The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-01-26

movements of the animal, and as the
moon had now risen so high that all
the ground round the river was in
clear light, we watched the progress
OF the drama with intense interest.
The tree dropped lower and lower,
and began to sway heavily as the bull
pushed 1t. The end, which might be
tragic, seemed at hand. CHANGING at
Abbott. 1 saw that he was coming
down his tree, undoubtedly contem-
plating dash for the guns, and not
to be outdone, 1 prepared to follow
him.
The moose, on the verge OF sue
cess, was too intent to notice us as
we dropped noiselessly to the ground
and scampered at the top OF our speed
toward the canoe. AS we ran l heard
all at once above the rush OF the
water sudden rending crash, yell
of dismay, and q roar from the bull.
knew what was happening, but
when 1 glanced over my shoulder I
could see nothing.
Abbott gained the canoe a yard
ahead of me, and instead of Selling
his rifle he jumped aboard and knelt
in the stern.
| Take the bowl" he commanded,
sharply, and 1 obeyed blindly, too
astonished to dissent, although did
not comprehend what he was going
to do.
The canoe darted out; dipped my
paddle mechanically. and the swift
current above the falls picked us up.
Now 1 understood, and had a bad
attack Of fright. But the fact was
that in no other way could we get
back to the foot of the rapid in time
to be of service. Now we would be
there in a few second-dead or alive.
/ did not believe that we could run
the rapids; 1 did not think that any
canoeman in the world could take his
craft down that roaring and rock
staked chute that in the moonlight
looked like a caldron Of foam. But
l saw that 1 was committed to the at
tempt, and mere shame kept my
mouth shut.
A splash of froth struck me on the
cheek, and in another instant the
water was boiling under the bows.
The canoe dipped and plunged into a
sluice-like current, all but collided
with an ink-black boulder, and under
a sweep of the steering-paddle veered
off into a swirl of eddies and a smoth-
er Of spray.
1 can never sufficiently admire the
skill of the ranger in that all but sui
cidal dash; indeed, it was beyond all
admiration. He seemed to choose
the open passages by instinct, for he
had never been through them before.
A dozen times we escaped wreck by
the breadth Of hair, and he had
deftly sheered aside from the danger
before had recognized its presence.
Our passage could not have lasted
eight seconds, and to me 1t was a
mere blur of breathless speed through
white leaping water in the dark and
moonshine, savage rock-tops darling
past, deafening roar and dash OF
spray, and an intolerable strain OF
muscle and nerve that made me for
get everything except the very pres
ent moment.
With a swoop the canoe cleared
herself and we shot into the tail OF
the rapids, where the water, although
turbulent, was not dangerous; and ]
remembered our object again, with a
gasp of breath 1 had not until then
had time to take. We had run the
impossible falls but where was the
moose and his victim?
Then, as we jumped down the cur
rent, l caught sight of black mass
crossing the stream thirty yards
ahead, and recognized 1t is the head
of the swimming bull. Before we had
gone three lengths nearer a man
emerged from the water near the
bank and drew himself ashore. and
almost at the same moment the long.
legged animal seemed to find footing
and sprang forward with terrific
splash. He was not twenty feet be.
hind the man when long Jet Of flame
spurted past my head, scorching my
hair. Abbott had fired from the
stern. Another shot, and the moose
squealed shrilly. like wounded
horse, but continued to charge for
ward. He was already upon the bank
when he staggered. and plunged head
long forward, slipping back into the
shallow water, where ne lay half
ahoat and making Intellectual at
tempts to rise
The mighty bull was dead by tn,
time we beached the canoe beside hi,
body, and went to look for our pris
oner. We found him just abandon
ing an attempt TO climb a tree, verJ
cold and wet, and doubtful whether
to be grateful for his rescue or angry
at his capture.
He was. as Abbott had declared
one OF the French Canadians from
the trapper settlement, and he toll,
us rather sulklly that ne had beef
making the portage when the moos,
had come out on the other bank. II,
had fired at him twice and beer
freed, with what result we had seen
But when he came to speak of GU
passage OF the falls, he was full o
, admiration.
/ left Abbott and HIS prisoner tn
next morning, and reached the cant
OF my friends I'm the evening. TIL
, poacher was delivered over TO Justice
But when / next saw Abbott
found him much disturbed by the fac
4, that whenever he had mentioned hav
ing run Limestone Falls at nigh
with a green hand I'm the bow. m
found no one to believe him