Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-12

lLtOuSA the mdZeS, SlOpp1uS dl the
tunnel mouth to blow out the candle
and to pick up Jibbey's suitcase. In
the open air the freed captive tramped
in sober silence at Smiths heels until
they reached the automobile. At the
crossing of the railroad main track and
the turn into the highway, the river
bassooning deep-toned among its
powders, was near at hand, and Jib-
hey spoke for the first time since they
left the mine mouth.
TIN horribly thirsty, Monty. That
water in the mine had copper or some
thing in it, and I couldn't drink it.
You didn't know that, did you-when
you put me in there, [ mean? Won't
you stop the car and let me go and
stick my face in that river|
The car was brought to a stand and
Jibbey got out to scramble down the
river bank in the starlight. Obeying
some inner prompting which he did
not stop to analyze, Smith left his seat
behind the wheel and walked over to
the edge of the embankment where
Jibbey had descended. With tne glare
Of the roadster's acetylenes turned tie
other way, Smith could see Jibbey at
the foot of the slope lowering himself
face downward on his prOpDed arms to
reach the water. Then, in that instant,
Jibbey, careless in his thirst, lost his
balance and went headlong into the
torrent.
A battling con had passed before
Smith, battered, beaten and half
strangled, succeeded in landing the I'M
conscious thirst-quencher on a shelly
ing bank three hundred yards below
the stopped automobile. After that
there was another con in which he
completely forgot his own bruisingS
while he worked desperately over the
drowned man, raising and lowering the
limp arms while he strOve to recall
more of the resuscitattve directions
given in the Lawrenceville Athletic
clubs frst-aid drills.
In good time, after an interval so
long that it seemed endless to the de-
spairing frst-aider, the breath came
back into the reluctant lungs. Jibbey
coughed, choked, gasped and sat up.
His teeth were chattering, and he was
chilled to the bone by the sudden
plunge into the cold snow-water, but
he was Enthusiastically alive.
'What-what happened to me, Mon
tyr he shuddered. did tumble in?"
you did, for a fact"
"And you went In after meY
''Cf course" H.,
"No, by CAD! It wasn't of course
not by a long shot! All you had to
do was to let me go, and the score
your score-would have been wiped
out for good and all. Why didn't you
do it?"
Because I promised somebody that
l would bring you back to Brewster
tonight, alive and we'll, and able to
send telegram"
Jtbbey tried to get upon his feet,
couldn't quite compass it, and sat
down again.
Il don't believe a word of It," he
mumbled, loose-lipped. "You did it
because you're not so DANCED tough
and hard-hearted as you thought you
were" And then: "Give me a lift,
Monty, and get me into the auto. T
guess-rm about-all in"
Smith half led, half carried his
charge up to the road. A final heave
lifted him into his place, and it is safe
to say that Colonel Dexter Baldwin's
roadster never made better time than
it did on the race which finally brought
the glow of the Brewster town lights
reddening against the eastern sky.
At the hotel Smith helped his drip
ping passenger out of the car, made a
wick rush with him to an elevator,
and so up to his own rooms on the
fourth floor.
"Strip!' he commanded; "get out Of
those wet rags and tumble into the
BATH Make it as hot as you can stand
it. I'll go down and register you and
have your trunk sent up from the sta
ton. You have a trunk, haven't youW
Jibbey fished a soaked card baggage
check out of his pocket and passed
it over.
you're as bad off as I am, Monty"
he protested. "Watt and get some dry
things on before you CO."
"Pll be up again before you're out
Of the tub. suppose you'd like to put
yourself outside Of a big drink Of
whisky, just about now, but that's
one thing I won't buy for you. How
would a pot of hot coffee from the
cafe strike your"
"You could make it baby food and
I'd drink it If you said So" chartered
the drowned one from the inside of
the wet undershirt he was trying to
pull off over his head.
Smith did his various errands quick
~. When he reached the fourth-f1oor
suite again, Jibbey was out Of the
bath; was sitting on the edge Of the
bed wrapped in blankets, with the
steaming pot of coffee sent up on
Smiths hurry order beside him on a
tray.
tits your turn at the tub" he bub-
bled cheerfully. ST didn't have any
glad rags to put on, so I swiped some
Of your bedclothes. Go to it. old man,
before you catch cold"
Smith was already pointing for the
bath. "Your trunk will be up IN a
few minutes, and I've told them to
send it here" he said. "When you
want to quit me, you'll find your rooms
five doors to the right in this same
corridor: suite number fOur-sixteen."