Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-08-05

old Gabe Somers. And they say be-
sure to drown"
| A cold hand was laid upon the post
masters He turned around TO con
front Dolly Worth.
Cant you help-can't you men d.
anything? Must he-must they boil
drown and you standing here looking
ong'
There's no boat handy There's n.
time to do anything. Gabe's cabins ii
the current now
A supple figure shot away from til,
crowd, sped swiftly along the shore
Far down, near the breakwater, which
jutted out considerable distance into
the river, lay some boats-skiffs that
were regarded as worthless, small flats
waterlogged now. and planks Will
eleats nailed across them by the boys
who used them when hunting crabs.
The swelling crowd on the shore had
barely sufficient light now to discern
Dan Graham jammlng his skin against
Gabc's cabin. Some cried that they
saw old Gabe; then darkaess swal-
lowed cabin and skin. The fate OF shs
rescuer and the man for whom he
risked his life was In the hands Of the
Almighty.
If Dan succeeded. he might manage
to head his skiT IN above the break:
water II was one chance IN thou
sand. one In million. The people on
the shore ran headiong toward tie
breakwater With the darkness Of
night settling around him Dan era.
ham gathered up bis strength for one
supreme effort
Old Gabe'S cabin was stronger than
anybody could have credited. The
framework held together amazingly
The floor crumbled and floated away
beneath his feet. but the slnews of age
still enabled Gabe to grasp with a
drowning mans clutch the frame OF
the window.
In vain Dan urged him TO draw him
self up and drop into the bow of the
skin. Afterward Gabe told how, see
ing the old man either could not OF
would not loosen his grasp on the win
dow sill, Dan dropped his oars, reach.
ed forward and lifted old Gabe by
main strength out of the window and
deposited him in the bottom of the
skiff.
At that moment tree trunk struck
the skiff. The jar almost knocked
Dan into the river. He recovered his
balance. however, and turned the
boats head shoreward
And now it was pull for life. The
blackness of a cloudy night enyeloped
him. His sole guide was the light OH
the lot in front of the postoffice. 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 as IL every moment must be
his last effort. His temples throbbed.
His muscles, now so rigid, might relax
any moment. Human endurance could
not last much longer. Then a voice
shouted his name.
Dan! Dan!''
He dared not answer II he could. All
his breath was required to make the
breakwater.
"Ho-oo-ooo, Dan! This way. I'm
here Dolly! Dan!"
A few more strokes, and he heard a
laugh that made him shudder.
"Oh, thank God thank God I'm
here, Dan. This way. DAM
Then he knew he was above the
breakwater. He looked around. lie
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
graspcd it a heavy log struck the skiff
The next moment he was In the water.
Dolly shrickcd. 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
& aressed his lips and swan TO Doll
ly'sxJsaa. Dolly held her pole out unt1
he had a ,iirm grasp on it. With wo&
derful presence OF mind he swan b
low the waterlogged fI,ft. Dolly had
pushed out from the shore. Now otlk'
ers were near at hand. crying OFT Fl
them to take heart; help was at hand. J
When Dolly Worth stepped out :
the fat, she was greeted with ch
Torches were flaming now
were there. too women Wit
their eyes and big. rangt
there, whose eyes were Y
grasped Dan Graham's
were proud OF the 'sstay