Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-15

rSr pe1Ow MIN ne -, .Ae open wa
ter at the mouth OF Upper creek and
remembered that he would have to
steer TO the west side to avoid the
I. eachers spot. He gazed keenly at
the woods there. but nothing at first
saw TO alarm him.
He allowed the Ice Wrath to run
gradually over toward that side The
boat few like q great bird. They had
the wind az their backs again.
But suddenly, while they were still
two or three miles from the chasm I'm
the ice. man with a gun broke |
through the bushes on the west shore
OF the river and ran out upon the ice. |
Franklyn knew it was Hi Conley. He !
was followed by twoor three others and ,
then a sleigh drawn by two horses was
driven out upon the river also. They
were headed on
All the men had guns or sled stakes
! and the horses were headed down the
I river in readiness to race with the ice
boat. IL, by any possibility. Franklyn
got by unscathed.
4 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 mile or more ran
out behird him before he decided upon
any plan. The reckless and half-drunk-
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 yacht most
OF the time.
Suddenly Franklin tackled and took
a short leg to the eastward. The men
below did not move. They were well
out upon the ice and no sane man
would run too close to the mouth OF
Upper creek The ice yacht was sim
ply gathering Roadway for a long
, swoop upon them.
And this seemed to be Franklyn s
intention, 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 near
er she drew to that narrower strip OF
D safe ice. The chasm at the mouth of
: the creek was skinned over with thin
and treacherous ice. Hi Conley stood
: | within easy rife range of the edge OF
q the safe ice. There was little danger
OF his missing a shot this time.
And then a great shout went up from
the waiting men. The flying yacht
t came about as though on a pivot She
n scared up like a seagull, balanced or
) her starboard runners, while the main
l. sail dipped gracefully, and then SHE
h shot away directly for that narrow
!. strip Of black ice with the wind exactly
n asterni
Franklyn leaned over to port with
a steady hand on the tiller I'D a suddeI
n light In his eyes. II was a desperate
M chance, but in its very daring there wa
/ success.
}" Conley's rifle cracked vainly TIL
Ia Ice Wrath seemed to outspeed bullet
d for the moment. Like an arrow iron
= the bow she shot down TO the chasm
Of The black lee strained and cracked
Franklyn could feel it bend beneat
their weight And then, as the broke
v ice cracked all about them, the zach
leaped the chasm and sped out upo
ar the frozen river beyond!
Looking back the navigator saw thei
20 pursuers tumble hurriedly into tn
sleigh, but they were fairly out-dis
N tanced In a few minutes the Ic
IL Wrath rounded the last bend in tn
40 stream and safely made the pulp mi
landing Ffanklyn had to almost carr
"a Rose to the railway station, but ono
In seated On the cars she recovered froI
her fright. The train rolled out OF th
+" town before the sweating horses {
= heir pursuers reached the landing.
Ii was several years before Frankly
ha Nventured into the region again.
mo Conley was then serving a term in II
ev state prison. Abe Bannock met Franz
Ign with some confusion.
nd 60 course. Mt. Franklyu. If we
in knowed you fanci1a the gal. you coul
90 have had ner for sh' askin'. l don
an reckon Rose will ever come back Il
tn ere way. eh?"
ey "I don't believe she WILL" reph
or Eranklyn, sternly, for the memory
ly. those blue welts upon Roses pref
shoulders came over him very strong
en- for the moment my wife's experien
RS with you wasn't pleasant enough
10 her to want to renew old association
IN, Omaha Bee.