Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
SAVE HIM."

darin. Young fellows. neither OF whom
would be apt to choose Il commonplace
occupation. They were working in
cotton mill OH small wages. when
Kenerson uoti.cl the wages paid TO
divers and proposed to Fowler. with
whom he had become very Intimate
that they should learn how 10 dive.
They LETT the mill and. entering the
service OF wrecking company. soon
became the most daring among the
company's divers.
Meanwhile Kenerson married. and
II was said that the marriage was
sad blow TO Fowler. But this was
made up merely from observation. for
neither Fowler nor Mrs. Nancy Ken
erson ever said word 10 any one
as to how either regarded the other.
and. as for Nancy. she chose Tom Ken
erson However this may Toe. the two
men became stronger friends each
year until they We're more like broth
ers than friends. Ned Fowler was Of
ten u guest ut the Kenersons' and al
ways conducted himself toward his
friends wife honorably.
Ten years after the two men entered
the diving profession Fowler was still
in the service of the wrecking com
pany. while Kenerson engaged him
self for odd jobs requiring man or
great nerve and experience. for which
he received large pay.
One day Fowler received tele-
gram:
Tom is caught under big weight at the
Red Jacket wreck. Come and save him.
NANCY.
These few words brought up n dis
tressirE picture to the diver. He saw
above water men with anxious faces
steadily pumping air, others eagerly
watching for any sign from the life
line. while perhaps fifty TO hundred
feet below lay his friend. held down
under n mass of wreckage, hourly get
ting weaker. the signals hourly becom-
ing fainter.
1t was a three hours journey by the
shortest and quickest route, but when
Ned Fowler reached the railroad sta
ton he found Il locomotive with steam
up ready to take him to the scene of the
disaster, and. flying at the rate of
mile minute. ii was but two hours
from the time he received the telegram
till he was on the float over the sunken
Red Jacket Nancy was there, wonder
fully cool outwardly. but Ned saw by
the imploring glance she gave him how
she suffered.
Nancy" he whispered. tell me that
whether or no / save him. you'll believe
did my best
in reply.
The helmet was put on. and Fowler.
getting on the ladder. soon sank out or
sight. TT was half an hour before he
came back and reported that he had
found his friend in the hold of the
steamer pinned under IN iron frame
which had slid down upon him while
he was at work. He had taken Toms
hand and by pressure they both knew
we'll assured him that his old crony
was with him. The difficulty was to
remove the debris. Fowler had at
tempted to do so. but had failed TO stir
the mass. He had come up 10 get
rope TO attach to II, hoping that those
above might lift ii.
Meanwhile the signals on the life line
We're becoming fainter. Before assum-
ing the helmet n second time Ned wills
pered 10 Nancy, who was now a pic
ture of despair:
Nancy. do you believe 1 am doing
my best:"
Save him." was again her sole reply.
The last look those present caught OF
the divers face was that of one who
had determined 10 so TO his death. He
had little hope that lie would save his
friend. and lie knew that he could not
face his friends wife If he came up
alive leaving him dead below. He
sank beneath the surface. u cable coil
on his right arm. which uncoiled as he
descended. Within twenty minutes
after he had disappeared he gave the
signal 10 pull on the rope. \ dozen
men took hold; there was II creaking;
then the beavers went down OH their
backs i'm n heap-the rope had broken,
Again the diver came up. His he'll
met was removed for consultation.
Fowler said that his friend could not
lie taken out alive unless IT were done
at once Get me an anchor chain"
he said.
There was none on the floats, but in |
an instant a boat pulled of to a vessel |
lying near and brought the chain. |
II was lowered and Ned called for his |
helmet i- Li
Nancy" he whispered. will you be |
satisfied that i hays. done my best with |
this effort: There will not be time for |
another"
save him. was still h0 only reply. |
IF don't" he replied, ''goodby."
After awlile-a long while-the sig |
nal was given. and this time the chain
haf h..H al.rf. oil 81,
other signal came 10 pull up Kenerson.
lie came To the surface; his helmet
was removed; he was dead.
But no signal came from Fowler His
rope WAS pulled up. but nothing came
with it, Quick as ii could he done a
diver who had just come 10 the float
put on suit. went down and brought
up the missing man. He was uncon-