Middletown transcript., 1909-10-30
SIN BALD ROCK CANON9
BY DENIsoN HALEY Cliff


would at shas moment have welcomed
fsvsrishly the presence Of the burly
Canadian.
10 She river Williams huns on 10 the
line. His small body was tossed about
liksh chip npon She lids. The undsrtow
dragged hls bead heneath lhs surface
each lime be relaxed the tension Of his
hold. His voIcs came again, taintly, TO
the rndman; his strength was given oats
she suction would coon drsg him under.
For an instant he half opened his eyes
and glanced along the saRging line. He
saw Kenton coming toward him. The
vision Of the tall rodnan swinging alorR
the rope, hand over hand, as he bad done,
filled him with new life. and be closed
bis eyes again, his hold tightening, bis
heart beating high vith hope.
As the rodman clung to the line aDd
fought against the swifs running current,
the rope sagged lower and lower, until Il
touched the wafer. Il quiyered and
jsrked and snapped from ths strain,
throbbinR under its double burden, Sup.
pose Il broke under the strain before he
reached the drowning chiei5 He had
not shouRht Of that.
His strong arms bore him inch by inch
along the rope. Each moment the sWol-
len stream dashed higher about him,
tearing open the front of his blue shirt,
and sweeping into bis face, IbIurrinR his
sight,
Ahead Of him he cav dimly the black
heal Of the chief bob up and down in the
water.
Kenton was growing cold and numb
and sick with fear. Williame, be knew,
could not hold on much longer. Oh, if
be could only reach hint After all.
would his strength prove equal to the
ordsal7 He struggled ierceIy on.
Suddenly the line quiveFed and ieFked
violently about. Through bis blurred
gaze be saw one Of the engineers hands
clulching wildly IN. lhs air. Its grasp
was torn from the line.
Hold onI cried she rOdmsu. Tm
cominRI
He threw bis body forward with . sud.
den desperate lunge. The rope quiveFed
from the tension. He reached bliRdly
forward for the hand he had seen. Then
the rope snapped
In that momehl he ielt the fear Of
death upon him. lie felt his body being
carried swiftly down stream, under lhe
surface. With . gathering Of bis remain
ling strength his arm shot out with q
broad sweep through the water, and en-
counsersd an open shirt front. He gained
the air again, blinded, choking. One arm
cut ahead under the water; with the
other he dragged the limp body Of Ibe
engineer after him.
The force Of the eIFeam carried him
sSiltlY along, away from she eddy and
always nearer 20 the bank, for wish the
rope around him tied 70 the tree on the
bank, be was swung about in 9 great
quarter circle.
i lie was almost exhausted. The IN.
| conscious body Of the engineer vas fast
10 bis grasp. h directed all his pOOI
remaining strength TO keeping his head
above the water as he neared the bank.
| When he came in by the side Of .
boulder he cFept iesbIy up the slope OF
the stones and gravel, weakly pulling the
chief after him, half out Of the water
Then be sank back in exhaustion among
the groWths OF golden red aEaIeas.
As be lay there inert, the hours draaget
on and che summer dusk began 70 settli
over the canon. At last be heard family
the swapping Of lWigs along she bank
and then voices near him; and openinl
his eyes, be beheld the men Of she party
standing over him.
Williams was breathing heavily b.
his side.
LeapiDR upon his elbow, be told III
suEyeyors.yhat bad happened. We weF'
almost gone, be repeated, gaspingIy
when be had finished. We we're almos
!, sWeptaway.
Ths big Canadian bent low oyer him
and pilloWed bis head upon some BOl
tufts Of grass.
Were you caught in that stream? b
cried, close to Kenton's ear, pointing i
! the swift running river below. Do yol
meanzin lheEe2 Why, men have died il
there, and have hsver been ioundI Ant
you came ont of sheEe7 Where did yol
Iearn TO swim like that, man?
NJ Kenton watched the engineers iii
Williams high up on the bank, where b,
could better breathe the fresh air. A
! shey came for him his lips cuFled in
wan smile, and his blue eyes lighted uI
for q moment.
VI Out Of book, Pete, be murmuFed, o
|, bic voice tFailed On into the silence Of 81
haustion.