Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-09-04

and exhausted She could scarcely
make any Roadway at all In the fierce
cddies. But at least. she thought bur
riedly. she was getting farther and
farther away from them down stream.
ID above. Del Mar and his man
came ~ the edge az the water There
they stood for a moment looking down
There she Is" pointed the man.
Del Mar raised his revolver
fired.
Suddenly a bullet struck Elaines
paddle and broke II. Clutching the
useless splintercd shaft. she was no"
at the mercy of the current. swept
along like a piece of driftwood.
She looked about frantically. What
was that roaring noise?
IL was the waterfalls ahead
IN the meantime Del Mars other
two men had entered the house ana
had run upstairs. knowing we'll MS
wrath II anything had happened. As
they did 90. the naturalist poked his
head cautiously out Of the kitchen
WHITE IT, NhU Uftn hllihE~1tA
them Then he followed Dpiseleesly.
his revolver ready.
Headlong they ran into the room
where they had left Elaine She was
gone,
Before they could turn the natural
list locked the door. turned. and took
the steps down. two az a time.
Then he ran out Of the front door
and into the woods at an angle 10 the
direction taken by Elaine. turning and
going down hill. where a rapid. swollen
stream curved abou through a
gorge. As he reached the stream he
heard a shot above.
lie looked up. There was Elaine.
swept down toward him. Below he
knew the stream tumbled owe a tall
cataract into the gorge below.
What could he do?
A sudden cracking Of the tvigs
caused him 10 turn and catch sight OF
me. Just coming NJ.
For. a. best 7 could on horseback.
! had followed Elaine's car until AZ
last | saw that II had beer abandoned.
Thoroughly alarmed. ! rode m. past
a deserted house. until suddenly !
heard a shot and a scream. II seemed
70 come from below me. and | leaped
off my horse. making for II az fast as
| could. racing toward a stream whose
roar 7 could hear.
There on the bank I came upon a
queer old Codger. looking about wildly.
Was he the automobile thief? ! ran
forward. ready to seize him. But as
! ala 50 he Whirlcd about. and with n
strength remarkable In one 50 old.
seized my wrist before | could get
hiE.
Look" he cried simply. pointing
M the stream
did. a girl IN a canoe was coming
down toward the falls. screaming. her
paddle broken and useless My heart
leaped into my mouth II was Elaine
Come" he painted eagerly TO me. Il
can save her. You must DO just a.
saw"
lie pointed 10 an overfangirg rock
near bv and We ran 10 ".
AF fAAN~ ANNAFF FHttAtiff IN nN hfAtNFNA hhRh
rs. each second getting neare the
veritable maelstrom above the falls
From the rock overhung also a tree
al the very edge m the water.
There was nothing 70 do but obey
him. Above. though we did not see
Thorn. Del Mar -nd his man were gloat-
ing over the result Of their work. But
they were gloating too Q We came
10 The rock and the tree.
Here. cried the new found friend.
TN get hold of the tree and then hold
YOU"
Instantly he threw himself on his
stomach. hooking his leg abort the
tree trunk J cravled out over the
ledge or slippery rock 70 the very edge
and looked over. N vas the only
chance.
The old naturalist seized my legs In
his hands. ! slid down the rock. let
ting myself IN.
Literally. his presence OF mind had
invented what ives really a life chain.
a human rome
ON came the canoe. Elaine In n ss
white as death. CRYING ont and trying
"a stop NJ guide II AZ. nearer and near
cr though the smooth. worn walls OF
the chasm. in whirled M the falls.
With a grip Of steel the naturalist
held Ia the tree. which swayed and
bent. while also he held me. a. In in
a wise, head down.
on came Elainc-direCtly az vs.
She stood VIZ and balanced herself
n dangerous feat in a canoe at any
time. but doubly 50 IN those dark.
svirling. treacherous waters.
Steady" / encouraged. Grab my
arms"
As the canoe reached us she gave a
little Jump and seized my forearms
Her hands slipped. but \ grasped her
own arms. and We held each other.
The momentum ~ her body vas
great For an instant 7 thought We
were all going over But the natural
ist held his grip and slowly began 20
pun himself and rs UP the slippery
rock.
A second later the canoe crashed
over the falls in a cloud or spray and
npundtnr Hatpr