The Detroit times., 1913-05-08

consequences. for the bays quickly
recovered their lead.
Gibbs stood In no actual fear Of the
old tayernkeeper, but he felt that un-
der the circumstances a meeting with
him would have its disagreeable fea.
| lures; and TO do him Justice, he was
not lacking In the wish to spare the
woman at his side the distress OF such
an interview
The bays now drew steadily ahead,
and Tucker dropped back until q good
quarter OF A mile separated him from
the pair In the buggy: this grew to
half mile-three-Quarters- though
he piled the whip with desperate en-
ergy.
Suddenly he was surprised to see
the bays slow down TO walk. but a
moment later he realized what the
difficulty was. They We're approach
ing ford. lie had already expert
enced both difficulty and danger In
fording swollen streams perhaps this
one would force the runaways to turn
and face him. He slipped the quilt
from about the pistols with one hand
while he guided his horse with the
other for he had caught the CLINT OF
the angry current where IL ran level
with the bank. sending a placid
stretch OF dirty yellow water down
the road to meet the fugitives An
instant later the bays splashed into
this.
Gibbs drew in his horses He had
no intention OF attempting the ford.
Il am sorry" he said to his com
panion, but we shall have to meet
har hA 10 70
Tucker saw the bays come 10 a
stand, and shaking with excitement
and rage, snatched up one OF the
pistols and sought to cock it; but his
fingers were numb with cold. the lock
rusted and stiff. and he could not start
the hammer He put the reins be-
tween his knees. and took both hands
to the task. The hammer rose slowly
from the cap. Then suddenly his An
gers seemed to lose all power and
strength, the hammer fell, the piece
exploded.
When the smoke that for a mo-
ment enyeloped him cleared away, he
saw that Gibbs had changed his mind
about waiting for him to come up.
The bays were struggling in mid
stream, and when he reached the ford
were just emerging on the other bank.
He refined in his horse and considered.
The stream had an ugly look. II was
quite narrow, however, and he could
see plainly where the wheels OF the
buggy had left their impress on the
soft bank opposite. But his fury got
the better OF a constitutional timidity
that usually turned him back from any
hazardous undertaking. He touched
the mare sharply with the whip; she
started forward: and then as she felt
the water deepen about her, flung
back. He jerked her around savagely.
and she plunged forward once more;
current, yeered sharply, overturning
the buggy Tucker was pitched head
long from his heat He gained a foot
ing, but the water was waist deep,
and the current instantly twisted his
feet from under him, and he was roll
ed over and over like cork To have
extricated himself would have been
as easy task for strong swimmer:
but Mr.. Tucker was not strong swim
mer The current was sweeping him
toward the oppOsiate shore, and per-
haps safety; but he was entirely pos
sessed by the confused idea that he
must recover his horse. which. rid Of
its master had kicked itself free OF
buggy and harness, and was now gall
Looping down the road toward Whining
ton.
He put his might against the cur
rents might. Ii swept him further
and further away from the ford
Splinters and fragments OF the wreck
ed buggy foated after him. He gave
up all idea OF regaining the Whining
ton shore. He wondered desperately
T. Gibbs had not seen the accident. and