Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-04-25

aan uose MS best Tor MS MASTER. uul
when be was not allowed 10 catch flank
or throat IN powerful jaws how was
he 20 hold a horscl bismarck " n
boarhOund. not collie.
Ludlow elOwcrcd at the che -
heaps OF rocks that guarded 'rr
bank " the river.
1T y cold enough" be said. I be
river 30 be frozen Just my L.k 10
have q twice az deep as usual! Wen.
Bismarck. old boy, see nothing FOR Il
but for you ana rae 20 leave Kywak 30
her cussedness sud swim the river
And TN be a fine sight 70 Gretchen att
er two years. Oh, well, who knows
whether shall care or notT
Ludlow rose and began 20 tramp ~
the river. IT Is a bad idea 90 move
away from the ford" be thought but
IN 80 up q way and see n the river
isn't narrower It's too deep row 70
strike qulcksand.'
lie picked his way carefully over TIE
rocks. Indian river was always cold
aud always swift. but donbly 80 today.
after the early winter rains. The day
was bleak, with half promise Of snow
in the air. The plains ON. the lar side
Of the river were as dim and hopeless
as the sky. As he paused at n point
where there seemed promise Of a shelv-
ing bank on either side Ludlow shlver.
"a and half turned back toward the
implsh Kywak.
What's the usey" be murmured.
Gretchen half refused me once. She
will probably wholly refuse me this
time"
He stood In silence with one hand on
Blsmarck's head Then hs Strengthened
himself with n jerk.
mo. old chap! he exclaimed. We'll
see her again or drown In the attempt.
Now, then. I've no way 20 get my
clothes across except 10 swim In then
I'm not up 70 the Swiss Family Rob
insOn stunt OF carrying them across pa
my head. III leave MY 6vercoat with
Kywak Come on, old faithfulr'
lie removed his shoes and tied them
about his neck by the laces and walked
down the bank into the rushing water
then stood still. with the water swirl.
ing about his knees The current was
much swlfter than he had imagined Il
would be-. However. the river was mar
row at this point. 50 be took a resoluts
step forward and plunged IN above hle
depth 49,,
After the 6rst shock lhe cold was NOT
20 bod. But the current. The down.
ward swlrling movement Of The water
was almost as powerful as quicksand.
The pointed rock Ludlow had chosen
for a swimming mark was a dozen rods
upstream before he had swan as many
strokes. bismarck was swimming be
side him. putting and Blowing Ike an
infant tira-hlng machine. For a mo
mcnt Ludlow thought 81 catching the
dogs collar. but decided that they both
might go down. though bismarck could
have pulled him across easily In qule.
water, --sfss.s-lr----- -1sa~
The bitter cold OF the water began 20
strike In. but Ludlow swan on with
quick. strong strokes. Gradually Il
seemed 20 him that he was fighting
losing game. The swimming mark was
hidden behind 9 curve ~ the river
while bismarck had pulled quickly
away from him and was now only a
short distance from the shore.
Finally. after what seemed hours OF
swimming. he found himself a rod
from the shore. where Bismarck barked
al him excltedly. But. 20 his chagrln.
though he dropped his feet several
times. he could not touch bottom even
az three feet from the bank. And the
baiik. Up and down the river. as far
as he could see, lt rose sheer and blank
rs a tiny canyon. with not blade %
grass nor a crevice for hand or foot
hold. How BlsmarcChad made the leap
be could not faihom.
~ AAAAN4 va AAaN NANar MNIiAAA NlAIAA
the current would hold him against Este
wall while he felt Tor a hand hold. But
his fingers only slipped over the rough
sandstone. while the river carried him
rapidly downstream. aud bismarck FOL
lowed. barking and whining. Theweight
OF his clothes and the cold were by this
time rendering him almost helpless
Ludlow turned on his face and again
let his feet drop. TO his Joy. they found
a resting place. and be stood with his
shoulders out OF water lie rested.
painting and fighting or the numblng
cold. then again passed his hands up
and down the face OF the rock FOR
grip. The surface was hopclessly
smooth. The top OF the bank was too
far above the highest reach OF his
hands. even with jumping. to grasp.