The Yale expositor., 1908-05-29

Sllppeu aneau GOWN tnS lake. oono
strange, unreasoning impulse, which
she did not try to combat, was urging
her nearer She wanted to hear the
roar more distinctly, it was so mystic
rious and indefinite coming from such
a distance.
Gradually the noise increased, re-
ceding and advancing as the faint air
currents moved away or toward
them, until it sounded more like the
distant thunder of surf than wind
The man still slept, his ears too ia
miliar with the sound of quick waters
for 1t to penetrate his dreams.
The girl lifted her paddle from the
water and laid ii across the gunwales
in front of her. The canoe had begun
to feel the pull of the current and
drifted steadily toward the outlet.
A premonition of danger made her
dip her blade and back water few
strokes. The canoe came to a stand
still almost Immediately. She noticed
this and realized she could safely go
nearer That thin, dark line fascinated
her, as fear of great height draws
some people to the very edge of an
abyss, and then those terrible voices
beyond were calling necessarily, but In
words she could not quite understand.
The line of bent water crept nearer,
and then suddenly seemed to rush
upon them.
The blade slashed the surface des-
perately, but stronger hands than hers
had the canoe in their grip. The
light craft appeared to come to life
and leap forward with eagerness.
Her sharp scream woke the man to
instant realization of their danger.
but too late to escape it, AS they
| shot like an arrow down that smooth
slope of water he yelled for her to
turn, and scrambled dexterously over
the forward thwart into the bow,
snatching up the spare paddle at the
same time.
He remembered that the only course
that had looked at all likely ran close
to the left wall, and he threw the
canoe over to that side. Every nerve
and muscle in his body was alert for
| instant action. His ears had become
deaf to the tumult Back in his brain
was only one idea, and that was 20
win. The light craft bobbed about
dizZily and again and again dipped
her gunwales under. The cross-cur-
rents twisted and hammered her and
only his great strength and skill saved
them from swift destruction. Each
moment he marveled that they still
survived, and in the wild confusion Of
rocks and waves and binding spray
and pallid moonlight IL seemed more
instinct then aught else that guided
them Alright.
The girl kneeled low and swung her
paddle from side to side as the canoe
slowed this way or that, and she was
dimly conscious of a wild joy and ex-
hilaration through it all.
Their flight had continued for per.
haps 80 seconds-though ii seemed as
many hours to the man-and they had
won almost to the foot of the curve
when a powerful eddy wrenched the
paddle from the girls grasp and
threw the canoe full into the trough OF
the off-shore waves. The next instant
they were In the water. AS they went
over the man had thrown himself for
ward and had caught the girl by the
shoulder with one hand. Then dark
ness closed over their heads.
He felt the icy clutching of the cur
rents, the suffocation, and the hope
less battling for lifel His brain wa!
on fire and his lungs bursting, but hi!
grasp on her shoulder did not weaken
Then another eddy whirled them Il
the surface and the moonlight flooded
his eyes. He saw the trees Keeling b.
and the white waves high above him
but In that Brief instant caught
glimpse of a low point rushing I,
meet him. Then they were dragge'
beneath again. He struggled might
lily with a CLEAN of hope in his heart
y and suddenly his feet scraped on tn
s bottom. One more effort and tn
{ sands rose solid beneath him and h
staggered ashore, dragging the girl.
His senses were growing numb an
E the light was fading. He fell forwar
on his hands and knees Then n
membrance of the girl flashed throug
IL his consciousness like some stron
| SIlmuluS, anu SlTcHBlu sui ecu DdC
L. through his veins. He tore open he
blouse and felt her heart flutterin
d weakly beneath his fingers. Tears c
4 relief began trailing down his we
lr cheeks, and yet it took is minutes {
n vigorous rubbing and working of he
'e arms and even implorings and hsse
e before a long sigh came from he
ID parted lips and her eyes opened daze'
Ie ly. To his glad amazement he foun
lie his match safe had withstood the soal
ing perfectly, and in few minutes h
ID had started a huge bonfire of drift
sr wood. He took off her outer garment
lg and yrung them out and spread thel
O. close to the heat, and In an hour sh
he was little the worse for the adventur
When the light grew strong enoug
Of to show them the way, they skirte
e. back through the woods, and after
ne couple of hours of hard scramblin
I'd came out on the beach beside the
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