The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-09-09

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stole like shadow to the log, laughed
derisively after the fugitive, picked up
and pocketed the card, and set out
in tireless, cat-footed pursuit.
An hour later, topping ridge of
rising ground, Alan caught from the
hollow on its farther side the music of
clashing waters. Tortured by thirst,
he began at once to descend in reck-
less haste. &,
What was at first gentle slope COW
cred with waist-deep brush and car
peted with leaf-mold, grew swiftly
more declivitous, a messy hillside, as
steep as a roof, bare OF underbrush,
and sparely sown with small cedars
through whose ranks cool blue water
twinkled far below. &,
The shelving moss.beds afforded
treacherous footing; Alan was glad
now and then Of the support of a &C.
dar, but these grew ever smaller, and
more widely spaced and were not al;
ways convenient to his hand He
came abruptly and at headlong pace
within sight Of the caves of cliff,
and precisely then the hillside seemed
to slip from under him.
| His heels flourished In tho air, his
back thumped bed of pebbles thinly
ovcrgrown with moss. The stones
gave, the moss-skin broke, he began to
slide-grasped ct random youngish
cedar which stayed him imperceptibly.
coming away with all its puny roots.
caught at another, no more substat-
!ial-and amid shower Of loose stone
shot out over the edge and down a
rop Of more than thirty feet.
He was instantaneously aware of
the sun, a molten ball wheeling mad
ly In the cup Of the turquoise sky.
Then dark waters closed over him.
He came up struggling and gasping,
and struck out for something dark
that rode the waters near at hand
something vaguely resembling a
canoe. @'
But his strength was largely spent,
his breath had been driven out of him
by the force of the fall, and he had
swallowed much water-while the Held
of his consciousness was stricken with
confusion.
Within a stroke Of an outstretched
paddle, he flung up hand and went
down again.
Instantly one occupant Of the
canoe, young and very beautiful wo'
man in mans hunting clothes. epoke
a sharp word of command and, as
her guide steadied the vessel with his
paddle, rose in her place SO surely
that she scarcely disturbed the nice
balance of the little craft, and curved
her 1.-the body over the bow. head
foremost into the pool. go /
|
Mr.. Law had, in point of fact, en-
dured more than ho knew; more than
even weathered woodsman could
have borne without suffering. Forty
eight hours of such heavy woods
walking as he had put in to escape
the forest fire. would have served to
PROSTATE almost any man; add to this
| ignoring q dozen other mental, nerv
GUS and physical strains) merely the
fact that he had been half-drowned.
I. He experienced little fever, a little
delirium, then blank slumbers Of ex
haustiOn.
He awoke in dark of night, wholly
unaware that thirty-six hours had
passed since his fall This last how
ever, and events that had gone bsfore
he recalled with tolerable clearness-
allowing for the sluggishness OF a
| drowsy mind. Other memories, more
vague, of gentle ministering hands, OF
face by turns an angels, a flowers
iiend's, and dear woman's, trou
blcd him even less materially. He
was already sane enough to allow ne
had probably been a bit out Of his
head, and since 1t seemed he had beer
saved and cared for, lie found no rea
son to quarrel with present circum
stances.
- Still, he would have been grateful
for some explanation Of certainephe
nomena which still haunted him-such
as faint, elusive scent of roses with
vague but importunate serserof {
woman's presence In that darkenec
room-things manifestly absurd -
With some difficulty, from a dry
throat, he spoke. or rather whis
pered: "Water!" ~
In response he heard someone move
over a creaking floor. A sulphur
match spluttered UNANIMOUSLY A can
die caught fire, silhouettiug-illu
of course!-the figure of a woman II
hunting shirt and skirt. Water
splashed noisily Alan became aware
of someone who stood at his side, one
hand Offering glass to his lips. the
other gently raising his head that he
might drink with ease.
Draining the glass, he breathed his
thanks and sank back, retaining, his
grasp on the wrist of that unreal
hand. 1t suffered him without re
sistance. The hallucination geven
went so far as to say, in a won1an's
soft accents: =.
You are better, Alan?'
He sighed incredulously: "Rose!"
The voice responded "Yes!" Then
the perfume. Of roses grew still more
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