Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-09-17

remained on the top side of the de-
stroyed structure and as yet had not
suffered greatly
The team was sent flying down
side road parallel with the stream. In
five minutes Gordon was abreast Of
the swiftly floating bridge. He leaned
out and called at the top of his voice:
Hold fast; I'll get you off somehow"
The woman feebly waved a hand to-
signify that she had heard him. Tho
team went on at the speed of the
wind Half mile down stream he
jerked his horses to a sudden stop and
sprang out on the .spongy sod. A
hundred yards above the bridge had
become entangled in tree top and
was swinging out of the main current
toward shore. 1t paused dizzily in an
eddying circle Gordon could see the
woman in the same position that she
had at first occupied. He looked
about for material for an improvised
raft. Nothing was in sight and he
was about to pull off his coat and
swim to the rescue when the bridge
again swung out and went on.
Gordon sprang back to his vehicle
and followed in pursuit, calling as he
went: Keep up your courage; there
is still hopel"
half mile farther on, the bridge
grounded against an island of bushes
on slight elevation. In a moment it
swung shoreward and came to dead
stop. Gordon could see the woman
lying face downward across the rough
timbers. He plunged into the seething
waters a hundred yards above with
the determination to reach the wreck
age. He had given himself that dis
lance as a leeway against being
beaten down by the current Wading
obliquely with the current he was
soon waist Deep then shoulder deep in
; til (, tumbling, drift-laden waters. He
kept his feet with difficulty and was
in the act of taking a long breath for
the final plunge when a section of
board fence fioated against him. He
grasped it with both hands and braced
himself to stop 1t. 1t swung in be-
low him and bobbed lightly in the less
agitated water. Clinging to the raft
with one hand and holding onto some
bushes with the other he looked about.
He had his raft but he lacked means
of propelling it. Looking up and
down, he saw long fence-stake float
ing nearer shore. Pulling the raft to
where the water was less than knee
deep, he secured the stake. stepped
on the raft and pushed out polling with
all his might The raft carried him
safely enough but was being swept
down by the current so rapidly that
he feared he would miss the bridge
Setting the end of the pole in the soft
ened earth, he braced himself and
sent the frail craft forward at good
speed. He was within few yards Of
the end of the bridge and was float
ing by at an alarming rate of speed
Once more he thrust the pole down
His heart almost stopped for he could
not reach bottom. At that instant
there was a scraping sound at his fee
and he saw the top branches of {
sapling raking by. Dropping the pole
he clutched one of the branches anC
lying fiat on the raft he held on witt
set teeth. The shock of the suddeI
stop almost tore the flesh from hi.
hands. Gradually the strain slackeneC
and the raft swung against the bridge
He shifted his position quickly anC
grasped one of the bridge timbers
The next moment he was standing OF
the bridge. The raft was pulled vi
sufficiently to prevent it from wash
ing away.
Gordon then sprang toward the
] woman Poor old SOUL" he ex
claimed, STOPPING over her. She wor,
a sunbonnet, which had become we
and hung over her face, hiding he
< features. A faded shoulder shawl hat
e slipped up about her neck, while
q cheap calico dress chung about he
+ drenched form. All this Gordon saw
0 at glance as he stopped to rails.
1 the limp body.
q "Shes probably some poor oil,
/ grandmother" Gordon said half alou,
{ as he staggered along with the bod,
y in his arms toward the raft PLACING
her on one of the planks with he
|, head lying on one of the posts whicl
o served as a cross-section to the raft
a he pushed off. crashing the tops O
l. bushes here and there to start hir
l. shoreward. Then grasping his pol
he worked frantically until the raj
S was safe, in shallow water. Jumpfn
), into the water waist-deep, he pickle
r up the woman and waded ashore
d Reaching a grassy plot he gently low
d cred her to the ground and pullin
n back the wet folds of the bonne
l. which had concealed her face up I
It that time, he looked at the still face
e Staggering back with blanched fac,
IS he cried: my God. it is Nelliei"
It At first he fell to chatting her hand
d and calling her name fmploringl,
a then springing to his feet he ran I
e the buggy for the lap robes, Wral
st ping her in them he hurried with he
d to the buggy and lifted her in the bes
e he could. He grasped the lines wit
If one hand and steadied her with tn
a other. The heads of the horses wer