The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-05-21

But there wal now no escaping that
ordeal. The canoe was already spin
ming between walls where the water
ran deep and fast with a CLASSY u Z
face. $
The next instant it was in the jaws;
and the man settled down to work
with grim determination, pitting cour-
age and strength and experience
against the ravening waters that tore
at the canoe on every hand. whose
mad clamor beat back and forth be-
tween the walls Of the gorge like vast
bellowings of Internal mirth.
He fought like one possessed.
There was never an instant's grace
for judgment or execution; the n
must be s~ynchronous with the other.
both instantaneous, or else-destruc-
ton.
The canoe wove this way and that
like an insane shuttle threading some
satanic loom. Now It hesitated, nuz.
cling q gigantic boulder owe which
the water wove a pale green and
glistening hood. now in the space Of.
q heartbeat it shot forward twice its8
length through q sea Of Dreaming
waves, now plunged wildly toward
what promised instant humiliation
and cheated that only by the timely
plunge Of q paddle, guided by luck or
instinct or both.
The n ray Of hope in Alans mind,
when he surveyed before committing
himself and the woman he loved to
that hideous gauntlet, sprang from
the fact that. however rough, the
rapids were short. Now. when he had
been in their grasp a miAute, he
seemed to have been there hours.
His laborings were tremendous. u
believable, inspired. In the end they
were all but successful. The goal Of
safety was within thirty seconds
more Of quick, hard work. when Alan's
paddle broke and the canoe swung
broadside to a boulder, turned turtle
and precipitated both headlong into
that savage welter.
As the next few minutes passed he
was lighting like q mad thing against
overwhelming odds. Then, Of a sud.
den. he found himself rejected, spewed
forth from the cataract and swimming
mechanically in the smooth water Of
a wide pool beyond the lowermost
eddy. the canoe floating bottom up
near by. and Rose supporting herself
with n hand on 1t.
Her eyes met his. clear with the
sanity of her adorable courage.
He %foundered to her side, painted in.
structions to transfer. her hand to his
shoulder, and struck out for the
nearer shore.
Both found footing at the same
time and waded out, to collapse, 81.
hausted. against the bank.
Then. with a sickening qualm. Alan
remembered the pursuit. He rose and
looked up the rapid Just in time to
view the last swift quarter of the
canoes descent: Judith in the bow,
motionless, rife across her knees. in
the stern al Indian guide kneelins
and fighting the waters with scarcely
percepdble effort in contrast with
Aan's supreme struggles.
Lake q living thing : the canoe
seemed to gather itself together. to
poise, to leap with all its strength:
It hurdled the eddy in a bound, took
the still water with q mighty splash,
and shot downstream at diminished
speed. the Indian furiously backing
water.
As though that had been the one
moment she had lived for. Judith
lifted her rife and brought 1t to bear
upon her. sister.
d With a cry Of horror. Alan flung
himself before Rose. q living shield.
anticipating nothing but immediate
death. This was not accorded him.
For q ,breathless instant the woman in