Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-13


ing about it to Mcwh-. but she PLAYED
with II when he could not help seeing II.
And thereafter her niger baby was
always In her arms.
This compliment. however. was appa,-
emily all lost on McWhs, who had again
grown unconscious of her existence AMI
RosyIdlly. on her part, no longer strove
to win his attention. She was content
either with the victory she had won. or
with the secret understanding which. per
force. now existed between them. And
things went on smoothly in the camp. with
every one now too occupied TO do more
, than mind his own business
1t CHANGED this year that the spring
thaws were early and unusually swift. AMI
from every brooksde landing the logs
came down in black tumbling snarms.
Just below Conroy's camp the river wal
lowed round narrow bend ansled with
slate lodges.
And here. now in spite OF the frantic
efforts OF Dave Logan and his crew. the
logs suddenly began to jam.
At this stage Of affairs the boss ak n
hand. picked his way across the mon
strous tangle Of the face of tho jam be-
tween the great white jets till he gained
the center of the structure. Here his
practiced eye presently located tho tim
hers which held the structure firm. the
key logs as the men called them.
These he marked with his AK. Then. re-
turning to the shore he called for two
volunteers to dare the task of cutting
these key logs away.
Such a task is the most perious that a
lumberman. in all his daring career. can
he called upon to perform Dave Logan
had some brilliant feats Of jam-breakns
10 his credit, from the days before he was
made a boss; and now. when he called
for volunteers, every unmarried man in
camp responded, with the exception. OF
course, Of Valley Johnson. whose limited
vision untitled him for such a venture.
The boss chose Bird Pidgeon and Andy
White. because they were not only
smart aXmen, but also adopts in thA
rivermen's game of running logs"
With jaunty air the two young men
spat on their hands. gripped their axes.
sprang out along the base of the jam ami
piled their heavy blades. 1t was heroic.
the work of these two, chopping coolly out
there under that colossal front Of death
Their duty was nothing less than to bring
the topping brow Of the Jam down upon
them, yet cheat fate at the last instant.
if possible. by leaping to shore before the
chaos quite overwhelmed them.
Suddenly, while the two key logs We're
not yet half cut through the trained eye
of the boss detected settling near the
top of the jam. His yell Of warning tore
through the clamor Of the waters. At
the instant came vast grumbling-not
loud. apparently. yet dulling all othe:'
sounds. The two choppers sprang wildly
for shore, as the whole face OF the jam
seemed to crumble in breath.
At this moment a scream of terror was
heard. and every heart stopped. Some
thirty yards or SO upstream. and a dozen.
perhaps. from shore. stood RosyLilly on
log. While none were observing her
she had gleefuly clambered out over the
solid mass, looking for spruce gums. But
now. when the logs moved. she was 50
terror stricken that she could not even
try to get ashore. She just fell down
upon her log and chung to it screaming
A groan of horror went up. The awful
grinding Of the breakup was already
under way. Valley Johnson leaped wildly
out upon the nearest logs, fell head fore
most and was dragged back, fighting furl-
ously.
Just as Johnson went down, there arose
a great believing cry Of rage and anguish:
then Red McWha's big form shot past.
leaping far out upon the logs. Over the
sickening upheaval he bounded this way
and that. with miraculous sure-footednesa.
lie reached the pitching log whereon
Rosy-Lilly still chung. He clutched her
by the frock. He tucked her under
arm like rag baby. Then lie turned.
balancing himself for an instant. and came
leaping back toward shore.
4 great shout of wonder and JOY went
up-to be hushed in a second as log
reared high in McWhas path and hurled
him backward. Right down into the whirI
of the dreadful grist he sank. But with a
strength that seemed more than human
he recovered himself, climbed forth drip
ping. and came on again with those great
unerring leaps. This time there was no
shout. The men waited with dry throat
Within two feet of shore a log toward
which he had jumped was jerked aside
just before he reached il, and turning IN,
the air he fell SO as to save the child.
he came across it on his side with stun
ming violence. AS he fell, the boss and
Bracket. and two of the others spransc
out to meet him. They reached him some
how and, covered with bruises which they
did not feel. succeeded in dragging him.
with his precious burden, up to safety
When his feet touched solid ground hs
sank unconscious but with his arm
securely gripped about the child that they
had difficulty in loosing his hold
Rosy-Lilly. when they picked her UP,
wa Quivering with terror, but unframed.
When she saw McWha stretched out upon
the bank, mOtionless, with his eyes shut
and his white lips half open she fought
savagely to be put down. She ran and
flung herself down beside her rescuer.
caught his big white face between her
tiny hands and fell to kissing him. Pres
emily McWha opened his eyes and with :,
mighty effort rose upon one elbow. 4
look Of embarrassment passed over his
face. as he glanced at the men standing
about him. Then he looked down at
Rosy-Lily, grinned with shamefaced
tenderness. and pulled her gently toward
him.
I'm right-slad-ye'r safe-Rosy-Lilly,"
he said family, drawing her face down
to his. Boys. get the doe TO patch me
up-Ive got TO live for RosyLillys sake"