A Daughter of the Land

There was no use to scream, no one could have heard her. The

storm raved on; Kate clung to her tree, with each flash of

lightning trying to see the dam. At last she saw that it was not

all gone. She was not much concerned about herself. She knew the

tree would hold. Eagerly she strained her eyes toward the dam.

She could feel the water dropping lower, while the roar subsided

to a wild rush, and with flashes of lightning she could see what

she thought was at least half of the dam holding firm. By that

time Kate began to chill. She wrapped her arms around the tree,

and pressing her cheek against the rough bark, she cried as hard

as she could and did not care. God would not hear; the neighbours

could not. She shook and cried until she was worn out. By that

time the water was only a muddy flow around her ankles; if she had

a light she could wade back to the bridge and reach home. But if

she missed the bridge and went into the ravine, the current would

be too strong for her. She held with one arm and tried to wipe

her face with the other hand. "What a fool to cry!" she said.

"As if there were any more water needed here!"

Then she saw a light in the house, and the figures of the

children, carrying it from room to room, so she knew that one of

them had awakened for a drink, or with the storm, and they had

missed her. Then she could see them at the front door, Adam's

sturdy feet planted widely apart, bracing him, as he held up the

lamp which flickered in the wind. Then she could hear his voice

shouting: "Mother!" Instantly Kate answered. Then she was sorry

she had, for both of them began to scream wildly. There was a

second of that, then even the children realized its futility.

"She is out there in the water, WE GOT TO GET HER," said Adam.

"We got to do it!"

He started with the light held high. The wind blew it out. They

had to go back to relight it. Kate knew they would burn their

fingers, and she prayed they would not set the house on fire.

When the light showed again, at the top of her lungs she screamed:

"Adam, set the broom on fire and carry it to the end of the

bridge; the water isn't deep enough to hurt you." She tried

twice, then she saw him give Polly the lamp, and run down the

hall. He came back in an instant with the broom. Polly held the

lamp high, Adam went down the walk to the gate and started up the

sidewalk. "He's using his head," said Kate to the tree. "He's

going to wait until he reaches the bridge to start his light, so

it will last longer. THAT is BATES, anyway. Thank God!"