Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-06

" kVpSe6"
It the top Of the bank they met
Breck. His wife stood at q little dis-
tance. Kit shook his hand.
I'm afraid your boat can't make
T." he said 1T Is smaller than ours
and q bit cranky"
The man pulled out q roll Of bills.
"ru give you each hundred II you
run 1t through" 49,.
Kit looked out and up the tossing
paue Of the White Horse A long.
ezay twilight was falling, It was turn.
ing colder. and the landscape seemed
taking on a savage bleaknesa
ut amt that" Shorty was saying.
I'VE don't want your money. But my
pardner Ia the real meat with boats,
an when he says yourn amt safe !
reckon he knows what he's talktn'
about"
Kit nodded affirmation and CHANGED
b glance at Mrs. Breck. her eyes were
axed upon him. and he knew that II
ever he had seen prayer In a woman's
eSes he was seeing 1t then. Shorty fol.
lowed bis gaze and saw what be saw.
They looked at each other In confusion
and did not speak. Moved BY the com.
mon Impulse. they nodded to each 9th.
sr and turned to the trail that led to
the head Of the rapids.
Barely had they showed Breck's boat
ont from the bank and caught the first
rough water when the waves began to
lap aboard. They were small waves,
but It was an earnest Of what was to
ceme.
The rapids grew sitter. and the
spray began to ny. In the GATHERING
darkness Kit gfimpsed the name and
the crooked ding Of the current into Il
he worked into this crooked current
and felt q glow of satisfaction as the
boat hit the head of the name square
II IN the middle After that, In the
smother, leaping and burying and
swamping. he had no clear impression
Of anything save that he swung biz
weight on the steering oar.
They emerged breathless, vet
through, the boat filled with water al
most to the gunwale. Lighter pieces
Of baggage and outft were floating In
side the boat A few careful strokes
on shory's part worked the boat into
tie draw OF the eddy. and the eddy
d:d the rest till the boat softly touched
the bank.
Looking down from above was Mra
Rseck, Her prayer had been answer
ed. and the tears were streaming down
her cheeks
"You boys have simply got to take
the money" Breck called down to
them. 90
Shorty stood up. slipped and sat
down In the water. while the boat
dipped one guhwale under and righted
again. .- s-e
.Dern the money, said Shorty.
.Fetch out that whisky. Now that it,
over I'm gettin' cold feet an f'm sun
iikely to have chill"
The trail by water crossed Lake La
bsrge. Here was no fast current but
q tdeless stretch OF forty miles which
must be rowed unless fur wind
hew. But the time for fair wind wai
past and an icy gale blew IN theil
teeth out of the north. This made q
nnughi sea. against which It was a.
most Impossible to pull the boat Add
Cd to their troubles was driving snow
aSso the freezing Of the water on theil
OR blades kept one man occupied ID
ctsUpping It Oh with Q hatchet Com
pulled TO- take their turn at the oars
e,fague and Slime patiently. loafed
AT the end Of three hours Spragu'
b.lIed bis. oar In and said they woult
run back into tho mouth Of the rtvsi
for shelter. Sttne seconded him, ant
the several hard won miles were lost
A second day. and q third, the sam'
ruthless attempt was made. In
! freezeup was very Imminent
| I'VE could make Il Il thsy had th'
sculs of clans" Kit tpN Shorty q