The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-11-13

also the rain, and by the time the sun
should have been up it was pouring 6
down in torrents. Sang felt i'll at ease
and walked about restlessly, peering
out through the rain in every direc-
ton, hoping he would see Matt return
ing. Hour after hour he watched end
waited u vain, until at last he could
stand it no longer and left the house.
As be had done the day before. he
rode down toward the river, and as
he rode along he muttered to him
self:
What a pair of fools we have been
to fall out as we did, just for moth
ing! Iwish Matt would come back
so that might tell him"
Then be smiled grinly in his old
way, and in spite Of the pouring rain
rode on toward the river.
u reckon Matt will flare up like
thunder, as IS usual with him. when
he finds out" he mused 1T was q
hard pull to swim across the river
yesterday, but it was a good thing
Matt made me mad, or wouldn't be
able to do it today, after all this rain.
Lordy. What a joke it will be on
Matt, and he so sure that Nellie
would jump right into his arms, too,
as soon as he asked herr
The water was roaring down every
gully and ravine and went rushing
toward the river, swelling it every
moment. As Sang approached the
river he could hear the angry roar Of
the water as it forced its way over
and through the raft" OF uprooted
trees and drift that had lodged in the
bend below the ranch and had grown
steadily for perhaps hundreds Of
years.
When Sang reached the river, he
was surprised to see how it had risen
since the day before. Old logs and
trees came whirling down the mighty
food, spinning round and round in
the eddies before being hurled against
and over the raft, little distance be-
low.
The water was rushing over every
thing. and only one huge tree. which
had lodged in the raft with its roots
in the air, was visible above it.
Among the roots, which seemed to
writhe and twist Ike serpents in the
still pouring rain, Sang thought he
could see something move and ges-
ticulate, and a faint cry reached his
ears above the roar of the water:
Dang my picture if that amt
Matt" he shouted, Unconscious Of
the loud tone he used. 'On his way
to see Nellie, I bet. Little good it
would do him, and I would tell him
so pretty quick if I could just reach
him"
Matt was standing up now among
the twisted roots, waving his arms
wildly.
s.Lordy!n cried Sang, If this had
been yesterday, I guess I wouldn't
have moved finger to try to save
him. But can afford to pull him
ashore now, if for nothing else, just
to laugh at him. But 1 must hurry
up, or the water viii rise and wash
him OF.
Hold fast for your life. Ill be
back directly" be shouted as he rode
back the way be had come as fast as
the horse could run.
When Sang returned, he broughta
large coil OF new rope with him,
which be proceeded to recoil care
fully into two piles. When this was
done, he made one end Of the rope
fast securely around tree and the
other around his body. Then he
picked up one pile Of the rope and
hung It carefully over his arm and
walked coolly into the watec.
Straight out he swan, with the
sure stroke of an expert and power
full swimmer. until the rope on the
bank had all run out. Then, coil by
coil, he let the rope On his arm slip
of also, while the current carried
him downward toward the old snag
and Matt. When only a few coils Of
the rope remained upon his arm, he
reached it in safety.
'.Ididn't think you would come and
help me- said Matt family as be
grasped the cutstretched hand of his
friend. do you know, Sang, I
wouldn't have done this much for you
yesterday'"
Neither would I, Matt, "said Sang,
But today it is different. Now, how
ever, we must be getting away from
here while we can. Just let me make
the end Of the rope fast around your
body, and the current viii soon swing
US into the bank without much exer-
ton on our part.
Matt was weak and worn from
long exposure and anxiety and sub
mitted quietly to everything Sang
proposed. When all was ready, they
let themselves down into the water
and in a few minutes were safely
landed by the current against the
shore.
The evening sun was sshining bright
" when Matt awoke from a sound
sleep much refreshed.
y was thinking it al over last
night among the roots Of that old
tree, Sang, and made UP nay mind If
I got away from there alive to give
up my interest in Nellie n your IA
vor."
That's you, Matt, but Idon;t want
it," said Sang, laughing. i would
Ike to know, however, how you
come to choose such place as that
to roost inl
scI-aN or-o-. tf,a words we had YES