Oxford Democrat., 1903-09-08

In his mind as he hung there sver
death? He stirred again spasmodically
at last, rolled over on his side into
deeper water and, with reckless valor
which made US gasp to see 1t. swan
straight for the apex of the Horseshoe.
Skitters the while was coming up be-
hind us. When he beheld that sight he
turned around and ran away. uttering
strange noises. But Bowers and l as
we saw the Alsatian take thus his one
chance for life and victory were seized
with a new mad recklessness, so that
we forgot the stake, forgot the ghastly
odds, and began to shout encourage
ment again. "Oh, good boy. good boy.
Petew we cried. We must ourselves
have been half crazy. "Go on, there!
You can do itv The water caught him
again and shot him forward. 1t all
passed rapiMy as an accident That
moment when the black form hung
poised upon the brink Of the abyss was
not to be forgotten. He had swung
himself around to 60 down feet fore
most. He seemed to shoot out and to
keep the crest Of the water skillfully
enough and fell with 1t through crash
Ing space and clouds Of binding vapor
to the bottom of the precipice, 100 feet
below.
Upon the place seemed suddenly to
rest q solemn hush and quiet for all
the movement and the uproar. Curley
Bowers and stood peering and
watched the water going over so ma
jestically. as though we half expected
that It might bring him back. A rain
bow had appeared and hung across the
chasm. Behind us the sun was shin.
Ing. and the world went on as usual.
But from out the misty, echoing gorge
faint voices and strange noises seemed
to rise, and Curley Bowers was shiver.
ing and talking to himself. Hes
gonew the lad lamented. Poor old
Westerman! He's off the map!
Wouldn't that Jar you" Then he
pulled himself together and started to
run down toward the elevator. Come
onw he shouted to me. Lets see this
circus through"
Beside the elevator we found Skit.
ters, his face pale pea green. Look
here" he cried with knowing air;
"this thing is getting pretty close to
risky! We'd better look out for our
scalps and cut and rum" But Bowers,
showing his teeth like wharf rat,
snarled: "Who cares about your scalp?
There's q game man gone down there.
You've got boat. an you'll come
along an help get him out" So we
hurried down to the lower river, where
the boat was. Skitters and his COM
pany. We must have been curious
collection. The inventor had run down
and Joined us. his eyes bulging and his
mouth wide open. Even then he
seemed to be principally concerned
about the fate Of the suit. From his
somewhat fragmentary remarks ! gath
cred that after he had carefully in
closed Westerman in this. plain for all
men to see, the German had quietly
rolled of into the water. He had gone
down to keep the appointment indeed,
but in his own fashion. Old Gil was
still indignant at the trick. We
crouched there meanwhile on the
stones and watched the writhing water
come out from the shadow OF the precl-
pice with queer long streaks In 1t.
Bowers and Skitters and the man who
had charge of the boat pushed Off IN
this. They went long way out and
rs far as they dared upstream. Yet
It was close inshore and very near us
that we caught sight Of the object OF
our search, and the sight Of 1t gave
us all a start. "See, see! There 1t Is"
muttered old Gill and pointed. We
watched it with a kind Of awe, as
though 1t had been uncanny, and as we
watched the figure stirred and swan.
"Alivew Skitters stood up In the
boat, reckless Of the river and flushed
with the pride Of victory, Napoleon at
Austerlitz, Caesar on the triumphal car.
He bowed as though to invisible
crowds. believe that for a moment
he thought he owned the falls. Gen
tlemen," he almost sObbcd. 81 didn't
quite plan It this way. but we've got
here the biggest attraction that the
world has ever yet seen. Well be
known all over America tomorrow"
Help me to get him out of this"
cried Bowers. They had towed the
bulky figure in toward land, and the
arms kept swimming and convulsively
clutching air. We drew It up upon the
beach and began to open the pneumatic
suit, wondering to see how this had
been bruised and strained. One OF the
legs hung Imply. smashed In spite OF
all the armor.
What followed next find 1t not easy
| to describe. We got the helmet of ut
last with nervous fingers, and we saw
a smothered, distorted countenance, the
| eyes closed tight, as though to shut
out fear. They opened in moment,
with the strangest, blankest expression
| In them, and did not see us, and
voice began to speak, or to gibber,
| rather, no matter what the words were.
What would the words be Of one whose
reason had snapped suddenly and left
q mind all blank or topsy turvy?
suppose, In fact, that the Germans
brain, long dwelling upon that fool
hardy feat. may have become unsettled
Mt the last and have given way rapidly
curing those minutes in the upper rap
lis. That had been no sane man who
swan at the falls before us. and the
mental wreck had been completed at
st by possibly the greatest physical
shock that human being has ever yet
sarvived. Life was there still In that
wrenchcd and battered form. but not Il
spark Of reason Put Skitters. with an
=! Dorado OF dazzling possibilities still
:, fore his eyes. refused to accept the