The Worthington advance., 1901-03-22

around I saw them hoating calmly
down stream on another swell Of the
current. Finally it, struck me that
hadn't looked for the woman, but
there she was hanging on the sides Of
the boat for everything she waa
worth and just then she gave another
yell. This time it was because she
saw, as I did then, that the boat was
being whirled right towards one o1
the protruding pilings of the busted
bridge, and it would not be two sec
onds before it would strike.
"Honor bright now, never thought
for minute Of tho danger that might
come to me from being alone on the
wide sea Of the Platte with q woman.
and young one ut that, or of compli.
cations which might arise in case
some one should hear Of it. But just
grabbed the lines, as though they
were reeling of from : life.gun and
jerked the heads of the bronchos up
stream and towards another quick
sand bar that cleaned above the wa
ter. But before I got anywhere near
her the crash came and the bnat
keeled over, throwing the miss into
the water. She went down with a
splash, and stripped of my coat.
kicked of my shoes and into the wa
ter jumped.
II tell you it was hard picking push
ing my way up against that current,
but did it somehow and grabbed her
arm as she came up and flying down
At me.
THAT girl had common sense. Never
struggled bit, but as soon as she
realized she had assistance, just put
her arm around my neck and rested
her weight on my back so I could
swim free without any hampering,
though I did get mixed with her
skirts once or twice.
''The current swept US towards the
quicksand bar, and by q final big ef.
fort I pushed in far enough to get
my feet on the sands. Then I got
them of again because It was quick.
sand. But she had recovered he1
breath by that time, and it, first
normal emission brought with it in
the sweetest voice I ever heard: oh
sir, I thank you, thank you, thank
you,' and I actually felt her arm
tighten around my neck - she
stepped along at tho 'double.quick
time I was using to keep my feet out
Of the sand, and we hustled along tc
where the ponies were turning around
and around, as though their, =, horse
sense told them they had to keeI
moving or 60 under.
II helped her into the buggy and
then climbed in myself and started uF
the bronchos to make the third and
last swim for the north shore. Now
this was not such bad lift as we had
before. but some way or other I man
aged to make it seem worse, for when
got her into the buggy saw she
was as pretty little country girl a.
ever eyes looked upon. Her cheeks
which had been slightly pale from
the fright she received, had become
rosy and soft as the bloom OF q peach
and Il tell ,you,,I ached for.aatsstes so1
their sweetness. She had eyes of q
deeper blue than Italian skies eve1
produced, and they laughed until th<
sun hid itself in shame for it's com.
parative lack of brightness. Brown
hair, now wet with the Plates tears
curled all about her temples and hung
in clusters at the back of her neck
Her form was as round and plump a.
ever Venus possessed, and just
couldn't help it. wilted. My arm
stole around her waist and the squeeze
gave her, under pretense that the
buggy was about to overturn, made
her gasp, but she seemed to Ike it
Anyway, she did not resist, and then
when, by a judicious tugging at the
lines I gave the buggy another chance
to twist, why, it was just accident
but I ;got.a.+tastes of her lips. I felt
myself going. going, going, the cookie.
OF my heart were tingling So"
"Well?" I asked, as he stopped.
"But I was married ana so was she.
And that was the end Of the romance"
A burst of laughter followed the
concluding refrain and we noticed
that quite crowd had gathered about
US during the narrative, so we, per.
force. Joined in the mirth.