The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-12-31

But there was nov no escaping thai
ordeal. The canoe was already spin
ming between walls where the water
ran deep and fast with a glasay sur
face.
The mex instant II was in the jaws;
and the man settled down 10 work.
with grim determination, pitting cour>
y and strength and experience
against the ~raveping waters that tore
ut tho on ever hand. whose
mad clamor beat back and forth be-
tween the walls OF the gorge like q
bellowings of internal mirth.
He fought like one possessed.
There was nev an instant's grace
for judgment or execution; the one
must be synchronous with the other.
both instantaneous. or else--destruo-
ton.
The canoe wove this way and that
like an insane shuttle threading come
satanic loom. Now II hesitated. mug
Zling a. gigantic boulder over which
the water wove a pale green and
glistening hood. now in the space OF
a heartbeat II shot forward twice It's
length through a sea OF Dreaming
waves. now plunged wildly toward
what promised instant annihilation
and cheated that only by the timely
plunge of a paddle. guided by luck or
instinct or both.
The n ray OF hope in Alan's mind,
when he surveyed before committing
himself and the woman he loved to
that hideous gauntlet, sprang from
the fact that, however rough. tho
rapids were short. Now. when he had
been In their grasp a minute, he
seemed to have been there hours.
His laborings were tremendous. IN
~believable. inspired. In the end they
were all but successful. The goal OF
safety was within thirty seconds
more Of quick. hard work. when Alan's
paddle broke and the swung
broadside to a boulder. turned turtle
and precipitated both headlong into
that savage weller.
AS the next few minutes passed he
was fighting like n mad thing against
overwhelming odds. Then, of q sud-
den. he found himself rejected, spewsd
forth from the cataract and swimming
mechanically in the smooth water of
a wide pool beyond the lowermost
eddy. the canoe floating bottom up
a by. and Rose supporting herself
with n hand on II.
Her ayes net his. clear with the
sanity of her adorable courage.
He noundered to her side. painted In.
structions TO transfer her hand to his
shoulder. and struck out for the
carer shore.
Both found footing at the same
time and waded out, to collapse. ex
hausted. against the bank.
Then. with a sickening qualm. Alan
remembered the pursuit. He rose and
looked up the rapid just In time To
view the last swift quarter of the
canoes descent: Judith In the bow,
motionless, a rife across her knees. In
the stern an Indian guide kneelins
and fighting the waters with scarcely
p~erceptlble effort in contrast with
Alan's supreme struggles.
Like a living thing the canoe
seemed TO gather itself together, to
poise, to leap with all It's strength;
II hurdled the eddy In a bound. took
the still water with a mighty splash.
and shot downstream at diminished
speed. the Indian furiously backing
water.
AZ though that had been the one
moment che had lived for. Judith
lifted her rife and brought II &c bear
upon her sister.
With a cry OF horror. Alan flung
himself before Rose, a living shield.
anticipating nothing but immediate
death. This was not accorded him.
For a breathless instant the woman In