Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-08-10
W-MANY wArNRs.

AN-mAhNA WAAhteo'
Overhead. through rift In the foliage. a sky was
visible whose ebon darkness called to mind
thundercloud
The heat was nearly intolsrable: the voics Of the
IRE was very loud
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 10 relieve him. Then sharp
spiteful cracking brought him suddenly 20 eittna
position 10 IND that the Indian had thoughtfuiy
touched q match 10 the pyre before departing. A
Alan's feet the twigs were blazing merrily.
would have been easy enough, acting on n
utinct. TO snatch HIS limbs away. but he did NOS
move more than to strain his feet 80 far a. their
bonds permitted. Conscious OF scorching heat evan
through HE hunting boots, he suffered that torture
until = tongue Of name licked up wrapped itself
round the thick hemp8n cord and ate II through
Immediately Alan kicked his feet free. lifted 70
q knesIng position. and crawied from the pyra
Az for his hands--Alan's hunting-knife was sti1
IN ne sheath belted 10 tho small Of his back Tear
ing az the belt with his hampored fingers, ne con-
trivsd 10 ahlft II round until tho sheath knife stuck
At the beltloop over his left hip. Withdrawing
and conveying the blade 70 his mouth, he grippeo
II firmly between HIS teeth, and sawed the corda7
round his wrista against the raEor-sharp blade.
Before Alan could turn and run he saw van
guard OF aamea bridge nifty yards al bound and
start a dead pine blazing like torch.
And then he was peltng like madman across
the smokohlled clearing, and in less than two mins
wideboaomed lake. and within n few hundred feet
OF A substantial dam, through whose EpHway .
heavy volume Of water cascaded with roar r1veF
ing that Of the forestfra itself
Two quick glances showed Alan two things; that
his only way az escape was via the dam; that there
was a solitary canoe at midlake, bearing swiftly
10 the farther shore Judith Urine and the Indian
the latter welding the paddle.
In tho act Of turning toward the dam no saw
Jacob drop tho paddle The next instant bullet
from Winchester so kicked up squirt Of pebbles
only a few feet In advance Of Alan
He ouickened his pace but the next bullet fen
closer, while the third actually bit the earth b
meath his running feet as be gained the dam
Exasperated he pulled MP, whipped out his pistol
and nrod without aim. At the Same time, no noted
that the distance between dam and canoe mad leo
sened percsptibly, thanks TO the strong current
sucking through the pillway.
His ahot dew wide, but almost inHtinctively his
finger cioBed again upon the trigger. and he saw
the paddle snap IN twain, its blade falling over
board And then the Indian fred again, his bullet
droning past Aan's ear
A he fired In response Jacob started, dropped hia
rife and crumplsd 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 bmbers that bridgsd the torrent
Of the spiIlway.
Then a glance aslds brought him mp With a thrill
Of horror: the suck Of the overflow had drawn the
uuuurou
dead Indian In It's bow. the living woman helpless
In It's stern swept swiftly onward TO destruction
His next few actions were wholly unpremeditatod
He was conscious only OF her white, staring face.
her strange likeness to the woman that he loved.
He ran out upon the bridge. threw himself down
upon tho innermost timber. turned and let his body
fan backwards. extended at length, and
swung braced by his feet beneath the outer timber.
with q swiftness that passed conscious thought
he was aware OF the canoe hurting onward with
the speed OF wind It's sharp prov apparently aimed
directly for his head Then hands closed round
his wrists like clamps; a tremendous weight tore
at bis arms. and with effort Of inconceivabIs
difhculty he began to lift, TO drag the woman uD
out OF the foaming Jaws OF death.
Somehow that impossible feat was achieved;
somehow the woman contrived to chamber over
him TO the timbers; and he In turn pulled himself
up TO safety and sick with reaction sprawled prone
above the screaming abyss
Later he became aware that the woman had
crawled to safety on the farther shore and pulling
himself together initiated her example.
In ghastly twilight in which the fleming forests
on the other shore burned With unearthly glare be
discovered the van. writhing face OF judith Trns
close to his and he heard her scream:
'You fool! Why did you save me! I tell you
! have sworn your DEATH"
The utter grotesqueness Of Il all broke upon His
intelligence like the revelation OF some enormous
fundamental Absurdity In Nature He laughed A
little Historically.
Darkness followed. A fash Of lightning scenes
70 fame between them like fiery sword To lts
crashing thunder. he lapsed into Inconsistencies
When he reused, Il with SILVER and a shud-
der Rain falling In torrents from a sky the
hue OF slate Across the lake dense volumes OF
steam enveioped the fires that tainted beneath the
deluge A great Kissing noise filled the world
mutins even the Of the spiilway
But in his hand. tattered and bruised hy -
downpour no found-a rose