The Oakes times., 1913-08-07

Up We clambered. the Girl Catching
Her Breath In Terror.
heard n voice and saw woman lean
ing over the rail OF the upper deck. l
recognized Mandy McGovern. "Whut
you all doin' down there?" she called.
Wait minute: I'm comm too" A
moment later she appeared ut the
opening OF the lower deck and craned
out her long neck. | then saw at her
side the figure Of young woman. her
hair fallen from it's coils. her feet bare.
her body wrapped apparently only in
some light silken dressing to be thrown
above her night wear.
Here. you," called out Mandy Nc
Govern; git hold Of the end of this
rope"
She tossed to me the end Of he gang
plank rope. by which the sliding stage
was drawn out and in at the boat
landings. caught this and passed 1t
over Il projection Oh the suag
The gnngpunk, confined by the
rope, swung in the current alongside
the snag. but 1t seemed useless to un-
dertake to restore it to its position.
The girl covered against the side Of
the deck opening. Wait" | called to
her, and. slipping down into the water
again. wadrd as close as | could to
the door. the water then catching me
rlose to the shoulders.
Jump" l ordered. holding out my
arms.
II can't; I'm afraid" she said.
do as tell you!" roared. Jump
at once!" AS caught her weight with
my arms under hers she was for the
moment almost immersed. but | stag
gered backward and managed to hold
my footing Till Auberry's arms reached
US from the snag. up which we clam
bered. the girl dripping wet and catch
ing her breath in terror.
We had Travelled perhaps three-quar.
ters Of a mile when | noticed the dim
loom Of trees on our side of the
stream and saw that we were ap
preaching Il long point which ran out
below us. This should have been the
deep side Of the river but no one car
account for the vagaries Of the Nilsson
ri. When we were within a hundred
yards or so of the point we felt Ions
shuddering scrape under us, and aftel
series Of slips and jerks our Oil snae
came to anchor again, its roots having
once more laid hold upon a bar. 1
occurred to me that as had been abl'
to touch bottom on the other bar
might do so here crawled back alonl
the trunk Of the snag to place al
near the roots as l could reach and
letting myself down gently, foun'
that could keep my footing on th
sand.
Little by little edged up the strear
! and found that the water shoaled tt
ward the heap of driftwood. 1t droE
l. ped off, know not how deep, betwee
the edge of the bar and the piled drift
0 but. standing no more than waist dee[
e could reach the outer limbs of tn
drift and saw that they would suppol
e my weight. After that waded bac
It to the snag carefully and once NOR
II ordered the young woman to come
e me-
She came back along the naked an
Y slippery trunk Of the snag. pulling he
l. self along by her hands. her bare fe'
s and limbs deep in the water alongsid
| could hear the sob of her intake
e breath and saw that she tremblcd
J. fright. and more dead than alive.
e seemed to me. she fell once more I'M
ID my arms felt her grasp tighte
a about my neck and her firm boo
of crowd against me as we both sar
of down for an instant. Then l caug
III my feet and Strengthened and was ret
d. ly the steadier for the added weight.
b. any one knows who has waded In IA
water.
d. "Get up. Auberry," l said to him
I'd be approached and motioned to Il
nd long. overhanging branches from Il
ng driftwood. He swung up. breaking
ed the more insecure boughs. and was
ad the belief that we could get across
3D. that way AS he reached down
lite swung the young woman up to hi
I'D and she clambered on as best s
rly all managed to reach the solid dr.
and so presently found ourselv
ID ashore on narrow sandy beach hedg
ion on the back by heavy growth
The willows.
ing "Now then, you men," ordered Man
ost McGovern. 'get some wood out a
en- start fire right away. This here 6
ar Is shaking the teeth plumb out'n
the head" Mandy drew forth two 6as
he each stoppered with a bit of cornc'
OF The one held sulphur matches. th
'ut kept quite dry, and this she passed
The me- The other she handed to
n.y. young woman.
'ur Here" said she. take drink
W. that. It'll do you good"