The Cairo bulletin., 1906-04-16

| TAUGHT The dog y COL l..
asleep or crazy that / let her jerk the
bride from my hand when | led her
down to drink"
The dog looked up sympnthetically.
The ninety-fiye miles OF racing after
kywak had been nothing to his long
boarhound legs, but this wild herding
or single clever Indian pony for three
hours had been little strenuous. He
had done his best for his master. bur
when he was not allowed TO catch flank
or throat In powerful jaws how was
he TO hold a horse? Bismarck was a
boafhound, not n collie.
Ludlow glowered at the cheerless
heaps of rocks that guarded either
bank OF the river.
III IL cold enough" he said, ''for the
| river TO be frozen, Just my luck 10
have 1t twice as deep as usual, Well,
Bismarck, old boy. see nothing for Il
| but Tor you and me TO leave i<ywak 10
| her cussedneSs and swim the river
| And I'll be n fine sight to Gretchen aft-
er two years. Oh. we'll who knows
| whether she'll care or not:"
Ludlow rose and began to tramp up
the river. 1T Is q bad idea 10 move
| away from the ford he thought but
I'll go up way and see if the river
isn't narrower. It's too deep now TO
strike quicksand."
He picked his way carefully over the
rocks. Indian river was always cold
and always swift, but doubly so today.
after the early winter rains. The day
was bleak. With half promise OF snow
in the mir. The plains on The far side
OF the river were as dim and hopeless
as the sky. AS be paused at point
where there seemed promise of a shelly
Ing bank on either side Ludlow SILVER.
ed and half turned back toward the
impisb Kywak.
What's the use;" be murmured.
Gretchen half refused me once. She
will probably wholly refuse me This
time
He stood in silence with one hand Oh
Blsmarck's head. Then he Strengthened
himself with Jerk.
NO, old chap! he exclaimed. Well
1tt mt AkalAi vi uipN ~ III lilt utAtiliDls
Now. then, I've no way to get my
clothes across except 10 swim Ia them.
I'm not up TO the Swiss Family Rol,
inson stunt of carrying them across on
my head. III leave my Overcoat with |
kywak. Come on, old faithful
He removed his shoes aud tied them
about his neck by the laces aud walked !
down the bank into the rushing water. |
then stood still, with the wafer swirl |
ing about his knees. The current was |
much swifter than he had imagined il
would be. However. the river was mar
row at this point. 80 he look a resolufe
step forward and plunged in above his
depth.
After the FIRST shock the cold was not
so bad. But the current. The down
ward swirling movement OF the water
was almost as powerful rs qucksand.
The pointed rock Ludlow had chosen
for a swimming mark was a dozen rods
upstream before be had SWAN rs many
Bismarck was swimming he
side him. putting and Moving like an
infant thrashing machine. For a mo
ment Ludlow thought Of catching the
dogs collar. but decided that they both
might go down. though Bismarck could
have pulled him across easily IN quiet
water.
The bitter cod Of the water began 10
strike In. but Ludlow swan on with !
quick. strong strokes. Gradually n
seemed TO him that be was fighting a
losing game The swimming mark was
hidden behind n curve Ia the river.
while Bismarck had pulled quickly
away from bin ard was now only a |
sheFt distance from the shore.
Finally. after what seemed hours of
swimming. be fouPd himself a rod