Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-02-09

round, with the bark gone, but with
many knots roughening its surface. ]
selected a somewhat smaller one, with
coarse bark. A few blows of an axe
released both logs from the withes
which bound them to the others about
them, and, uniting our strength, we
dragged them across the raft and launch
ed them at the stern. Then with the
staples we fastened the iron chain end
and end to the logs, binding each near
the middle.
When pushed free from the raft, they
fioated some twenty five feet apart, fol-
lowing its own motion in the current
and eddies, occasionally swinging so
close as almost to touch, and again &C.
parating until restrained by the chain.
"They'll do" said my companion.
'1'll go for Nicholson"
Perhaps ought TO have prayed. l
had time while waiting, and l knew
how; but my heart was not filled with
prayer, nor yet fear, but hatred. felt
that | had been hunted down, and a
fierce desire to kill infamed me.
Had | prayed, it would have been for
success in the coming combat, not for
simple safety.
A sound at my side caused ne to
turn. The man mad returned, and my
antagonist was with him. A thrill of
Joy ran through me as / noted the pal
lor of Nicholson's face.
Gle is afraid | shall kill himl" I
whispered to myself.
"Now strip to your shirts and breech-
es, take your knives in your teeth, and,
when / give the word, Jump in and
swim for the logs. Either man to
either log" said the third party TO this
strange encounter.
Silently we obeyed, disrobing our
selves, and standing, a moment later,
side by side upon the edge of the raft"
care you ready2 Col"
Two plungss that were but as one,
two dark heads above the muddy foam
of the river, and an instant latter, two
men astride of two floating logs faced
each other, each with murder in his
eyesl
had secured the smaller log, per-
haps by chance, perhaps because nv
antagonist had sought the other one,
but felt it to be an advantage.
could move my support more rapidly
and easily than he could his-couid at
tack or retreat with less exertion.
Each held his knife in hand and set
tied himself on his log; then Nicholson
began with his unarmed hand to pad
die slowly toward me.
Perhaps this motion of our logs af-
fected our relative position to the raft
perhaps SONG eddying current seized
us, but whatever the cause, Just as nv
enemy was almost within reach, and
both were preparing with tense nerves
for the coming contest, sudden
plunge of tie logs forced us both to
look to our individual safety, and l no
ticed to my establishment that instead
of following in the wake of the grea,
raft, we had drifted to one side, and
were now abreast of it, moving with
much greater speed than the raft itself
and evidently bound on an independ,
ent journey to the gulf.
The sight startled me and / cried ont
eve are being swept away"
Nicholson halfturned, then careless
of oil else, looked back at me, and oul
logs now ranging side by side, leaned
toward me, his knife-hand half out.
stretched. | bent back to avoid him
when a sudden plunge of the tree.
trunk upon which / rode, threw me al
most into my antagonists arms, and
his cleaning blade shot downward like
the flash of hawks wing.
1 could not ward the blow for I had
almCSt lost NV ha1auno hut o,o th;,,
remained to do, and l did it. Slipping
from my log, and diving, the knife
missed me, but Nicholson overborne
by the force of his stroke, followed me
headlong into the muddy stream.
Neither of us feared the involuntary
plunge, but as came to the surface a
sudden horror shot through mel had
dropped my knife! At the same in
slant the head ofmy enemy appeared
at my side, followed by the sinewy arm
and the shining blade. He threw him.
self upon Inc and raised his hand to
strike. was lostl
But even as closed my eyes in the
horror of despair, sudden rush sound.
60 in my ears, dark something pass
ed close by me, the knife that had
sought my throat sank glittering
through the water, and with a strange
groan, and with quivering outreach.
ing Of his hands, Nicholson, lifeless
body, followed it.
The log upon which he mad ridden
had been thrown by the current end
on against his head, crushing it like an
egg-shell. l was saved.