Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-03-10

safety. The bridge was difficulty
| but Rocket, who could thread a lava
bed without bruising fetlock, or
cross prairie-dog town at full speed
and hold his mistress as steady as if
she were sitting a rocking horse, was
not likely to balk at galloping over
mere ties-besides, she would give
| him his time. At the worst, any
| bridge, she said to herself, must be
reached before it can be crossed, and
| her eyes were already fixed hard on
the one she must cross, when she
| thought she saw the great jack-knife
| span ahead moving mysteriously on
| it's balanced bed. Urging her horse
to his best, centering all of her facul
ties on mastering the ticklish task
ahead, Helen's eyes set in a stare on
the jack-knife, to determine whether
1t was moving or trucking her strain
| ing senses. In almost an instant her
doubt was resolved; to her consterna-
ton she saw the huge knife draw
moving Enthusiastically upward. Her
eyes sought the bridge tower-the
bridge tender was standing at the
open window. Her glance swept the
stretch of river; then she remem-:
bered, then she understood, then she
knew, ala river tug was bearing
rapidly downstream; she could see the
pilot and the captain in the wheel
house; the bridge was lifting for the
boats passage. She had heard it's
loud whistle at the moment she rushed
from the station.
The baked girl drove her little
spurs into Rocket. The horse sprung,
Infatuated, to greater effort. # she
could make the draw in time she
would jump it-a slight rise--noth-
ing should keep her back. She wildly
waved her free hand at the bridge
tender. He was watching the boat and
the span was slowly rising; but a
few strides closer and she would have
risked making the jack-knife-she
realized now she was too late.
Without swerving for an instant
from her purpose; without shrinking
from her single alternative, and only
praying for time still to make good
her endeavor, Helen headed Rocket
straight for the open draw. His feet
struck the pier. She gave the horse
his head. The wiry beast saw what
yawned ahead. He heard his mis-
tress' quick word. AS his feet touched
the brink of the abutment the horse
coiled like a spring, and for an in
slant quivered. His mistress with
sharp cry of command rose in her
stirrups; then launching himself and
his burden, like an arrow far out, the
hunter sprang with Helen Clearly into
the river. There was a great splash
and the parted water closed over their
heads.
A pilot, captain and bridgetender
stood as men dazed, looking on. The
river captain, yelling the crew to quar-
tiers, hurried forward to throw out
lines as soon as the tug should come
within reach of the imperiled girl
The bridgetender, in the window,
glued to the scene, watched the cir
cling bubbles where horse and rider
had plunged down, waiting for them
to reappear For an interminable in
slant the onlookers waited. 1t seemed
as if the two would never come up.
Then a girlish head Of soaked curls
rose among the ripples, young face
emerged from the troubled pool, and
Helen, throwing herself free from
Rocket, shook the water from her
eyes and nose with swimmers quick
certain puff and struck out for shore.
Rocket was not far away. With few
powerful strokes his mistress caught
his name and recovered him. The
tide, running heavily through the
channel, carried the two together be-
low the pier on the opposite bank.
But Rocket, scrambling in a moment
from the water, bore his charge I'M
hurt up the steep bank, and under
her urging ran up the track to the
tower.
The bridgetender, at the door, con-
,fronted her. The dripping girl, seat
ed on her quivering horse, told the as
tonished man in a few hurried words
what had happened, and as he hur-
ried into the tower agape to lower
the draw Helen urged Rocket at
run down the track. 1t seemed as if
her ears dubbed and rang with the
rumble of the two approaching trains,
but her brain had ceased to take
note of anything beyond her one Stub
born resolve to reach the passing
IL oh, cha in1 "
ahead. The bridgetender was hastily
lowering the knife for the freight. De-
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