The Heart's Kingdom

"Oh, God, we trust in the covert of thy wings," he prayed for a second

and then commanded: "Fall to the earth, all of you, and let it pass over

you!"

"The children!" came a cry that was a wail of parenthood, as we all sank

to the ground just as the terrible black monster tore the roof from the

Little House and hurled it toward us across the street. I saw a huge

rafter hurtle through the air and strike down Mark Morgan as he started

toward the steps of the schoolhouse, and by not a half inch did it miss

drunken, useless Mike Burns as it fell beside him. Then I covered my

eyes as the cloud and the wind passed over me and I only heard it strike

and rend and crash and tear the schoolhouse, beam from beam and stone

from stone. An eerie wail of the voices of little children was mixed

with the roar of the monster which crashed on up through the Town,

laying low the homes of our pride and prosperity, leaving us with our

faces to the ground while upon us began to pour a deluge of cold rain.

"Mark! Mark!" I heard Harriet moan beside me and I saw her crawl under

the wind toward where Mark had fallen.

"My babies, Oh, my babies!" came a wail in Nell's voice, and I saw her

try to rise, be knocked over by the wind and then begin to crawl toward

the wrecked mass that a second before had been the schoolhouse and from

which now could be heard the screams and cries of the children. Then as

suddenly as it had laid us low the cruel wind left us and with one

accord we all sprang to our feet and surged toward the children's calls

and cries that came out to us in the semi-darkness that still enveloped

us, though both the wind and the rain were abating.

But before a huge slab that had been the top step of the schoolhouse we

were all halted by a voice so stern and commanding that even the

agonized mothers and fathers paused.

"Stop! Not a man or a woman must come a step nearer," said the parson,

with the authority in his voice that must always be obeyed when used by

one human being to another. "The roof of the house has split and sunk in

the middle and only one side beam is supporting it. If it is touched by

so much as a hand it may lose its balance and fall on the children.

Only one man must come forward and put his shoulder under the beam at

the other end while I hold this. The children must come out one by one,

so as not to shake anything on them. The beam may fall. Do you all

understand me? One man!"