an hgour Marion and her mother struggled to relieve the little body, as convulsion after convulsion gripped it. The four or five hands on the ranch, with Dan, who had gathered in the hall, glanced up as the door opened and Marion, pale but calm, leaned against it. We must have the doctor, she said slowly, Hand I want one of you to go for him. The men glanced at each other, then, after a mo- mentls hestitation, one stepped forward, and said kindly, It's a shame, but it can't be done nohow. It's nine miles to Harris and there's a dozen gullies that has filled with water the last hour so's it would swim a horse. It's black as your hat and mud's up to your knees. 'Tain't no use, you couldn't make a horse face this. Why, it is a devil of a night outsidef, No, sis, it's no use, even if you could ford the gullies you couldn't keep the road half a second,', her brother added. You won't try it, then, not one of you?', Tain't no use, girl, one of them repeated., It ain't possible for man and beast to make that trip now. VVait two or three hours and when it quits raining the gullies will run down in half an hour so you can cross themf' - Marion listened a moment to the terrible, monotonous roar of rain, broken only by occasional crashes of thunder, then closed the door. Ten minutes later she 1 --31- ' -,4.il..... '.... ,.- .4.-..g-

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MARION 'S RIDE , jj 1 fx , HE afternoon was warm and 1 ' f ff , Q quiet as Marion Clark, on her little black horse, rode along the dusty white road. , gf, Qccasional little lost breez- 5 X es whirled the white dust. The soft thud of the hoofs of her mount was lost in ff the silence, a silence almost 0 X , oppressive, yet she desired X X' J!! 7 X not to break it. She rode ff! X yy! i on up the lane toward an 71 old house that seemed f I from its higher position to be glaring down at the surrounding level country. Edging her horse up to the gate leading into the corral surrounding the barn, she unlatched it, rode through and fastened it again, without dismounting. lnthe barn she slipped the saddle and blanket off with deft, practiced fingers, then for a moment took the pony's muzzle between her hands and laid her cheek against it. 4 , Star, you're the best horse in the country, aren't you, my beauty?,' She caressed h.im. Star poked his soft nose into Marion's pockets in search of lumps of sugar or apple cores and when she nad left, softly neighed after her. , As Marion reached the gate opening into the yard 'Jefore the house, a high-pitched squeal of joy greeted fier as her little three-year old niece ran to meet her, the Qittle orphan who had never known her young mother or her father, Marion's brother. She did not miss them, however, for she was happy in the love of her aunt, so full that it almost took th.e place of a mother's and father's. The baby tumbled into the outstretched arms, with pudgy hands patting Marion's cheek. With her strong young arms the girl lifted the child high above her head, then hugging the baby close, buried her face in the soft neck. The little one gurgled with sweet baby laughter, then wriggled down to draw Marion after her to behold a new-found treasure. XNhat do you wish to show me, janie?', Marion asked. Tse dot a tish-worm, a tish-worm, she repeated earnestly, 'Tse doin' teep an, tame himf' Running forward she showed several bricks piled one on top of another on the hard cement walk. She took the bricks off the worm, and there it lay, thoroughly tamed , indeed. ' At dusk that evening Marion stood at the gate look- .130-. .

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opened the door again and stepped out. With muttered exclamations the men saw she was dressed for a rough, wet ride. My God, girl, what are you doing? i 'Tm going myself, Dan. Star is the only horse in the country, anyway, that can make it. ' As she opened the outer door, a violent burst of wind and rain tore it from her hands and slammed it wide open. Bending her head she pushed out against the tempest. Un entering the barn she threw the blanket and saddle on Star. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Dan sad- dling his buckskin horse. Let me go, sis, he pleaded. She shook her head. No, that buckskin donkey you ride couldn't make it, and if you tried to ride Star he'd buck and you would on Qy lose time. You re a d- fooQ to let her go, one of the men said to Dan. Dan only groaned and followed, out into the darkness, down the Qane and then out into the open plain where the full forc e of the wind struck them. The torrents of rain beat full in their faces, and Dan used the spur cruelly to force his mount straight ahead. Half a mile from the house they came to the first gully, only that afternoon dry and dusty, now a raging, frothing torrent. VVith a prayer she sent her pony into the water. Nose outstretched, the little pony swam valiantly. Half floating, Marion held to its mane till it struck bottom. Dan's horse refused to enter, though. urged severely with whip and spur. lt stood, head down, back humped and legs stiffened. I knew it. Don't worry, Star will keep the road, Marion called back, but her voice was lost in the tempest. Out of the stream and across the plain she sped her horse, taking desperate chances by running where a fall would have meant death for both, praying in broken phrases for it to keep its footing, slowing to a walk where the little animal struggled for a footing on soft, slippery inclines. Then .thru another stream, miracu- lously coming out, encouraging with soft words and patting the hot neck of her brave steed as it strained thru mud and water, against sheets of rain. She was drenched and chilled and every tortured muscle ached. By some wild instinct the horse kept to the road and Marion leaned low over the saddle, swaying with the horse, aiding in every way possible by riding perfectly. The time dragged past and it was only by sheer grit that Marion kept in the saddle. She did not know how long she had been riding. To her numbed mind it seemed an eternity. Faint glimmers appeared in the murky blackness ahead, like lost stars. They grew brighter. Harris, she breathed. The rain had stopped falling. By the time I get there and go back, the streams will be run down till we can cross easily. Ch, darling, . -3 2- 1? Q---9...