The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-02-23
eolxnen1. 1872. Y AVE e,e ~ ASH. -

ReS5 ASSN. III
feet, he permitted himself to drift down
with the current. 4 favorite way with
him, when a boy. of resting in tie
water, had been TO float on his back.
Unmindful of the wetting he would give
the clothes tied around his neck. IL
turned over and drifted with his arms
spread beside him. his eyes turned
directly to the sky.
1t may seem singular that man who
was being carried from so dreadful
death should have thought of anything
else. But Mark did not want to think
of it. He had never been unnerved ex-
cept after his sentence. with an almost
certain execution before him. and felt Il
best to let his mind drift into other
channels. Then danger is not, a1d was
not, especially with Mark, to be COM
pared with certain destruction. The
soldier on the fed of battle is a differ
ent man from one who awaits the bul-
lets of file of soldiers drawn up in line
to take his life deliberately. Mark was
a changed man from the moment he got
into the river. for he then felt that he
had chance for his life.
In the position on his back he coald
only look upward at the stars. There
was the great dome above him spangled
with myriads of bright points and
spanned by the milky way He had
always been fond Of the stars. and in
order to divert his mind picked ont
some of his favorites and traced few
consultations with which he was famil-
lar. In this way he diverted his mind
until his nerves became quite steady.
His observations were suddenly
! checked by sound 1t was very faint,
/ but enough to freeze the marrow in his
bones. 1t was the distant bark of a dog.
( He listened and presently could hear
more. Evidently there was PACK.
They drew nesa5GT. Then they teellse;l
for awhile. Perhaps they had come to
the place where he had walked on the
fence. Then the barks began again
growing only slightly louder as they
came, for Mark was floating rapidly
| from the point where he had entered ths
river.
He involuntarily turned over on III:
chest and struck out Justify. The cur
rent was swift: swimming would no
add to his safety-it would only tax hi:
strength and render him more liable t.
recapture on the other shore But swim
he must With the terrible sound o.
those dogs in his ears he coun not Ii,
idly on the water and leave the curren
to bear him onward
Soon there came another cessation O
sound from the dogs far above on tn,
shore, and Mark judged that they hat
lost the scent at the place where he hat
entered the water.
Then he began to think of Souri, ant
Jakey. What had they done to Sour
when they had discovered her trick
Would they punish her? Would the,
treat the boy harshly? He was com
forted with the thought that there woul'
be nothing gained by this-it would no
bring the prisoner back-but he mu.
tered a prayer for the girl who ha'
placed herself behind those prison bars
who had incurred the rage of his jailer
to save him.
!. He heard no more Of the dogs an
floated on, swimming and resting alter
/ nately. The high bluffs of Moccasi
point were before him on his right. A
owl on their summit, watching the riS
ing moon, occasionally gave a disma
hoot, the intervals being supplied by tn
melancholy whippoorwill The curren
: bore him on around the point, carryin
. him in near the shore where he ha
! passed the picket with the sleepin
Jakey in his arms few nights before
E So close was he that he could see n ma
walking back and forth ON the very bes
l of the one he had passed. As he drifte
,, away he saw the relief approach and th
! picket changed.
He was borne directly under Lookot
mountain, and on down for a mile to
point where the river makes anothe
bend. Here the bank was low, and {
Mark was getting chilled he SWAN
the southern bank for rest. He lai
himself down for few moments on Il
: dry ground, and then getting up wake
back and forth rapidly, swinging b
arms at the same time to restore circ1
l. lation and fit him to endure . long,
stay in the water. He looked about fl
some piece of wood on which he migl
Z float farther. There were logs of va1
ous sizes scattered around, but most
them were rotten. He was SO much
3 home in the water that he was not al
: appointed on failing to find one suitab
: to his purpose.
2 Plunging in again he moved ON dow
past the bluffs At the foot of the Raccot
> mountains, swimming On his chest mo
: Of the time and Keeping . lockout befo
: him. He had not passed any boats,
s least none near him, and did not fe
. this danger, but he wanted to keep
surroundings we'll in view h ordW
know his location The monn V1A nc
Confinue1 % last paGe.