Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-01-15
BY Louis Tracy,
COPYRIGHT 1909. BY EDWARD j. GLOBE
CHAPTER XXI.
Author of wings of the Morning" 1.-THE Pillar of
Lk,tlt," Etc.

ity it spun round until ut the moment
OF impact with the water the head and
shoulders plunged first into the waves.
At that point the depth of the sea
was sixty feet at the very base of the
rock. AT each half tide and especially
in stormy weather an irresistible cur
rent swept away all sand deposit ana
sleered off projecting masses of stone
so effectually that in the course of time
the ovcrhanging cliff must he under
mined and fall into the sea.
High tide or low, there was always
sufficient water 10 float a battleship,
and the place was noted as a favorite
Took for salmon. at that season pre-
pairing for their. annual visit TO the
sylvan streams of the moorland val.
leys.
The lordly salmon is peculiar in his
habits Deiightins at one period of the
year to roam through the ocean wids,
Mt another he seeks shallow rivers, in
whose murniuring fords he scarce finds
room to turn his portly frame.
And the law protects him most ieal.
ously.
In the river lie is guarded like n king,
and when he clusters mt its mouth,
iazily making up his mind to Try
change of water, as Il monarch might
visit Homburg for a change of air, he
can only be caught under certain SO.
we're restrictions.
He must not be Noted within SO
many yards of the seward limit OF
the estuary. He may not be caught
wholesale. The nets must have max
impm length of 400 feet They must
not be, set between p. m. on Il Friday
and a. M on a Monday.
Viewed in every aspect, the salmon
Is given exceptional chances of longev-
ity. His price is high as his culinary
reputation, and the Obvious sequel t..
all these precautions is that certain
nefarious persons known as poaclers
try every artifice to defeat the law
and capture him.
A fayorite dodge is to run out Il large
quantity Of nets in just such n tide.
way as the foot of the cliff crowned by
Grange House. None can spy The OPP
erations from the land, willie Il close
watch seaward gives many chances
of escape from entelprising water bail.
IFS, who, moreover, can sometimes be
made conveniently drank
When Philip htirtled into the placid
sea, his naked body shone white, like
the plumage of some gigantic bird
Indeed, man who was leisuiely
pulling Il coble in a zigzag course
while two others paid out net so that
its sweeping curves might embalrass
any wandering salmon who found him
Gelf within its lneshes- marked the fall.
ing body in its instantaneous passage
and thought at first that some huge ser
fowl had dived after its prey.
But the loud splash startled the three
men. Not SO did cornorant or &
white winged sola plunge to secure
IN unwary haddocs.
The net attendants Strengthened their
backs; the oarsman stood up. The dis
turbance was so near, SO unexpected,
that it alarmed them. They looked
aloft, thinking that a rock had fallen.
They looked to the small eddy caused
by Philips disappearance 10 see If any
sign would lie given explanatory of ar
unusual occurrence.
Were Philip thrown from such q
height wien in full possession OF his
senses in all likelihood such breath a.
was in his lungs at the moment OF hi4
fall would have been expelled by thu
time he reached the water.
He must have resisted the rush OF
air, uttered involuntary cries, strug-
gled wildly with his limbs.
But as it CHANGED Mason's rough
handling in carrying him to the bal
cony made active the vital forces that
were restoring him to consciousness.
He was on the very threshold of re
newed life when he fell, and the
downward fight helped rather than re-
tarded the process Indeed, the rush OF
air was grateful. He drank in the Wig
orous draft and inflated his lungs read
lily. His sensations were those of 4
nan immersed in warm bath, ana
the shock of his conclusion with the
surface of the sea in nowise retarded
the recuperative effect of the dive.
OF course he was fortunate after fall
ing from such n height in striking the
water with his right shoulder. No por-
ton of the human body is so fitted to
bear heavy blow as the shoulders
and upper part of the back. Had he
dropped vertically ON his head or his
feet he might have sustained serious
injury. AS Ii was, after Il tremendous
dive and Il curve of many yards be-
meath the sea he bobbed up inside the
salmon net within II few feet of the
boat.
Instantly the fishermen saw that il
was n man, an absolutely naked man,
who had thus dropped from the sky.
They Were amazed very frightened
indeed but they readily hauled at the
dragging nes and brought Philip near
er the boat Even at this final stage Of
his adventure he incurred Il terrible
risk.
Unable 10 b,tp himself in the least
degree and swallowing salt water rap
idly now, he rolled away inertly as the
net rose under the energetic efforts OF
his rescuers. There was grave danger
that lie should drop back into Thu
depths, and then he must sink like I:
stone.
Wearing their heavy sea boots. none
of the fishermen, though each was AZ
expert swimmer. dared TO jump int;
the water But the oarsman. being
person of resource and reasoning rap
idly that not the most enthusiast;
salmon Dai!iT in England would pui
sue him in such manner, grabbed {
hoathoo!s md caught Philip with it be
meath the arm.
He only used the slight force needfu
TO support him until another coult
grasp him.
Then they lifted the half brownies
man on board, turned him on his fac
to permit the water to flow out of hi
lungs and, instantly reversing him, be
gan TO raise his elbows and press Their
against his sides alternately.
Soon he breatiied again, but he re
manned unconscious. and a restored cir