Las Vegas optic., 1914-11-25

/ &AA44AH
astern when fourth shot sounded
and a bullet kicked up turf within a
dozen feet A glance discovered two
figures debouching into the clearing.
He dropped into place and. planting
paddle in shadows, sent the canoe
well out with vigorous thrust
Two strokes took it to the middle
OF the pool where Immediately the
current caught the little craft IN It's
urgent grasp and sped it smoothly
through more narrow and higher
banks. A moment more and the
mouth of the gorge was yawning for
them.
1 With the clean balance Of an sx-
perienced canoeman, Alan rose to his
feet for an instantaneous reconnois-
sance both forward and astern. He
looked back first, and groaned in his
heart to see the sharp Prov Of the
second canoe glide out from the
banks. He looked ahead and groaned
aloud. The rapids were a wilderness
2f ehouting waters, white and green,
worse than anything he had antici-
pated or ever dreamed Of.
But there was now no escaping that
ordeal. The canoe was already spin
ming between walls where the water
ran deep and fast with CLASSY sur
face
The next instant 1t was In the jaws;
and the man settled down to work
with grim determination, pitting cour-
age and strength and experience
against the rayening waters that tore
at the canoe on every hand, whose
mad clamor beat back and forth be-
tween the walls Of the gorge like vast
bellowings Of internal mirth.
He fought like one possessed.
There was never an instant's grace
for Judgment or execution; the one
must be synchronous with the other,
both instantaneous, or -destruc-
tion.
The canoe woye this way and that
like an insane shuttle threading some
satanic loom. Now 1t hesitated, nuz.
cling a gigantic boulder over which
the water wove a pale green and
glistening hood, now in the space of
heartbeat it shot forward twice It's
length through sea of creaming
waves, now plunged wildly toward
what promised instant annihllation
and cheated that only by the timely
plunge Of a paddle, guided by luck or
instinct or both.
The one 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, the
rapids were short. Now, when he had
been in their grasp minute, he
seemed to have been there hours.
His laborings were tremendous, un-
believable, inspired. In the end they
were all but successful. The goal Of
safety was within thirty seconds
more Of quick, hard work, when Alans
paddle broke and the canoe swung
broadside to a boulder, turned turtle
and precipitated both headlong into
that savage welter.
As the next few minutes passed he
was hghting HKe mad thing against
Overwhelming odds. Then, Of sud
den, he found himself rejected, spewed
forth from the cataract and swimming
mechanically in the smooth water Of
a wide pool beyond the lowermost
eddy, the canoe floating bottom up
near by, and Rose supporting herself
with one hand on it.
Her eyes met his, clear with the
sanity Of her adorable courage.
He fioundered to her side, painted in
structions to transfer her hand to his
shoulder, and struck out for the
nearer shore.
Both found footing at the same
time and waded out, to collapse, ex-
hausted, against the bank.
Then, with 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 rifle across her knees, in
the stern an Indian guide kneeling
and fighting the waters with scarcely
perceptible 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 its strength;
it 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.
AS though that had been the one
moment she had lived for, Judith
lifted her rife and brought it to bear
'-upon her sister.
With cry of horror, Alan flung
himself before Rose, a living shield.
anticipating nothing but immediate
death. This was not accorded him.
For breathless instant the woman in
the canoe stared along the sights,
then lowered her weapon and. turn
ing, spoke indistinguishably to the