River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-05-15

| for him to keep his feet
Bivens tried to do as be was told
aud made a mess of it. He merely sue
xeeded in showing the boat around.
! Stuart saw they could never make
Roadway by that method, turned and
shot back into the marsh.
Get outr' he shouted sternly. You
can walk along the edge. can shove
her alone"
Bivens grumbled. but did as he was
ordered
Don't you leave the edge of that
marsh ten feetp' Stuart shouted cheer
fully. Il think we'll make it now"
1t was a question whether one man
had the strength to shove the little
boat through the icy, roaring waters
and keep her off the shore. He did 1t
successfully for a hundred yards. and
the wind and sea became SO fierce he
! was driven in and could make no
Roadway. He called Biyens, 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 DoJtom ana puSHeu
| 1t took two hours of desperate bat
ting to make half a mile through the
white, binding, freezing, roaring wa
tiers. The yacht now lay but 300 feet
away from the edge of the marsh.
Say, why do we stop SO much?'
BiVens growled. "Tm 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
temptuously. Il can throw stone to
her from here"
Get in" Stuart commanded, land
/ lie down again fiat on your backw
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 a 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 a 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 top and in 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 upY' he shouted
in his ear. Get a move on you, or
you're goner." He began to rub
Biyens' ice clad wrists and hands, and
the little man snatched them away
angrily.
"Stop itp' 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 it for a 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 freeing. You're
getting numb. AS soon as I can get
your blood a little warm we've got to
wade through that water for a hun
dred yards and make the yacht"
''I'll do nothing Of the SORT" Bivens
said. "I'll stay here till the next tide
and walk out when the waters ebbed
off. I'm not half as cold as / was"
you're losing the power to feel
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 a jiffy. Come onv
He seized his arm again and dragged
him to the edge of the water B1vens
stopped short and tore himself from
| Stuarts grip.
I'll see you to the bottomless pit be-
fore I'll move another inch!' he yelled
savagely. go to the devil and let me
alone I'll take care of myself"
"All right /" Stuart said contemptu-
ously as he turned and left him.
! He began to walk briskly along the
marsh to keep warm All he 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 he loved in his
arms, move into his palace its master
and hers There could be no mistake
| about Mans feelings. He had read the
yearning of her heart with unerring
| insight Visions of a life of splendor,
beauty and power with her by his side
| swept his Imagination.
shes mine, and I'll take her" he
cried. LET the little, scheming, oily.
cunning scoundrel die tonight by his
own law Of self interest. I've done
| my part
NH II. l. t. hoo - q