Arizona republican., 1908-04-03
BY HELENA DAVIS.


 Ralph HEmmerstein was boy of ad- venturous spirit. His home was on the broad praries cf the far West. in the very heart of the cattle district. where one might travel for lO miles together or perhaps twice as without seeing single habitatiou. Occasionally one would see a lonely shack, occupied by cowboy or two. Again one would turn round a long, sloping hill. to come upon comfortable ranch house of one story and surrounded by rattle sheds. COW pens and stables for horses. In Il dwelling of the latter kind Ralph lived with his parents. his father being well to do stock raiser.
 Although Ralph had much to interest him about the big ranch - which con tained about 5OOO acres of land-he often found the time heavy on his hands. when not attending the little school. i've miles distant from his home. On Saturdays he usually explored the country about his fathers ranch. especially the lowlands. which lay between pretty river and one of its tributary streams the latter being of a deep gorge nature, flowing be tween rude cliffs of rock. The source of the tributary stream-by name. Wolf Creek in rough. hilly part Of the country. the hluffS and abrupt hills mark ing the country across which they ran like small mountain chain. This gave certain IhcturesgueueSs to the rolling prairie land. and the sparse timber that bordercd the river and Wolf Creek gave n welcome touch of freshness and green to the dull aspect of the monotonous landscape.
 The rocky. timbc-cd banks os Wolf Creek afforded pretty good hunting. they aboUnded with rodents and prairie wolves, and many day did Ralph spend roaming thcreaboutS with his rife. And often his days bag was quite wei worth while. for the destruction ni the wolves was to him sense of duty. as well as d show of his splendid marisnanShii
 One day towards the end nf March. the weather being very fine after the eltiEs of the heavy SHOWS that had covered the hills and filled the =orces of Wolf Greek. Ralph. with gun over shoulder. and small lunch and bottle of drinking water in his knapsact. started to Inc hanks of Wolf Creek to hunt. The melting SHOWS and heavy accompanying spring rains had filed to Overflowins every little hollow in the land. and the tiny streamlets which during the summer months were as dry as a bone-hnd become swollen into rivers of the third magnitude.
 Upon reaching Wolf Creek Ralph was astonisbed to see it leaping between its banks like a furious torrent. carrying loose brush and tufts Of grass which it had washed from the banks far above water line. Ralph had never seen the stream so high. and knew that the river into which Wolf Creek flowed must be something fine to look upon.
 Its only five miles to the rIver-if cut across praIrie-and I think 1t worth my while to go over and see how the old run looks" unused Ralph to himself Guess my foot-log hasn't been carried away"
 To his joy Ralph found the foot-los which spanncd Wolf Creek in It's usual place, but the water beneath 1t almost touched fits under side. Ralph was sure nf foot, however. and felt no hesltancy Tn crossing on the foot-log, though he knew the water beneath him was fully two feet over hls head, and that the rush with which It was coming through