Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-01-05
,y turned to watch

horror, before help could reach him
Louis suddenly sank out of sight in
the water.
They gave him up for lost then,
for. caught between these plunging,
grinding logs, a man had practically
no chance Of living. You can imagine
their amazement and delight, there
fore. when, moment or so later,
Louis head appeared in open water
cloe to the bank. He had seen his
danger. and diving deep below the
surface, had swum for this spot OF
safety Eager hands were at once out
stretched to aid him, and he was soon
once more on land.
IAN immediate examination of his
boots showed that a number of the
nails had been roughly wrenched out.
AS they bent over and saw this the
men were loud in their denunciation
of the scoundrel who had done this
piece of villainy.
There is only one man here who
bears me ill-will,' said Louis, looking
up at them. Where is Pierre Legros.
Let him answer to me for this
"The others, too, took up the cry
and ran along the bank in search OF
the missing man, for Pierre had not
waited to see Louis rescue. They
sought in vain for him, however; he
disappeared before any one could lay
hands upon him and took to the
woods. This flight was construed in
to evidence of guilt, so the matter end
ed for the time being, the men prom
Using that Pierre should have warm
reception when he showed up again.
II saw or heard nothing more of
Louis Radillac or Pierre Legros for
over a year, then fate brought us
strangely together again.
Having finished some important
business in Ottawa, | took the steam.
er one morning to travel down the
river to Montreal. The journey this
way is most exciting, because one
shoots the famous Lachine rapids
just before reaching Montreal.
con this warm summer afternoon
was passing by the steamers cabin,
where the pilot stood at the wheel
guiding the vessel along the twisting
tossing thread Of water in the main
channel, when | saw among the pass
engers a man whom ! recognized as
Pierre Legros. was about to move
forward to speak to him, but he sud.
the upper deck, and | lost sight Of
him.
I'VE were now about halfway
through and nearing the worst part
where the river seems to be goaded
to it's fiercest rage. Suddenly, as
leant over the boats side, there was a
sharp cry of Man overheard and the
next moment l saw a black speck in
the water a little distance away. 1t
was a mans head bobbing up and
down.
"Life-belts and other things were
hastily thrown over, but it seemed
hopeless to think of rescuing the poor
fellow.
The man swan splendidly, and but
for this he must have been lost. For
now another cry of "A canoe! Look
"a cancel! broke out, and there was
a rush of passengers to the other side
There, to our amazement, we saw a
long Indian canoe, manned by two
men, steadily making for a point in
the stream where it would just catch
the swimmer as the torrent carried
him down.
I'VE watched the race breathlessly,
the race between man and the river
and, when, in the nick of time, one Of
the occupants of the canoe bent over
and clutched the drowning man, draw
ing him up into safety, such a shout
went up from our throats as must
have been heard above the roar of the
rapids. Whether he heard it or not,
the other man in the canoe waved his
hand towards us; then with his COM
panion he set to work padding back
to the shore.
I'VE reached Montreal in due
course, and all thought of Legros for
gotten in the excitement of this incl
dent, | omitted to look for him at the
landing stage. had some time on my
hands 4 ii happened, so | determined
to go back by rail to Caughnawaga,
rear which place the rescue had been
elected.
You can judge Of my surprise
When found there that the man whose
life had been so miraculously saved
was Pierre Legros, while one of his
rescuers was none other than Louis
Radillac! Pierre was in bed, recov-
ering from his immersion, and Louis
was seated by his side when l entered
the little cottage. On table near
them lay this string Of nails.
Louis told me how he was visiting
a pilot friend in the village, and had
been out with him in the canoe before
the accident occurred, so was forum
nately on the spot. He further told
me how Pierre mad confessed to hav-
ing torn out those nails from his
Louis) boots, and had begged his for
giveness.
He was mad with jealousy that
time, said Louis simply, or he not
have done such a ting. An he has
been troubled evair since. for the good