Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-02
rv-MANY WATERS.

V-MANY WATERS.
Overhead. through rift In the foliage, ssky was
visible whose ebon darkness called to mind .
thundercloud. 'ttt.t
The heat was nearly intolerable; the voice Of the
IRE was very loud. .s.
Two minutes had passed Of the ten. Something
was digging uncomfortably into Alan's right hip
The automatic pistol in his hip pocket, Of which
Jacob had neglected to relieve him. Then sharp,
spiteful cracking brought him suddenly to sitting
position, to find that the Indian had thoughtfuly
touched match to the pyre before departing. At
Alan's feet the twigs were blazing merrly.
It would have been easy enough acting on In
Etinct, to snatch HIS limbs away, but he did not
move more than to strain his feet far their
bonds permitted. Conscious Of scorching heat even
through his hunting boots, he suffered that torture
until tongue of flame licked up, wrapped itself
round the thick hempen cord and ate It through
Immediately Alan kicked his feet free lifted to
q kneeling position, and crawled from the pyre
As for his hands-Alan's hunting knife was still
in its sheath beted TO the small of his back Tear
ing at the belt with his hampered fingers, he con-
tryed to shift II round until the sheath knife stuck
at the beItloop over his left hip Withdrawing
and conveying the blade to his mouth, he grpped
It firmly between his teeth and sawed the cords
round his wrists against the razor.sharp blade.
Before Alan could turn and run he saw van
guard OF flames bridge fifty yards at bound and
start dead pine blazing like a. torch.
And then he was pelting like mailman across
the smokeilled clearing, and in less than two min
utes broke from the forest to the pebbly shore of
wide-bosomed lake, and within few hundred feet
Of substantial dam, through whose spiilway a
heavy volume OF water cascaded with roar rival
ing that OF the forest-hre itself,
Two quick glances showed Alan two things: that
his only way Of escape was via the dam that there
was a solitary canoe at midlake, bearing swiftly
to the farther shore Judith Urine and the Indian
the latter welding the paddle.
In the act Of turning toward the dam he saw
Jacob drop the paddle. The next instant bullet
from Winchester 80 kicked up a squirt Of pebbles
only few feet IN advance OF Alan. '. e~--sA'
He quickened his pace, but the next bullet fell
closer, while the third actually bit the earth be
meath his running feet as he gained the. dam.
Exaggerated he pulled up, whipped out his pistol
and fred without aim. At the same time he noted
that the distance between dam and canoe had les.
sened perceptibly thanks to the strong current
sucking through the pillwaysA Il
His shot Jew wide, but almost instinctvely his
finger closed again upon the trigger, and he saw
the paddle snap In twain its blade falling over.
board, And then the Indian fired again his bullet
droning East Alans ear. So Isl
As be nred in response Jacob started, dropped his
ride and crumpled up in the bow of the canoe.
simultaneously earth and heavens rocked with
terrific clap of thunder. ~
He turned again and ran swiftly along the dam,
toward two heavy timbers that bridged the torrent
OF the spfllway., -. p san z tt
! Then glance aside brought him up with thriil
of horror: the suck OF the overnowshad drawn the
canoe WITHIN hundred yEf0o fofftn0 BpilWay,I The
dead Indian in Its bow. the living woman helpless
iniits stern, ept swiftly onward to destruction.
His next few actions were wholly unprecedented.
He was conscious only OF her white staring face.
her strahs likeness to the woman that he loved.
He ran out upon the bridge, threw himself down
upon the innermost timber turned and let his body
fail backwards, arms extended at length. and
swung, bFaced by hts feet beneaththe outer timber.
With a swiftness that passed conscious thought
he was Aware OF the canoe hurting onward with
the speed OF wind its sharp prov apparently aimed
directly. for HIS head. Then hands closed round
his wrists like clamps tremendous weight tore
at his arms and with an effort OF inconceivable
diniculty he began to lift to drag the woman up
out Of the foaming Jaws OF death.
Somehow, that impossible feat was achieved;
somehow the woman, contrived to Chamber over
him 20 the timbsfs; and no in turn pulled himself
up 70 safety and sick with reaction sprawled prone
above the screaming abyss -t
Later he became aware that the woman had
erawled TO safety on the farther shore. and pulling
himself together, initiated her example.
In a chastity twilight in which the flaming forests
the other shore burned with mccarthy glare. he
discovered the wan. writing face OF Judith Trine
close to his and he heard her scream:
You fool! Why did you save me7 tell you.
have sworn your death!P -..-s -'.s-t
The utter grotesqueness Of II all broke upon his
intelligence like the revelation OF some enormous
fundamental absurdty in Nature He laughed
little -hystericalIy.
Darkness followed. : A nash OF lightning seemed
TO name between them like fiery sword. To it's
crashing thunder, he lapsed into unconsciousness
wher he reused It was with q SILVER and shud-
der. Rain was falling In torrents from shy the
hue Of slate Across the lake dense volumes Of
steam developed the nres that tainted beneath the
deluge. A great Kissing noise filed the world.
muting even the roar OF the spillWay..
But in his hand tAttered and bruised hg u
dOwnpouI, he fOund-G rose
(Continued Nexf 6unAnyla