The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-12-05
In the midst of that rush and roar, as

T saw that poor gal, white, Mortified,
and with her yaller hair clinging round
her, all my old love for her comes back,
and I swore big oath as I'd save her
for myself or die.
I tore her dress into ribbons, for there
warn't q moment to lose, and I pound
that BARN somehow on to my shoulders,
she watching me the while; and then,
with my heart beating madly, caught
her in my arms, she cGnging tightly to
me in her fear, and I stood up, thinking
how could get back, and making ready
to leap.
The flood didn't wait for that, though.
In moment there was culver of the
bank, and it went from beneath my feet,
leaving me wrestling with the waters
once more.
T don't know how I did it, only that,
after fight and being half smothered,
I found myself crawling up the side Of
the Gulch, ever 80 low down, and drag.
ging Jael into a safe place with her
bairn.
She fell down afore me, hugged my
legs and kissed my feet; and then she
started up and began staring up and
down, ending by seeing, just above US,
old Hez clinging there still, with his
sound arm rammed into the bush and
his body swept out by the fierce stream.
The next moment she had seized me
by the arm, and was pinting at him, and
she gave a wild kind Of shrek.
"Save him save him !" she shrieked
III my ear.
What, Hez? Save Hez to come be-
tween us once more :? Save her husband
the man hated, and would gladly see
die? Oh, I couldn't do it, and my looks
showed it, she reading me like book
the while. No, he might drown-he was
drowned-must be. No just then he
moved. But, nonsense! wasn't going
to risk my life for his, and cut my own
throat as to the futur'.
She went down on her knees to me,
though, pinting again at where Hez
still hoated; and the old feeling of love
for her was stronger on me than ever.
"You're asking me to die for you,
Jael?" I shouted in her ear.
"Save him-save Hez !" she shrieked.
"Yes, save him p I groaned to my
self. "Bring him back to the happiness
that might be mine. But she loves Linn
she loves him; and I must"
I gave one look at her-as thought
my last-and I couldt help it. If she
had asked me dumbly, as she did, to do
something ten times as wild, I should
have done it; and, with run, I got well
up above Hez afore I jumped in once
more, to have the same fight with the
waters till was swept down to the bush
where he was.
I'd got my knife in my teeth to cut
the bush away and let him free but as
I was swept against it my weight tore
it away, and Hez and I went down the
stream together. him 80 done up that he
lay helpless on the water. :.
Something seemed to tell me to finish
him off. A minute under water would
have done it; but Jael's face was before
me, and at last I got to the other side,
with her climbing along beside us, and
if it hadn't been for the hand she
stretched down to me, I should never
uaVe CraWleu out Will o1o 1Aon~A WAC
that done.
As T dropped down painting on the
rock, Jael came to my side, leaned over
me and kissed me. and I turned away,
for the next moment she was trying hard
and bringing her husband to, and I was
beginning to feel once more that I had
been fool.
amt much more to tell, only that
the food went down most as quick as
it had come up, and Hez got all right
again, and did we'll. They wanted
muchly to be friends, but KEEP away.
I felt as I'd been fool to save him, and
I was kinder 'shamed like Of it, 80 I took
off to Frisco, where, after cumming
about, I took to going voyages to Pan
anna and back, and the sea seemed to
suit me like, and there I stuck to it.