The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-29
STATION 347 + SIG.
BY WOL6OTT LECLEnR BEHRD
Author Of Specs The Mnrtyrdom of John the Boptist
'BlsDogos Madeleine" etc.
copyright. 1907. by wolcoa Lee. Bend.I
PART JI.

OuSly, us many nantS. TO an accom- pi-
niment of oaths and sounding blows,
bucl<led and hooked with fear-insI~red
CELEBRITY. The Mexican, saddling the
engineers horse with that readiness
which is the brthright OF his race,
mounted and started 10 ride away. A.
he passed. Powers drew pistol and
cooked and leveled il. Carter, who had
carefully placed Nan and her mother
in the wagon. sprang forward, and. lift
ing the Mexican from the saddle. threw
him heavily to the ground, where he lay
stunned.
Push for the rise on the other side
of the river" Powers shouted to the
driver. This flats three miles wide"
The horses dug their toe calks into
the ground, as the driver curled mis-
long lash around their bodies; the
wagon strained and creaked and slow
]y started, the men climbing into their
places as il went. After handing the
engineer his mount. Carter picked up
the unconscious Mexican, threw him
into the moving wagon. and vaulted
after.
There was no time to look for road.
The team forced its way in labored
frot through the underground, toward
the river. Powers picked up a transit
rod and broke it across his knee, re-
tanning the thicker end; then swung
into the saddle and spurred after the
departing team.
1t had reached the end of the chap
paral. when he caught it, and was work
ing across the muddy fat. The whip
was cracking like pistol shots, and Pow
ers beat the lead horses with his stick.
They broke into n numbering gallop.
Half mile above them the river made
a sharp turn. Around this turn there
crept the point of n wedge of water.
so covered with debris that IL looked
as though the river bed itself was NOV
ing.
That's The fore foot er the food"
remarked Carter. calmly. THE rivers |
twistin makes it come slantwise like |
that The bulk of it'll foller in a wave.
Its right roun' the corner. there. an
it'il kctch up when il gets onter the
straight. III it hits us we're sure done. |
we amt got no time to stop an take
tea"
The water in the narrow channel was
running as placidly as though all were
Us usual. The wagon plunged in and
ierkcd out. then ran smoothly over the
level sand on the other side. A hundred
yards above tongue of rock jutted
into the river bed. AS the toe of the
food reached this point the covering
Of debris was arrested for a moment
md the water orept out from under il,
~ melted lead, when poured, creeps
from beneath its spread of dross. An
rstant later water was swirling around
The spinning wheels of the wagon, and
the horses, still gnnopng. were going
hook deep through the mud-thickened
iuid. A dash of spray. thrown high in
he air. glanced over the top of the
,iiffs. and around the bend above the
ngtives there came, with the speed
y an express train. a rustling, whisper
Dg terrace OF water.
The ground sloped gently upwards;
he water rose rapidly. bat the speed
" the horses kept 1t from greatly gain
ng. Ahead Of them steep bank had to
,e climbed before they could reach the
mesa trail and safety The lead horses
lint bed the rise like eats; the other two
pans stuck. scrambling and striving,
n the fcce Of the bank, held back by
he weight Of the heavy wagon which
'ung 70 their traces. Powers beat the
eadcrs franticallv: the teagnsier had
iscn from his seat and. with the full
weep of hcdy and arm. was toweltng
hS wheelnrs with doubled thong. The
'agon gained little, slipped back and
ained again. Several of the men
nmped to the ground and, working
neir feet into the slippery clay of the
ank, grasped the spokes and tried 70
urn the wheels. Carter dropped over
he tail board and braced his bacl;
2ninst IL, pushing with all his enor-
nous strength. The horses snorted and
'rugg!ei. The wagon gained a trifle
Then, with crashing roar. the wavc
',shed by. 1t struck the rear end Of ,
ic wagon. flooding aud licog aud ,
irning II nearly at right u IS with .
ne fore part. A floating .ag drove /.
yainst q wheel. ground itself aside and
iTuclS Carter heavily on the head, .
weeping him down like one Of the !,
ecks of yellow foam. The engineer /,
heeled his horse and spurrcd down the :,
ank, hoping Tint he might lie able IN !,
itercept the floating body. and arrived Z,
, time to see Carter's drenched head :,
ppear above the surface under the lee of y
bowlder. close TO the shore. BY the /,
me Powers had reached him he was =
q land. Blood was flowing from a cut :
q his forehead, and he appeared dazcd :,
} he started. in a staggering run. for /,
,e higher ground. Slipping loose +,
irrup. Powers thrust IL into the chain I
ANS hand. and partly running. part =
dragged, he made his way up the =
ope. .
Tor n moment. as the flood struck the
agon. Il had relieved the strain on the y
orses. Tho fore wheels hung. unde- q,
ded. on the edge of the bank, then -
,sSed reluctantly over and the pant- | .