New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-09-23


lessened perceptibly. thanks to the
strong current sucking through tn
spillway.
His shot few wide, but almost q.
stfnctively his finger closed aeain
upon the trigger. and he saw the pad
die snap In twain, it's blade falling
overheard. And then the Indian fred
again, his bullet droning past Alln.s
ear.
As he fired in response Jacob start
ed. dropped his rifle and crumpled up
In the bow Of the canoe.
simultaneously earth and heavens
rocked with a terrific clap Of thun.
der.
He turned again and ran swiftly
along the dam, toward two heavy tim.
bers that bridged the torrent Of the
spillway.
Then glance aside brought him up
with q thrill Of horror; the suck d
the overflow had drawn the canos
within hundred yards of the spill
way. The dead Indian In It's bow. thu
living woman helpless In its stern,
It swept swiftly onward to destfuo
ton. u,
His next few actions were wholly
unprecedented. He was conscious
only of her white, staring face, her
strange likeness to the woman that be
loved.
He ran out upon the bridge, threw
himself down upon the innermost tim.
Der, turned, and let his body fall back.
ward. arms extended at length. and
swung. braced by his feet beneath
the outer timber.
With q swiftness that passed con.
scious 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; a tremendous weight tore ~
his arms. and with an effort Of inc0 4
ceivable difficulty he began to lif y
to drag the woman up out Of the foam
ing Jaws Of death.
Somehow that impossible feat was
achieved; somehow the woman GAINED
hold upon hts body, shifted It to his
belt. contrived inexplicably to Chamber
over him to- the timbers:: and some.
how he In turn pulled himself IN to
safety. and sick with reaction spravled
prone, lengthwise upon that foot-wide
bridge, above the screaming abyss.
Later he became aware that the
woman had crawled to safety on the
farther shore, and pulling himself Ia.
gether, initiated her example. Solid
earth nnderfoot. he rose and stood
swaying. beset by great weakness.
Through the gathering darkness
gnastiy twilight In which, the damins
forests on the other shore burned With
an unearthly glare -he discovered the
wan, wrtthen face of Judith Trine
close to his and he heard her voice.. .
scream barely audible above the com.
mingled voices Of the confiaeration
and the cascades:
You fool! Why did you save meY
tell you. have sworn your death -
The utter grotesqueness Of Il an
broke upon his intelligence ike The
revelation Of some enormous funda.
mental absurdity In Nature. "a
laughed q little hysterically.
darkness followed "A fssh az lirht.
ming seemed to flame between tham
like fery sword. 10 it's cr,shine
thunder, he lapsed into unconscious.
ness.
When he reused. Il wasswith : .hiv.
81 and shudder. Rain was fallins
u torrents from = sky the me. az
slate. Across the lake dense yolumeaS
d steam envaiopsd tho llree thaf
tainted beneath the deluge. "A 800
alssing noise hllsd thesworid. muting
wen the roar Of the spillway.
He was alone.
hut inahia hard. tsttssSS ma BRUISED
: Pew =. doaa re