Evening journal., 1914-08-17
'Tmpossiblel You don't understand"

-Tmpossiblel You don't understand"
The girl shook her head yet know: judith
was here until this morning. I tell you know
saw her only few hours ago. She passed US in
a canoe with one Of her guides, while we watched
In hiding on the banks. Not that alone but an
other Of her guides told mine she was here with
you. She had sent him to South Portage for qui-
nine. He stopped there to get drunk-and that's
how my guide managed to worm the information
from him."
Alan passed hand across his eyes Il don't
understand" he said duly. 1T doesn't seem pos
sible she could"
shot interrupted him, the report OF a rife from
a considerable distance upstream, echoed and re-
echoed by the cliffs And at this, clutching fran
tically at his arm, the girl drew him through the
door and down toward the river.
"Oh, come comel" she cried wildly. There's no
timei"
But. why? What was that?"
Judith is returning. left my guide MP the
trail to signal Don't you know what means
If we don't manage to escape before she gets here?"
~But how?"
According to the guide the rivers the only way
other than the trail"
"The current is too strong. They could follow
pot at leisure from the banks"
But downstream-the current with us"
Those rapids?"
I'VE must shoot theml"
Can It be done?"
1T must bel
Two strokes took It to the middle Of the pool
where Immediately the current caught the little
craft in its urgent grasp and sped it smoothly
through more narrow and higher banks moment
more and the mouth Of the gorge was yawning for
them.
With the clean balance of an experienced canoe
man, Alan to his feet for instantaneous re-
connoissance 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 a wilderness of shouting waters, white
and green. worse than anything he had anticipated
ever dreamed of.
But there was now no escaping that ordeal. The
already spinning between walls where
the water deep and fast with a CLASSY surface
The next instant Il In the jaws and the man
settled down to work with grim determination, pit
ting courage and strength and experience against
the ravenng waters that tore at the canoe on
every hand whose mad clamor beat back and forth
between the walls OF the gorge like vast belowings
Of Internal mirth
He fought like one possessed There was never
an instants grace for judgment execution; the
one must be synchronous with the other, both tn
stantaneous. or else-destruction.
The canoe wove this way and that like insane
shuttle threading some satanic loom. Now 1t hesi
tated, nuzzllng a gigantic boulder over which the
water wove pale green and glistening hood, now
in the space OF heartbeat It shot forward twice
its length through sea Of creaming waves, now
plunged wildly toward what promised instant ami
hiation and cheated that only by the timely plunge
Of a paddle guided by luck 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 we're tremendous, unbelievable in
spired. 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 canoe swung broadside to a boulder. turned
turtle and precpitated both headlong into that saw
age welter
AS the next few moments passed he fighting
like mad thing against overwhelming odds Then
of a sudden he found himself rejected, spewed
forth from the cataract and swimming mechanical
lv I'm the smooth water Of a wide pool beyond the
lowermost eddy the canoe floating bottom up neal
by, and Rose supporting herself with one hand
IT,
Her eye met his clear with the sanity Of hen
adorable courage.
He foundered to her side. painted instructions 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, exhausted 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, rife
across her knees in the stern an Indian guide
kneeling and fighting the waters with scarcely per
ceptible 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 itH
strength II hurded the eddy in a bound took the
still water with a mighty splash, and shot down
stream 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 II
TO bear-upon her sister.
with cry OF horror. Alan flung himself before
Rose a living shield, anticipating nothing but Inn
mediate death. This not accorded him. Fol-
a breathess instant the woman in the canoe stared
along the sights then lowered her weapon and
turning spoke indistinguishably to the guide, who
instantly began to ply brisk paddle.
The canoe sped on. vanished swiftly round {
bend.
After a long time, Alan voiced his unmitgated
smazement;
eWhy-in the name OF heavenl WHY"
The girl said DULY; Don't you know?" And
when he shook his head. Her guide told mine
Won had saved her life on the dam at Spirit Lake
Now do you see7"
His countenance was blank with wonder; Graft
tude2"
Rose smiled weariy. mot gratitude alone. bui
son,athing more terrible. She ros(