The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-05-14

lessened %perceptibly, thanks to thu
strong current sucking through tho
spillway.
His shot flew wide, but almost in
stinctively his finger closed again
upon the trigger, and he saw the pad
die snap in twain, its blade falling
overheard. And then the Indian fired
again. his bullet droning past Alan1
ear. s'n' s@I .
As he fired in response Jacob start
ed. dropped his rife 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 tho
spillway. :
Then a glance aside brought him ~
with a thrill Of horror; the suck Of
the overflow had drawn the canos
within a hundred yards of the spill
way. The dead Indian in its bow. the
living woman helpless In its stern
1t swept swiftly onward to destruo
ton. i;
His next few actions we're wholly
only Of her white, staring face, he's
strange likeness to the woman that ha
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 hurtling onward with the speed
of wind. its sharp prov apparently
aimed directly for his head. Then
hands closed round his wrists like
his arms, and with an effort of incon.
ceivable difficulty he began to lift
to drag the woman up out Of the foam
ing jaws of death.
Somehow that impossible feat wa
achieved; somehow the woman gained
a hold upon his body. shifted It to his
belt. contrived inexplicably to clambeI,
over him to the timbers; and some
how he in turn pulled himself up ia
safety, and sick with reaction sprawled
prone, lengthwise upon that foot-wids
bridge. above the screaming abyss.
Later he became aware that the
woman had crawled to safety ON the
farther shore, and pulling himself to.
gether. initiated her example. Solid
earth underfoot, he rose and stood
swaying. beset by a great weakness.
Through the gathering darkness-a
CHASTITY twilight in which the flaming
forests on the other shore burned with
an unearthly glare-he discovered the
wan. writhen face of Judith Urine
close to his and he heard her voice. a
scream barely audible above the com.
mingled voices of the condagration
and the cascades:
You fool! Why did you save me.
! tell you. I have sworn your DEATH"
The utter grotesqueness Of It all
broke upon his intelligence like the
revelation of some enormous fund
mental a%bsurdity in Nature. He
laughed a little Historically.
Darkness followed. A fash Of light
ming seemed to fame between them
like . fiery sword. To its crashing
thunder, he lapsed into unconscious
ness.
When he reused. II was with q shiv.
er and . shudder. Rain was falling
In torrents from Q sky the hue Of
slate. Across the lake dense volumes
Of steam euveloped the flres that.
beneath the deluge. A great
noise filled the world, muting
even the roar Of the spillway.
He ri alone.
But in his hand. tattered and bruised
By the downpour. hs found-e rose.
Continued next week.