The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-12-06


the shade, the stiffness seemed ON
inous.
He raised his head and idly watched
the old prospector as he climbed into
the wagon.
Going to leave me?" he asked. lit
tie scornfully.
That's right" replied Shaw. "Ant
if you'll take FOOLS advice you'll GET
out of this wash quickr'
He turned his head up the canon and
listened a moment. Then he kicked
off the brake, yelled to his horses, and
started for the bank on the run.
"Pile in behindw he called back tc
Westbrook. Don't you hear it roar
We're in for 1t this tripw
Above the hammering Of the wagon
wheels against the rocks there rose an
unmistakable roar-a dull rumble
mingled with sudden cracks and
crashes.
Then a solid wall of brown water
eight feet high, swept majestically
round the point above them. rearing
its crest in the air and seeming to lean
forward in its fight.
Writhing in the depths behind. great
treetops slashed up and plunged from
sight like spectral hands; and, racing
furiously before the wave, there raced
a little cloud of dust, only to be licked
up the next moment by the towering
wall of water.
One glance at its immensity, and
young Westbrook scurried over the
washed boulders of the river-bed like a
desert lizard.
"You can't make the bank! Catch on
behind" cried Shaw, as Westbrook ran
past the wagon.
The bank was indeed too far away,
the inundation too imminent. Not
knowing what else to do, he obeyed,
and the next moment the horses were
headed down the canon toward the
lone cottonwood tree on the knoll-the
tree which showed the water-mark six
feet above the ground
In mad runaway the two horses
jerked the light wagon over rocks and
bushes, fleeing from the bank of water.
Spreading far out across the widening
river-bed, the torrent lost for the time
its burst of speed.
Then second great rush, like the
surge of a tidal wave at sea. leaped
high above the point, and rolling on,
swept down the middle of the canon.
When that tremendous mass of
water, twice as high as at first, ap-
peared, Ezra Shaw knew that he was
caught. Yet he pulled the horses into
new course and lashed them into a
fury.
Fighting against fate, he now tried
to get in line with the lone cottonwood
knoll, so that when the water struck
them they might perchance be washed
against it, If it stood before the storm.
Whishee - whishee - whishee! they
heard the sage brush bowling before
the wave front.
Brr-up! came the slapping water be-
hind the wagon, and then up they
went, while great surge of icy water
Tapped over them, taking their breath
like the cold douche of a shower-bath.
For a moment the horses rose with
the water. Then, as the bed of the
wagon began to float above the run
ning-gear, they sank from sight. The
heavy wagon wheels dragged them
back and down, and the wagon bed
swept upon them.
But although the leaky wagon bed
rocked wildly beneath him, Ezra Shaw
did not abandon his struggling team.
Gripping the reins, he braced his feet
against the dashboard and heaved their
heads up from the muddy water. Then
the wagon bed crashed into something
solid, and stopped. The horses were
swept past, and the wagon wheels
fouled and stuck fast.
They had struck the lone cottonwood
that stood upon the knoll, and in
moment there was bewildering tangle
and uproar-the horses hung by the
heads against the current, great clots
of brush and small trees smashed
against the wagon bed and stuck fast;
and above all was the thunder of the
brown water rushing past.
For second the two men balanced
where they were and looked at the
roaring torrent. Then the old pros
pector handed the reins to WestDrook
and clambered out on the sway ing
wagon box, now stacked high with
drift.
Back he came with long picket
rope, one end of which he tied hur-
riedly to the bending cottonwood.
We've got about three minutes to
get out of here before the whole island
goes!' he shouted in Westbrook's ear.
"Fll go down and cut the horses loose
first, and then We'll swim for it."
Then he threw the free end Of the
rope out over the horses backs and
slid down into the water.
First he passed the rope through the
slack of their belly-bands and knotted
it swiftly. Then, as they hung by this
support, he twiched the reins frsm
Westbrook, cut the horses apart,