The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-10-09
EPISODE IA.
The HUT OF DISASTER

Q "
mountain stream by the eight ruf1ans
employed by Morgan and the Spider,
and there turned loose. Immediately
It was seized by the angry tide and
borne away. Locked inside, the two
victims found the water squirting
through the walls and floor, while min
ute by minute the hut sank deeper.
they soon found themselves upon the
verge Of being drowned like rats IN
trap. Though John had managed to
burst the window open, the aperture
was too small to admit their bodies.
Their only hope of escape, therefore,
lay through the door which had been
secured from the outside so firmly that
he was unable to force the latch. Us
Ing the butt Of his gun as hammer, he
welded it so vigorously that he at last
beat in a part Of the upper half OF IT,
Only to find it wedged beyond the pos
sibility of opening. With the water
already risen to their waists, he turned
his eyes to the roof.
The covering Of the affair was OF
Hight stun loosely nailed and careess-
" weather stripped. Could he have
reached:it he easily might have forced
his way through, but with nothing In
the room upon which he might stand
such action was out Of the question.
But one hope remained. Quickly ex-
planning to the girl what was neces-
sary, he gave her the gun and hoisted
her upon his shoulder. Desperately
she set to work.
She thrust the steel barrel Of the
weapon through chance opening
which she encountered, and steadied
By the man below and using all her
strength she managed to pry one OF
the boards a short distance from 1ts
fellow. With this advantage gained
her work became faster. Knowing that
their lives were at stake she worked
furiously and to such good result that
she soon loosened board wide enough
to admit the passage Of her body. This
done she crawled through and seated
herself upon the ridge pole, and the
man, leaping up and grasping the
side of the opening, quickly hauled
himself to her side. For the moment
they were safe, though the problem OF
ther ultimate salvation remained still
10 be solved.
Looking across the angry water,
John pointed ahead to where big tree
extended its limb far over the tide. BE
turned to the girl.
ssThere's an eddy right under that
tree. If we can get this craft into
that, we may be able to make the
Nmb." Selling the board which had
been pried from the roof, he began
padding and steering the unwieldy
bulk in the direction desired. Nearer
and nearer the limb it swung until
as the moment ripened John placed
himself astride the ridge pole and lift
ed the girl in the air. At that instant
the house caught in the eddy and be-
gan to swing, and as it did so the man
lifted his burden to the supporting
Branch. Ethel, grasping the. saving OBJ
ject firmly, ensconced herself In safety
as the man arose for the leap that
would land him at her side. AS ne
sprang, however, the treacherous foot
ing beneath him gave a swerve and
missing his mark, he shot downward,
his head striking the side Of the hut,
and half stunning him as he plunged
into the torrent.
Seeing this from the bough upon
which she sat, Ethel sat gazing with
helpless horror as the body Of her
lover was swept away.
BY the dim light of morning Morgan
and the Spider, watching the shack
ON it's wild course down the stream,
saw two figures emerge from its inte-
rior and seat themselves upon the roof.
The Hawk faced his companion with
great disgust.
They've got out Of the box. Spider,
you and Cho mine boss and Blackfe
Come with me. The rest of you fel-
lows go back to your blankets and say
nothing. You don't need to remember
about this when you get up. 1t was
only q dreamy
Followed by the two men he had
chosen Morgan started rapidly off to-
ward bend at which he could inter
cept the floating hut. Ethel from he'
perch saw their approach, and sliding
to the ground hastened to meet them
Together they all set out at full speed
for the bend, reaching it a few minutes
later.
The house, lodged against a rock II
the foaning pass, was at standstill
and John, who had been dashed
against it had managed to grasp thu
caves s1d pull himself once more t
the roof where he now lay gasp1ng.
HWe'I soon have him off, all right,