The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-06

I%$Z%..s - ~ -
Precipitating Both Into That Savage
Weiter.
morning. | 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 another OF
her guides told mine she was here
with you. She had sent him to South
Portage for quinine. He stopped
there to get drunk land that's how
my guide managed TO worm the infor-
nation from him
Alan passed a hand across his eyes.
81 don't understand" he said duly.
1T doesn't seem possible she
could"
A shot interrupted him, the report
of rifle from 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, COME" she cried wild
ly. There's no time!"
"But, why? What was that"
Judith Is returning | left my
guide up the trail to signal us. Don't
you know what it 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 US at leisure from
the banks"
"But downstream-the current with
us"
Those rapids?"
I'VE must shoot them!"
Can II be done?"
1T must be-"
Two more shots put a period to
his doubts and drove 1t home. He
offered no further objection, but
turned at once to launch one of the
canoes.
AS soon as it was in the water, Rose
took her place in the bow, paddle in
hand, and Alan was about to step in
astern when fourth shot sounded
and bullet kicked up turf within a
dozen feet A glance discovered two
figures debouching into the clearing.
he dropped into place and, planting
paddle in shadows, sent the canoe
well out with a vigorous thrust.
Two strokes took 1t to the middle
OF the pool where Immediately the
current caught the little craft in its
urgent grasp and sped 1t smoothly
through more narrow and higher
banks. A moment more and tho
mouth Of the gorge was yawning for
them.
With the clean balance of an ex.
perienced canoeman. Alan rose to his
feet for an instantaneous reconnois-
sance 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 tho
banks. He looked ahead and sroaned
aloud. The rapids were wilderness
OF shouting waters, white ana green.
worse than anything he lad ant;c;.
pated or ever dreamed sc.
But there was now no escaping that
ordeal. The canoe was already spin-
ming between walls where the vater
ran deep and fast with CLASSY sur.
face.
The next instant it was in the laws:
ana the man settled down to work
win grim determination, pitting cour.
age and strength and experience
AGAINST the ravening waters that tore
at the canoe on every hand. whose
med ci2mor beat back and forth he.
tween TIE walls Of the gorge like vast
beiowings os internal nirth.
.a fought like one possessed
There was never an instant's grace
for Judgment or execution; the one
must be sThehronous with the other
10Th instantaneous, or else-destrnc.
ton. '1 w
The canoe wove this wav and tba.
iike an insane shuttle threading Soma
satanic loom. Now it hesitated NM.
zllns a gigantic boulder over which
tle water woye a pale green and
ghstening hood, now in the space Of
heartbeat it shot forward twice its
length through a sea Of creaming
waves, now plunged Wildly toward
what promised instant anrihila,icn
ana cheated that only By the timely
plunge Of a paddle. guided bv luck ~
instinct or both.
he one ray of hope in Alan.s mind
When he surveyed before committ;nr
himself and the woman he lova6 -
That hideous gauntlet, spranr fror,
the fact that however rough the
rapids were short. Now, when he ma
been in their grasp a minute ba
seemed to have been there hours
His laborings were Tremendous ~,
e. i7'ca. h he end thev
ISIS al tIt SIG, sluL The goal 81
SAFETY was w.shin thirty seconds,
more OF quick. hard work, when Alan's
paddle broke and the canoe SWINE
oioadside to a boulder, turned turtle
and prpcinitafa1 h..A -, :,