Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-01-10

to free himself; for the longer the
contest lasted the more determined
did Joe become, as he growled to him
self, to "git that buck or bust"
But suddenly "a shadow seemed to
fall on the water, and, raising his
eyes, Joe saw, with dismay, that in
his reckless struggle he had been borne
by the current far below the cross
ing and that he was almost between
the cliffs.
Instantly he released the deer,
dropped his useless knife and struck
out for the shore, endeayoring to
swim diagonally up the stream. But
it was too late.
In spite of his great endeavors, he
could see that the mark on which he
had fixed his eyes was slowly reced-
ing from him, and in a few moments
he had passed into the jaws of the
canyon.
The fact that he was being forced
toward the falls came to him with
awful distinctness, and, with the la
comic sentence. Joe, the rapids has
got you at last" he ceased to strug-
gle.
Then he turned his head and
searched the base Of the cliff with his
eyes, in the hope of seeing some pro-
lection. some shrub, to which he
might cling, aud thus save himself
temporarily from a horrible death.
He saw both, but in such a place that
he shuddered as he looked.
At the very brink of the fall, where
the torrent glided over with a smooth.
awful rush. was a stunted laurel BUSH
and it grew from a narrow ledge only
a foot above the water.
Could he, as the stream hurled MN
past, catch that bush? And il he
caught it, would it sustain his weight?
There was no time to answer the
question in his mind. He was being
swept toward the falls with awful
rapdity, and the bush was his only
chance for life.
He braced his nerves for the strain,
and swan toward the ledge. The
next instant he had seized the bush
with both hands, and the current was
dragging at his feet. The first mo-
ment of suspense was over-the laurel
held!
Slowly he drew himself by inches
from the water. and finally lay weak
and painting upon the ledge.
"By mater, that was close!"
Up to this time he had given no
thought to his canoe or to the deer,
but now his attention was attracted
to the latter by shrill bieat of ter
ror.
The buck had also been unable TO
regain the bank and, before the eyes
of his former foe, he was swept strug-
cling. over the fall, followed by the
overturned canoe.
Hatton shuddered and turned his
gaze away. Apparently his fate was
to be the same. for the cliff at the
foot of which he lay was almost per-
pendicular. and its side offered nc
hold for the feet or hands OF a cIlmD-
or. He could only maintain his posi-
ton until hunger and weakness
should make him fall into the tor
rent.
To this. after revolving in his MIND
every possible and impossible means
of rescue, he Anally resigned himself
The roar of the water filed his ears
and showed him the uselessness o.
shouting. even if there were anyone
in the neighborhood to hear.
The sun had reached the meridian
and now began its descent toward the
west. As the shadows heightened
the hunters thoughts grew more an(
more gloomy, and he even questioned
whether it would not be better u
drop from the ledge and end the
matter at once.
Suddenly a prolonged "whoope-e!
sounded family through the NOISE o
the fall from the woods above him.
In his surprise and excitement Hat
ton sent forth a yell of such volume
that II must have been heard, To-
another cry came from the top o
the rock. and, turning on his back
the hunter saw familiar face look
ing down at him.
He waved his hand and shouted
with iov. for with a friend like Al
Stevens near he felt confident or res
cue.
ALI was evidently shouting encour
aoement to him. but Joe could onl.
see his lips move. Presently II
turned away, and when, after som
minutes, his face again appeared,
was accompanied by another
The two men were evidently dis
cussing the best means of gettin
Hatton out of his perilous position
and in a few moments, with man
encouraging gestures, they dlsaI
peared.
For a long half-hour Joe had I
lie patiently on his back, consume
with a desire to know whether OF nc
immediate help was at hand.
At the end of that time his friend
in need returned and, after scannln
the face of the rock, proceeded I
let down what the hunter soon re'
ognized as wild grapevine, to tn
end of which were attached nun
Der of stout deerskin thongs. On II
safe arrival Joe looked first at IN
rock, then at the falls, then bac
at the vine.
That's a mighty onsartain rope
haul a man O. my heft up that eli
: with" was his dubious remarl
Then, with a recklessness characte
! istic of his life and of the times, /
added. "but here goes!"
He first looked to the fastening
T. the thongs to the vine, attached II
T. other ends closely to his leather bel
l.. q, - G