River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-07-25

stiffness continued, but before them
the ebon curtain of the night was
oroidered with zigzag traceries of
FURNISHED steel, and ever and anon
the serrated mountain ridge leaped
out in every detail against a blue
white background of sheeted fame,
while, with scarce an interregnum,
the thunder bird tapped his wings
with terrible reyerberations that al
most stunned the fgSitiyes.
They proceeded thus for more than
half an hour before they met the adj
vancing storm. Without other warm
ing than the fresh smell of wet earth
and sudden sound in their ears of
rushing waters, they entered the del
uge, and were drenched to the skin
in a moment, but kept doggedly on
their course. until, with the first
flush of dawn, they stood upon the
bank of the Walla Walla. The storm
had now passed entirely, but the lit
tie river that Blue Heron had ex-
pected to ford was running bank full,
a yellow flood, bearing driftwood on
! its bosom.
Blue Heron set his pony and his
captive at liberty, and walked to and
fro to straighten his legs, while he
considered. fire and breakfast
seemed equally deSirable, but it was
more desirable still to be on the other
side of that stream, where the trail
lay which he wished to follow. There
| Ln1 IL
the mountains and it would be many
hours before the water would run
past. But once on the other side. he
/ fancied he would be safe from pur-
! suit for some time; and it would be
a strange thing, indeed, if he, Blue
! Heron, with little leisure for proper
| courtship, could not conquer the hui
mors of ever so coy a maiden or
madam. Though, sooth to say, this
one had shown no symptoms of do
! cility as yet. Blue Heron was quite
aware that there was something be-
yond mere risk in attempting to cross
the food, but that was rather an in
centive than otherwise.
He decided to chance the issue. So,
after giving his pony half hour to
rest and refresh itself, he cinched it
up again, and removing the clothing
from his fine glistening body he
! bound it on Looesas shoulders. The
latter, understanding now what it
was he contemplated, protested Wig
orously; at length her dignity sue
stumbled entirely, and she begged with
tears. But Blue Heron was laugh
| ingly memorable. He forced her to
mount the pony, and, bidding her
hold on well, drove the unwilling ami
NAL into the water. Grasping the
! pony's name, he swan beside it on the
lower side, and kept its head against
! the current as much as possible. The
pony struggled for its life, and Blue
| Heron swan like the athlete he was.
| All was going well, when suddenly
! around a bend above them a cotton
wood tree came down on the flood,
/ held upright in the water by the
weight of the earth clnging to its
roots, its branches swaying menac-
! ingly as it swept along. Loosea ut
/ tered a cry of despair, and Blue
Heron, raising himself out of the
water enough to look over the pony's
neck, saw what was coming upon
| them, and with shout to the animal
sank back and put forth all his re-
serve strength.
1t was now verify a race with
/ death. Where the swimmers gained
! a foot against the current the tree
gained yards with it. Loosea busted
| herself in an endeavor to unfasteL
the pack from her shoulders, while
her eyes remained fixed in horror on
the approaching doom. The pony,
urged by her frantic shouts, labored
until his sides seemed ready to burst.
Blue Heron's eyes were starting from
his head with his exertions, and his
breath came in painful gasps. The
space narrowed swiftly; it was not
question of moments, but OF seconds.
Nearer, nearer swept the tree, its
branches lowered above them.
"Quick!" shouted Looesa, in the
voice of the lost. at is here!"
One last, supreme effort, and the
mass of foliage swept past the pony's
TANKS, just grazing them. Saved by
hands breadth! But where was
Looesa? Had she not escaped? AS il
with deliberate malice, the tree had
courtesied to the flood, and, bringing
down branch that the instant be-
fore was high above her head had
swept her from the pony's back.
Looesa was a good swimmer, but,
half stunned and weighed down with
the pack from which she had not
succeeded in releasing herself, she
was unable to do more than keep her
head above the water. 1t took an in
slant for Blue Heron to realize what
had happened, another las it would
you or me) for him to rise to the
level of the hero; then he let go of
his pony and safety, and gave him
self to the flood. lie reached Looesa
just as she was giving herself up to
her fate, and seized her long, float
ing hair.
1t was far down the stream where