Chapter 29

           Overthehighcoastmountainsandoverthevalleysthegraycloudsmarchedinfromtheocean.Thewindblewfiercelyandsilently,highintheair,anditswishedinthebrush,anditroaredintheforests.Thecloudscameinbrokenly,inpuffs,infolds,ingraycrags;andtheypiledintogetherandsettledlowoverthewest.Andthenthewindstoppedandleftthecloudsdeepandsolid.Therainbeganwithgustyshowers,pausesanddownpours;andthengraduallyitsettledtoasingletempo,smalldropsandasteadybeat,rainthatwasgraytoseethrough,rainthatcutmiddaylighttoevening.Andatfirstthedryearthsuckedthemoisturedownandblackened.Fortwodaystheearthdranktherain,untiltheearthwasfull.Thenpuddlesformed,andinthelowplaceslittlelakesformedinthefields.Themuddylakesrosehigher,andthesteadyrainwhippedtheshiningwater.Atlastthemountainswerefull,andthehillsidesspilledintothestreams,builtthemtofreshets,andsentthemroaringdownthecanyonsintothevalleys.Therainbeatonsteadily.Andthestreamsandthelittleriversedgeduptothebanksidesandworkedatwillowsandtreeroots,bentthewillowsdeepinthecurrent,cutouttherootsofcottonwoodsandbroughtdownthetrees.Themuddywaterwhirledalongthebanksidesandcreptupthebanksuntilatlastitspilledover,intothefields,intotheorchards,intothecottonpatcheswheretheblackstemsstood.Levelfieldsbecamelakes,broadandgray,andtherainwhippedupthesurfaces.