One lightning flash succeeded
another with such rapidity that the little valley was illuminated
almost to the brightness of day, and the thunder reverberated in one
continuous roar.
With the buildings of Johnson's ranch left safely behind, Alice's
concern for Endicott's well-being cooled perceptibly.
"He needn't to have been so hateful, just because I laughed at him,"
she thought, and winced at a lightning flash. Her lips pressed
tighter. "I hate thunder-storms--to be out in them. I bet we'll all
be soaked and--" There was a blinding flash of light, the whole valley
seemed filled with a writhing, twisting rope of white fire, and the
deafening roar of thunder that came simultaneously with the flash made
the ground tremble. It was as though the world had exploded beneath
their feet, and directly in the forefront the girl saw a tall dead
cottonwood split in half and topple sidewise. And in the same instant
she caught a glimpse of Endicott's face. It was very white. "He's
afraid," she gritted, and at the thought her own fear vanished, and in
its place came a wild spirit of exhilaration. This was life. Life in
the raw of which she had read and dreamed but never before experienced.
Her horse stopped abruptly. The Texan had dismounted and was pulling
at the huge fragment of riven trunk that barred the trail.
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