Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-05-31

LUDLOW GAVE GREAT SPRING AND
CAUGHT THE DOGS COLLAR.
asleep or crazy that l let her jerk the
bride from my hand when l led her
! down to Griuk!'
The dog looked up sympathetically.
! The nincty-tive miles of racing after
! kywak had been nothing to his long
! boarhound legs. but this wild herdlng
of a single clever Indian pony for three
! hours had been a little strenuous. He
had done his best for his master, but
! when he was not allowed to catch flank
or throat in powerful jaws how was
he TO hold Il horse? Bismarck was a
| boarhound, not a collie.
Ludlow glowered at the cheerless
| heaps of rocks that guarded either
| bank Of the river
1T is cold enough" he said, for the
river to be frozen. Just my luck to
have it twice as deep as usual. Well,
Bismarck, Old boy, | see nothing for 1t
but for you and me to leave Kywak to
her cussedncss and swim the river.
And I'll b" fine sight to Gretchen aft
er two years, Oh, well. who knows
whether she'll care or notF"
Ludlow rose and began to tramp up
the river. 1t is a bad idea TO move
away from the ford" he thought, "but
III go up a way and see If the river
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 a half promise Of snow
in the air. The plains on the far side
Of the river We're as dim and hopeless
as the sky AS he paused at a point
where there seemed promise of shelly
ing bank on either side Ludlow shiver-
ed and half turned back toward the
impish Kywak.
What's the use?" he murmured.
Gretchen half refused me once. She
will probably wholly refuse me this
time"
He stood in silence with one hand on
Bismarck's head. Then he Strengthened
himself with jerk.
NO old chap. he exclaimed We'll
see her again or drown in the attempt.
Now, then, I've no way to get my
clothes across except to swim in them.
I'm not up to the Swiss Family Rob
inson stunt of carrying them across on
my head. I'll leave my overcoat with
kywak Come on, old faithfulw
He 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 swifter than he had imagined It |
would be. However the river was mar |
row at this point, SO he took a resolute |
step forward and plunged In above his |
depth
After the first shock the cold was not |
SO bad. But the current The down
ward swirllng movement Of the water
was almost as powerful as quicksand.
The pointed rock Ludlow had chosen |
for swimming mark was dozen rods |
upstream hefOrc he had swan as many
strokes Bismarck was swimming be
side him, putting and blowing like an
infant thrashing machine. For mo-
ment Ludlow thought of catching the
dogs collar, but decided that they both
might 20 down, though Bismarck could |
have pulled him across easily In quiet
water
The bitter cold Of the water began to
strike in, but Ludlow swan on with
quick. strong strokes Gradually 1t
seemed to him That he was Aghting a
losing game. The swimming marx was
hidden behind curve in the river,
,1is IisMnr,& ha1 pulled quickly
away frou hiu and was now only a
shc. distance from the shore
Finally after what seemed hours of
swimming, hy found himself Il rod
from the shore where Bismarck barked
ii him eNcitedly. But to his chagrlu,
though he dropped his feet several
times ne could not touch bottom even
II three feet from the bank And the
bank Up aud down the river, as far
IS he could see, it rose sheer ana blank
IS a tiny canyon, with not a blade Of
grass nor crcyice for hand or foot
lold How bismarck had made the leap
le could not fathom.
lie turned on his back, hoping that
he current would hold him against the
vail while he felt for hand hold But
lis fingers only slipped over the rough
while the river carried him
apidly downstream, and Bismarck fol
owed barking ana whining The weight
If his clothes and the cold were by this :
ime rendering him almost helpless.
Ludlow turned on his face and again
ct his feet drop TO his joy, they found
resting place. aud ne stood with his
houldcrS ont of water He rested,
,auting ANA G-htu- off the numbing
old, then agaiu passed his hands up
nd down the face of the rock for
rip. The surface was hopelessly