The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-08-22

I AS0o ~ a. 0A VAAAs 4AS dOouSy
his face SO close he could see her
eyes.
I'VE shall have to try 1t, Miss Nc
Donald: you must permit me to carry
you"
Yes"
And whatever happens do not
scream-just cling tight to me-"
Yes" a little catching in her throat.
Tell me first, please, just what it is
you fear"
"Quicksand principally; 1t is In all
these western rivers, and the two of
US together on one pair of feet will
make it harder to pull out Of the suck.
If | tell you to get down, do SO
quickly"
Yes
Then there may be holes out there
in the bottom. l don't mind those SO
much. although these cavalry boots
are no help in swimming"
II can SWIM"
Hardly in your clothes; but I am
glad to know 1t, nevertheless. You
could keep afloat at least, and the
holes are never very large. Are you
ready now?"
She gave him her hands and stood
up. The Sergeant drew In a long
breath and transferred the haversack
to her shoulder.
Well try and keep hat from get
ting soaked, II We cam" he explained.
There Is no hotel owe in those sand
hills. Now hold on tight"
He swung her easily to his broad
shoulder. clasping her slender figure
closely with one arm.
That's it! Now get a firm grip. I'll
carry you all right"
l. To the girl, that passage was never
more tina a dim memory. Still par
TALLY dazed from the severe blow on
her head, she closed her eyes Is Ham
lin stepped cautiously down into the
stream and chung to him desperately,
expecting each moment to be flung
forward into the water. But the Ser
geants mind was upon his work, and
every detail Of the struggle left Its
impress On his memory. He saw the
dark sweep Of the water, barely Wis
IDLE In the CLEAN of those few stars
unobscured by cloud, and felt the slug
gish flow against his legs as he moved.
The bottom vas soft, yet his feet did
not sink deeply, although it was rath-
er difficult wading. However, the clay
gave him more confidence than sand
underfoot. and there was less depth of
uyafnr nunp than ho hoH nfintnofn1
He was wet only to the thighs when
he toiled ZIP on to the low spit of sand.
and put the girl down a moment to
catch a fresh breath and examine the
broader stretch of water ahead. They
could see both shores now. that which
they had just left, a black, Jumping.
dim outline. Except for the tapping
of the water at their feet, all was
deathly still. Even the Indian fire had
died out, and 1t was hard to conceive
that savages We're hidden behind that
black veil, and that they two were
actually fleeing for their lives. To the
girl 1t was like some dreadful delirium
OF sleep, but the man felt the full
struggle. There was a star well down
in the south he chose to guide by. but
beyond that he must trust to good for
tune. Without a word he lifted her
agar, to his shoulder, and pushed on
The water ran deeper, shelving off
rapidly. until it rose we'll above his
waist, and with sufficient current so
that he was compelled to lean against
it to maintain balance, scarcely ven
- $1,000 30 A. 49,
he stumbled over some obstruction,
barely ayerting a fall; he felt the
swift clutch of her fingers at his
THROAT, the quick adjustment of her
body, but her lips gave no utterance
of alarm. His cropping feet touched
the edge OF a hole, and he turned. fac
ing the current. tracing his way care
fully until he found a passage on solid
bottom. A bit of driftwood swirled
down out OF the night: a w~atersoaked
limb, striking against him before it
was even seen, bruised one arm, and
then lodged past like a wild thing,
leaving a glitter OF foam behind. The
sand-dunes grew darker, more dis
tinct, the water began to grow shall
low. the bottom changing from mud to
sand. He slipped and staggered in
the uncertain footing, his breath COM
ing in quicker gasps, yet with no cess
| alton Of effort. Once he felt the dread
| ed suck about his ankles, and broke
into a reckless run, splashing straight
forward, falling at the waters edge,
yet not before the girl was resting
safely on the soft sand.
Strong IS Hamlin was. his muscles
trained by strenuous outdoor life. he
lay there for a moment utterly help
less, more exhausted from the nervous
strain indeed, than the physical exer-
ton. He had realized fully the des-
perate nat1re OF that passage, expect
ing every step to be engulfed, and the
reaction, tAe knowledge that they had
actually attained the shore safely, left
him weak as a child. hardly able to
comprehend the fact. The girl was
upon her feet first, alarmed and So
licitous, bending down to touch him
with her hand.
Sergeant, you are not hurt?" she
nupafiOnpd '"Te1I me Won ara not