A FURNACE OF EARTH
A FURNACE OF EARTH
BY
HALLIE ERMINIE RIVES
Author of “Smoking Flax,” etc.
INDIANAPOLIS
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1900,
By The Camelot Company,
New York.
TO
R. W.
THE ELEMENTS.
EARTH, AIR AND WATER.
Along the wavering path which followed thetwisting summit of the cliffs toiled a little figure.His face was tanned, and from under a browntangle of hair looked eyes blue and fearless.
He had walked a mile, and home lay a milefurther, where white-painted cottages glowedagainst the close green velvet of the hills. Theway ran staggeringly, and the boy was tired.
A group of ragged children tossed up theircaps and shouted from the cluster of fishermen’shuts set further back from the sea; he did notheed them, but seated himself on the tufted panic-grassand turned his eyes seaward. The hot sunslanted silver-bright flashes from the moody[2]water, and whistling swallows, beyond the cliff-edge,soared and dropped against the blue of thesky, like black balls from a juggler’s hands. Alight breeze, lifting, ruffled with a million ripplesthe gray surge, played along the path in scurryingdust-whorls and cooled his hot cheeks.
On its heels came stealthily a yellowish dimness;a sullen bank of cloud crept swiftly alongthe northern horizon. From a thin, black line, itgrew to a pall, rising ominous and threatening.Quick flashes pricked its jagged edge. Beneathit the sea turned to a weight of liquid lead.
The boy Richard rose fascinated, his eyes uponthe advancing squall, his ears open to the risingbreathing of the waves, troubled by under-dreams.His lips were parted eagerly, and hisbrowned hands clutched at the brim of his hat.Often and often, from his window, he had seenthe power of the storm; now its near and intimatepresence throbbed through him.
The foremost gust struck him with suddenfury, turning him about as though with strong[3]hands upon his shoulders, and tearing his hatfrom his grasp. He caught his breath with asense of outraged dignity; then, bending his headresolutely to the onslaught, he stumbled forward.The air was full of scudding mist-streaks, andtwisted roots caught at his feet in the half-darkness.The fierce wind tore with its claws at thelittle jacket, buttoned bravely, and to