The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-04-25
Hollis at the other end.

dG tAiO OCuSA C0A.
'.Let gol'' roared to him as pushed
my horses down the bank in order to
attempt the assistance that l knew l
could not give .sLet go the line and
get out while you can! Don't you see
they 'ro closing around you? Let go!'
Spider heard and shock his head. He
had no intention whatever cf letting
go. Dragged upward by Hollis superior
weight. he was hanging with his feet
just touching the water. In spite of his
desperate hold the lariat was slipping
through Spiders hands. His face was
getting white under its tan. but his
teeth were set and still be held fast.
Let go. Let go, nowl' | called
again. Spider did not let go. and then
il was too late. a bunch Of cattle. con-
fused By the stir, that We're numbering
aimiessiy about, crowded against him
and hemmed him in rs rode drew
my pistol and fired three SLOTS in ;:apid
succession It is distress signal that
is universally known. and if it was
heard it could not fail to bring the men
back to Spiders aid.
For a moment no one answered.
There was no time for an answer. But
I did not realize that then rode at
the cattle and fired three mere shots,
this time straight into them. and three
! of them rolled over into the muddy wa
ter. | was so close that | could not
miss. and l would cheerfully have sacri-
feed the whole herd just then if it
would have helped Spider out. But my
pistol was empty, and all | could do
was to try, with the able assistance Of
the little bay mare rode, to scatter
tie cattle that held him into the herd.
Indeed the mare did far mere than in
the minute that followed. Seeming to
realize the situation, she plunged.
kicked and even bit as she tried to force
her way.
The press got thicker and thicker.
The little mare could only struggle
family against it. l was quite close to
Spider now, hut might as we'll have
been mile away, for could not reach
him. caught sight of his red head
only once The rest OF the time | could
see nothing but the strained line that
hummed between the boy and the heavy
man that was trying to climb by it. !
could still yell, and did. Three shots
came bacl, in answer. and in another
moment heip had arrived.
The cattle that held Us into the herd
were scattered One Of the cowboys
caus..t my mare by the bride and led
her, protesting against the i1dignity,
up the bank, As we went l turned my
head in time to see that Cappy Lee had
picked Spider up bodily Ey his belt and
that he looked more spiderlike than ever
with his legs and arms fourishins IL
the air as he was lifted to seat in
front of his rescuer. At the same time
another man cut Spider rope. TEen,
carrying the loose end to his saddle
horn. he took quick turn and gal
loped away. Of course the strain on
Hollis arm must have been terrible. No
man could have held on. even though
his life depended upon it, but Hollis
had secured the loop around his wrist
and had no choice but to come. Bump
ing over the back of one COW after an
other and yelling frightfullly as he
came. Hollis at last dropped with
splash into the shallow water near the
shore. The cowboy cast loose the rope
from his saddle horn and cantered after
Lee.
Released from control. the cattle
scattered and soon. except for the three
dead ones, there was rot COW in sight.
Another attempt to cross the river then
was impossible We had done our best
AID had failed