Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-09-26


Old Cabe scmcts And they say he's
sure 60 drown"
A colo hand was laid upon the post.
masters, He turned around to con
front Dolly Worth.
"Can't you ~hclp-can't you men do
n%nythingi Must he-must they both
drown and you standing here looking
ony'
"Thcrc's no boat handy. There's no
time TO 90 anything. Gabe's cabins In
the current how"
A supple figure shot away from the
crowd, sped swiftly along the shore.
Far down. neHr the breakwnter, which
juttcd out n considerable distance into
the river. lay some boats-skiffs that
were regarded as worthless. small flats.
Watcrloggcd now. and plGnks with
c,cats raled across them by the boys.
who uscd thcm when hunting crabs.
Tao swelling crowd on the shore had
barely sufficient light now TO discern
Daa Graham iammlng his skin against
Gabc's cabin. Some cried that they
saw ola Gabc; then darkness swal-
lowed cabin and skin. The fate OF the
rcScucr and the man for whom he
riskod his lie was in the hands of the
Almighty.
II Dan succeeded. he might manage
10 head his skin in above the break
water. II was one chance In n thou
sand, one In a million. The people on
the shore ran headlong toward the
brcakwatcr. with the darkness OF
night settling around him Dan era
ham gathered NJ his strength for n
supreme effort.
Old Gabe's cabin wGs stronger than
anybody could have credited. The
framework held together amazingly.
The floor crumblcd and hoated away
beneath his feet, but the slnews Of age
stiIl enabled Gabe to grasp with a
drowning mans clutch the frame Of
the window.
In VAN Dan urged him to draw him
self up and drop into the bow of the
skin. Aftcrward Gabe told how, see
ing the old man either could not or
would not loosen his grasp on the win
dow sill. Dan dropped his oars, reach
ed forward ana lifted old Gabe by
main strength out Of the window and
deposited him in the bottom of the
skin.
At that moment n tree trunk struck
the skif. The jar almost knocked
Dan into the river. lie recovered his
balance. however. and turned the
boats head ~shoreward.
And now it was a pull for life. The
blackness Of a cloudy night enveloped
him. His sole guide was the light on
the lot in front Of the p~ostotice. And
how could he gauge distance by that?
He might be above. opposite or far be-
low the breakwater. Was he half
way out in the river? Everything de-
pended upon his distance from the
shore.
He felt rs If every moment must be
his last effort. His temples throbbcd.
His muscles, now so rigid, might relax
any moment. Human endurance could
not last much longer. Then Il voice
shouted his name.
Dan! Dam
He dared not answer II he could. All
his breath was required to make the
breakwater.
"Ho-oo-ooo, DAM This way. I'm
h~ere-Dolly! DAM
A few more strokes, and he heard a
laugh that made him shudder.
ooh, thank God-thank God! I'm
here, Dan. Phis way, Dan"
Then he knew he was above the
breakwater. He looked around. He
could barely discern Dolly in the dark
ness. Voices were heard on the shore.
Catch the pole, Dan-quick."
Another pull, then Dan reached out a
hand and grasped the pole. AS he
grasped It a heavy log struck the skiT.
The next moment he was in the water.
Dolly shrieked. Dan put his left arm
under old Gabe and struck out with
his right, contending now with the
hungry waters for old Gabe's life.
"Save yourself" said Gabe. But Dan
compressed his lips and swan to Dol
ly's side. Dolly held her pole out until
he had n firm grasp on it. With Won
derful presence of mind he swan 20
low the waterlogged fiat Dolly had
pnshed out from the shore. Now 9th
ers were neal at hand, crying out to
them to take heart; help was ut hand.
When Dolly Worth stepped cut of
the fat, she was greeted with a cheer.
Torches were flaming now; women
were there, toO-women with tears in
their eyes-and big, rough men were
there, whose eyes were moist as they
grasped Dan Graham's hands. They
were proud of the stay at home"
A Kentucky Summer Outht.
Many years ago Senator Blackburn