The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-06-14

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! preservation predominant over an othe,
thoughts, he became conscious Of a huge
black masa surging upon him out Of the
darkness. An instant's buffet with the
current. an Intellectual attempt TO dive
beneath IT, horrible sense that the
weight at his feet was dragging him
down--and the huge log. leosened from
the raft, was upon him, crushing him be-
neSth its rough and ragged sides. The
log passed completely over him. thrust
ing him beneath the water. but his hand
seraping along the splintered side. came
IN contact with the loop of hide rope
that yet hung round the mass. and he
ciutehed Il with the tenscity of death
grip In another instant he got his head
above water, and. making good his hold.
twisted himself. by violent effort.
across the log.
For moment be saw the lights from
the stern windows Of the anchored yes
sells low In the distance: Grummet Rock
disappeared on his left; then. exhausted,
oreathless. and bruised. he closed his
eyes. and the drifting log bore him swift
" and silently away into the darkness.
AT daylight the next morning. MIR.
Iroke, landing on the prison rock, found
II deserted. The prisoners cap was
wing ON the edge Of the little elf. but |
the prisoner himself had disappeared |
Pulling back 10 the Lady-bird, the intel
iigent Troke pondered on the eircum-
stance. and in delivering his report 10
Niekers mentioned the strange cry he
had heard the night before ats my
belief, sir, that he was trying 70 swim
the bay" he said HE must ha' gone
10 the bottom anyhow, for he couldn't
swim tive yards with them irons
Nickers, busily engaged in getting I'M
der way. accepted this very natural sup
position without question. The prisoner
had met his death either BY his own act
or by accident. IL was either a suicide
or attempt TO escape. and the former
conduct Of Rufus Dawes rendered the
latter explanation a more probable one.
In any case, he was dead. As Mr.. TrOke
rightly surmlsed. no man could swim the I
ray In irons, and when the Lady-blrd. 1
an hour later, passed the Grummet =
hock, all on board her believed that the
corpse OF its late occupant was lying I
beneath the waves that seethed at its
base.
The drifting log that had so strangely :
served as a means Of saving Rufus
Dawes swan with the current that was :
'unning out Of the bay. For sorae time
he burden that il bore was au insen-
aole one Exhausted with his desper-
ne struggle for life the convict lay
long the rough bark Of this heaven
ent raft without motion. almost without
'reath- At length a violent shock awOke n
I'm TO Consciousness. and be perceived CT
hat the log had become stranded on a m
andy point, the extremity Of which was =,
st in darkness Painfully raising him -
elf from his uncomfortable posture. he q
Iaggered TO his feet. aud. crawling II
ew PAGES up the beach, flung himself az
pom the ground and slept gi
When he woke up Il was past mid
ay, and the sun poured its full rays er,
pom him His clothes were dry IN all
laces. save the side on which he had -.
cen lying. and he rose to his feet re-
eshed by his long sleep. He scarcely
unprecedented. as yet. his true position. I'm
e had escaped, IL was true. but not no
r long He was versed in the history
escapes. and knew that man alone no,
! that barren coast was face 70 face ror
it'll starvation or recapture. CHANGING
} at the sun. he wondered. indeed. how
was that he had been free 50 long y
Ten the coal sheds caught his eye. and
understood that they were untenant- the
This ast0nished him. and he began I TO
tremble with vague apprehension. En- bus
ing, be looked around. expecting ev- =.
7 moment TO see some lurking cOnSta-
or armed soldier. Suddenly his aon
nee fell upon the loaves which lay "
the corner where the departing con wol
Is had flung them the night before. ladl
sucn moment, this discovery seem yea
nxe go o,rsc' ssl sas, from heaven; sfte
S;-ara.r.d IA - 49, 80 :, nau die.
er age. he would have looked round
the angel who had brought them. "A
Ito be eontinned-i dor