Then the
Kingfisher rattled with all his might, and flew for the tunnel in
the embankment.
Some of these days the air was still, the earth warmed in the
golden sunshine, and murmured a low song of sleepy content. Some
days the wind raised, whirling dead leaves before it, and covering
the earth with drifts of plum, cherry, and apple bloom, like late
falling snow. Then great black clouds came sweeping across the sky,
and massed above Rainbow Bottom. The lightning flashed as if the
heavens were being cracked open, and the rolling thunder sent
terror to the hearts of man and beast. When the birds flew for
shelter, Dannie and Jimmy unhitched their horses, and raced for the
stables to escape the storm, and to be with Mary, whom electricity
made nervous.
They would sit on the little front porch, and watch the greedy
earth drink the downpour. They could almost see the grass and
flowers grow. When the clouds scattered, the thunder grew fainter;
and the sun shone again between light sprinkles of rain. Then a
great, glittering rainbow set its arch in the sky, and it planted
one of its feet in Horseshoe Bend, and the other so far away they
could not even guess where.
If it rained lightly, in a little while Dannie and Jimmy could go
back to their work afield. If the downpour was heavy, and made
plowing impossible, they pulled weeds, and hoed in the garden.
Dannie discoursed on the wholesome freshness of the earth, and
Jimmy ever waited a chance to twist his words, and ring in a laugh
on him.
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