The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-09-06

and raised II from the wet ice. Inc
low sun illumined the tnmbled mass
Of reddish brown hair and revealed
with startling clearness the prema'
ture lines about her eyes aud mouth
lie knew that he had helped TO put
them there: that II he had gone straight
and married her Ave years ago she
would have been different woman.
And yet he had begun smuggling In or
der 10 raise money enough to start a
home as good as Bob could give her
A prolonged growl came from the
wall Of ice, something snapped. and
then the entire mass moved shudder-
ingIy forward The cake on which they
lay began 10 settle. The water crept
steadily up the sides. ran into the crew
Ices about the edge and reached his
shackled hand He drew her closer to
him and with infinite difficulty placed
her upon his back One dainty ear
curled like the petals OF rose was
within few inches Of his mouth, and
he remembered as from another world
the first time he had kissed IT,
The chilly water was covering his
chest now, and he rose upon his elbow.
II reached his shoulder, his neck, his
ear; then a falling cake splashed the
water into his face. For few mo-
ments he struggled blindly. frantical-
ly, like a trapped animal, nearly losing
his hold upon her wrist. When his
death struggle came, would he abandon
her then like selfish cowardf His
fingers frightened upon her wrist with
grip OF steel, and as wave broke
over his head he closed his eyes In an
ticipatlon Of the end
Pop! He instinctively clutched at the
edge OF the leaping cake with bis man
acled hand. They were out OF water
now, moving swiftly away on de-
tached piece of ice The cakes had
thinned until the black water showed
everywhere between them, and the
danger was greater than ever before,
but he gathered her into his arms and
staggered on.
A lane OF water ten rods wide opened
before him, and he could go no farther
unless he swan. Drawing her arm
about his neck, he took her sleeve be-
tween his teeth and plunged in. The
sleeve gave way, and he closed his
teeth upon her wrist. The ice they at
last reached proved rotten, breaking
under his weight again and again. FL
nally he rolled out like log and, hook
ing his manacled wrist about hub,
drew her after him.
Shaking from his icy bath like one In
an ague fit. he was STOPPING to pick up
his burden for the final dash when sud-
denly he paused and looked across the
clashing, grinding blocks to the shore.
Yes, it was Bob Peterson running along
the headland to meet him. He looked
about him like hunted animal brought
to bay. Bob Peterson would have no
mercy on him, even If he had saved his
wifes life. To 60 on meant ball and
chain and that horrible stone trap.
Yonder was the precipice. All he had
to do was to sit still and let the swift
current have its way. To allow her to
drift over with him before her hus
bands very eyes would be browning
revenge upon the man who had hunted
him so mercilessly. All. 1t was just
past that headland there where she
had cried to him in her childish voice
from the drifting boat. For moment
he listened again to that cry as it rang
in his ears across the years Then.
with set face. he snatched her up and
hurried on, at length sinking exhausted
with his burden upon the bank not ten
rods above the brink of the falls.
Thank Cod" exclaimed the sheriff
fervently as he bent above his still IN
conscious wife. Then his eyes enconn-
tered those of the man who had res
cued her.
well, put on the irons. There's no
more fight left in me-" gasped the pros
trate man defiantly. holding out his
lacerated hands.
For answer the sheriff produced a
long blue envelope. "Pity | didn't get
II yesterday. 1t would "a saved me