The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-12

lDSlr coming. But they were MOI III al5ut
He kept the Ice Wrath near the east
shore. He did not fancy stopping any bul-
let's from the bushes along the river bank
They We're now quite half way to the pulp
mill landing He looked at his watch,
and saw with delight that. unless delayed,
they would be an time for the afternoon
train.
Far below him he saw the open water
at The mouth of Upper Creek, and remem-
bered that he would have TO steer to he
west side to avoid the treacherous spot
He gazed keenly at the woods there, but
saw nothing at first to alarm him.
He allowed the Ice Wrath TO run grad
ually over toward that side. The boat
flew like a great bird. They mad the wind
at their backs again.
But suddenly, while they were still two
or three miles from the ehasm in the ice
a man with a gun broke through the
bushes on the west shore of the river and
ran out upon the ice. FRANKLIN knew 1t
was Hi Conley. He was followed by two
or three others and then a sleigh drawn
by two horses was driven out upon the
river also. They were headed Off
All the men had guns or sled stakes
and the horses were headed down the
river in readiness to race with the ice
boat if. by any possibility, FRANKLIN got
by unscathed.
For a few moments Franklin did not
shift the tiller an atom. The Ice Wrath
was headed directly for the group upon the
ice, and half a mile or more ran out be
hind him before he decided upon any plan.
| The reckless and half-drunken fellows
would certainly use their guns and not
! only his own life, but the girls would be
| sacrificed. Fortunately Rose had not seen
| their danger She had crouched down in
| the ycaht most of the time
Suddenly Franklin tackled and took a
short leg to the eastward. The men be-
low did not move. They were well out
| upon the ice, aud no sane man would run
| too close to the mouth of Upper creek.
| The ice yacht was simply gathering head
way for long swoop upon them.
And this seemed to be F'ranklyn's inten-
| ton, for the Ice Wrath soon came about
and aimed her nose directly at the enemy
She bowled along, close-hauled, with a
cloud of ice particles dancing in her wake.
| Nearer and nearer she drew to that mar
| rover strip of safe ice. The chasm at
the mouth of the creek was SKINNED over
with thin and treacherous ice. Hi Conley
| stood within easy rifle range of the edge
of the safe ice. There was little danger
of his missing a shot TINS time!'7s ie
And then great shout went up from
| the waiting men. The flying yacht came
| about as though on a pivot. She scared
| up like a seagull balanced on her star
| board runners, while the mainsai dipped
| gracefully, and then she shot away di-
rectly for that narrow strip of black ice
with the wind exactly astern
Franklin leaned over to port with a
steady hand on the tiller and sudden
| light in his eyes. 1t was a desperate
chance, but in its very daring there was
| success
Conley's rife cracked vainly. The Ice
Wrath seemed to outspeed bullets for
the moment Like an arrow from the bow
she shot down to the chasfn The black
Ice strained and cracked. Franklin could
! feel it bend beneath their weight And
then, as the broken ice cracked all about
them, the yacht leaped the chasm and
| sped out upon the frozen river beyond,
Looking back, the navigator saw their
| pursuers tumble hurriedy into the sleigh
| but they were fairly outdistanced. In a
| few minutes the Ice Wrath rounded the
: last bend in the stream and safely made
| the pulp mill landing. Franklyn had to
| almost carry Rose to the railway station
but once seated in the cars, she recovered
| from her fright. The train rolled out
| of the town before the sweating horses
| of their Dursuers reached the landing
Il was several years before Franklin
ventured into the region again. Hi Conley
was then serving a term in the state pris-
| on. Abe Bannock met Franklyn with
some confusion.
90 course, Mr.. Franklyn if we'd know
ed you fancied the gal, you could have
had her for tn arskin'. / don't reckon
Rose will ever come back this ere way
| eh?"
II don't believe she will" replied Frank
! lyn, sternly, for the memory Of those blue
welts upon Roses pretty shoulders came
over him very strongly for the moment
| My wifes experience with you WASH
| pleasant enough for her to want to renew
| old associa tons"