Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-30

successfully for hundred yards, and
the wind and sea became so fierce he
was driven in and could make no
Roadway. He called Bivens, gave him
an oar and made him walk in the
edge of the water and hold the boat
off while he placed his oar on the |
mud bottom and pushed.
1t took two hours of desperate bat |
Ting to make half mile through the |
white. binding. freezing, roaring wa
tiers. The yacht now lay but 800 feet |
away from the edge of the marsh.
Say. why do we stop so muchT'
Bivens growled. I'm freezing to |
! death. Let's get to that yacht"
Wen do our best" Stuart answer |
ed gravely. land If you know how to
pray now's your time
"Oh. tommyrot!' Bivens said con
temptuousIy. IL can throw a stone to
her from here"
Get in" Stuart commanded. land
lie down again Eat on your back"
! Bivens obeyed, and the desperate
! fight began.
| Stuart made the first few strokes
with his oars successfully and cleared
| the shore. only TO be driven back
/ against it with crash. A wave
swept over the little craft.
Stuart grasped Bivens' hand and
found a cake of ice on his wrist He
showed the boats nose again into the
wind and pulled on his oars with a
steady. desperate stroke, and she shot
ahead. For FIVE minutes he held her
head into the sea and gained few
Yards. He set his feet firmly against
the oak timbers In the boats side and
began to lengthen his quick, powerful
stroke. He found TO his JOY he was
making Roadway. He looked over his
shoulder and saw that he was half
way He couldn't be more than $50
! feet and yet he didn't seem to be
getting any nearer. 1t was now or
never. He bent to his oars with the
last ounce of reserve power in his
tall sinewy frame. and the next mo-
ment an oar snapped. the boat spun
round like a top and In a minute was
hurled back helpless on the marsh.
AS the sea dashed over her again
Bivens looked up stupidity and
growled:
why don't you keep her straight?'
Stuart sprang out and pulled the
numbed man to his feet, half dragged
and lifted him ashore.
Here, here. wake up he shouted
in his ear. Get a move on you, or
you're a goner." He began to rub
Bivens' Ice clad wrists and hands. and
hn fnh
angrily.
Stop it, he snarled. MY hands
are not cold now"
mo, they're freezing" he answered
as he started across the marsh in a
dog trot. pulling Bivens after him.
The little man stood ii for u hundred
yards, suddenly tore himself loose and
angrily faced his companion
Say, suppose you attend to your
own hide-I can take care of my
self"
81 tell you, you're frezing You're
getting numb. AS soon as can get
your blood little warm we've got to
wade through that water for hun
dred yards and make the yacht"
III do nothing OF the sort BIvens
said. I'll stay here till the next tide
and walk out when the waters ebbed
of. I'm not half as cold as | was"
You're losing the power to feel.
J You've got to plunge into that water
with me now, and we can fight our
way TO safety in five minutes. The
} water is only three feet deep. and
can lift you over the big waves. Wen
be there in jiffy. Come on
He seized his arm again and dragged
him to the edge OF the water. Bivens
stopped short and tore himself from
Stuart's grip.
"I1l see you to the bottomIess pit be-
fore III move another inch.' he yelled
savageiy. go TO the devil and let me
. alone. I'll take care OF myself"
''AIl right" Stuart said contemptu-
ously as he turned and left him
He began to walk briskly along the
marsh to keep warm. al be had to do
tonight was to apply the law Of self
interest by which Bivens had lived
and waxed mighty and tomorrow he
could take the woman be loved I'm his
5 arms, move into his palace its master
and hers There could be no mistake
about Mans feelings He had read the
j yearning Of her heart with unerring
2 insight Visions Of life OF spIendor
beauty and power with her by his side
} swept his Imagination.
'She's mine. and I'll take herr he
cried. LET the little. scheming. oily.
: cunning scoundreI die tonight by bis
own law of self interest I've done
, my part
There came a change; his heart was
Suddenly flooded with memories Of his
{ boyhood its dreams of heroic deeda: