Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/59

 e sensibly

than ever. Half an hour past, and the rolling clouds had darkened the western heavens, while the almost incessant flashes of fire seemed to set the earth in a blaze, and as often vanishing, left it shrouded in a darkness almost impenetrable.

Dismal as was the scene, I sat with my eyes rivetted upon it, while a painful sense of awe made my limbs feel weak and my blood move sluggishly through my veins, or rush over me with flashes of feverish heat. Several times I arose with the in tention of returning to camp, but as often resumed my former position, as if enchain ed to the spot by some powerful magic spell.

On came the storm with startling velo city, and presently I could see the tops of distant trees bending to the blast the rain falling in broad, white sheets, as if about to deluge ^he earth and hear the truly dismal roaring of the rushing winds. I would have returned to my companions now, but our camp afforded no protection, and I fancied myself as safe where I was. At last it broke upon me in all its force; ard such a storm I never witnessed before, and hope never to again. I feel myself in competent to describe it. The rain fell in torrents; the wind blew a perfect hurri cane; and tall, old trees, which had per haps stood for centuries, were broken and uprooted; while others, together with sur rounding rocks, were shattered by the fiery bolts, whose crashing reports fairly deaf ened me. How I maintained my position why I was not hurled headlong down the cliff is still a mystery to myself. Oc casionally I caught a glimpse of my com panions moving about below, evidently trying to secure their powder from the stomi; while Huntly was running to and fro in search of his friend, and, to all ap pearance, surprised, alarmed and distress ed. Our animals too had become fright ened, ind, rearing and plunging, they soon broke loose of their tethers, and dashed madly over the plain in every direction. I wouid have joined my companions now, but this had become impossible; for the rain had already swelled the little creek j between me and them into a mighty stream, ! below me, and added its sullen roar to the bowlings of the storm. I shouted, but my
 * that rolled its dark, angry waters with fury

' voice was lost even to myself in the might ier ones of the furious elements.

Two hours two long, never-to-be-for gotten hours did the storm rage thus in fury; and in those two hours me thought I lived a lifetime. Then to my joy it began to abate; and in half an hour more I again beheld the twinkling stars through rents in the driving clouds; while the flashing lightning and the roaring thunder gradu ally becoming less and less distinct to eye and ear, told me the devastating storm was fast speeding on toward the east

I now descended to the creek to join my companions, but finding it too much swol len to attempt a passage with safety, I again ascended the cliff, and shouted to them to assure them of my safety. At first I could not make them hear; but after repeated trials, I had the satisfaction of receiving an answering shout from Huntly, who immediately set off in the direction whence he supposed my voice proceeded. After a minute's search, during which we both called to each other continually, Hunt ly, was enabled to make out my locality but the creek prevented our meeting dur ing the night.

At day-break I discovered him and Teddy standing on the opposite side; and as the flood had a little subsided, I plunged in and swam across not, however, with out much difficulty and danger, nor until the rushing waters had borne me some forty cr fifty yards down the stream. No sooner was I safe on the bank, than Huntly threw his arms around my neck and wept like a child.

"Thank God! Frank, my friend, " he exclaimed, " that I am able to clasp you once again! Oh! if you could but know my feelings of last night! I thought you were lost lost to me forever!" and again he was forced to dash the tears from his eyes. "But tell me, Frank how came you there?"

I proceeded to detail every particular.

"A horrible night to you, too, Frank, " said Huntly, in reply. " But 'hereafter, my friend, you must not steal away from me in this way. If you have trouble*, share them with me."

Teddy was greatly rejoiced to see m also; and he got me by the hand, and by the leg, and capered around