The Monticellonian., 1919-10-31
EP1s0DE14.
THE HUT OF DISASTER

John and Ethel, having been con- fined in the little shack. the structure was then conveyed into the swollen mountain stream by the eight ruffians 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 a trap. Though John had managed to burst the window open. the aperture was loo 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 hutt of his gun as hammer. he wielded it so vigorously that he at last beat in 2 part of The upper half of it., Only 10 find f wedged beyond the pos slbility of opening. With the water already risen to their waists, he turned his eyes te the roof.
 The covering Of the affair WIS Of light stuff. loosely nailed and careless ly weather stripped. Could he have reached it he easily might have forced his way through. hut with nothing in the room upon which he might stand such action WIS out of the question. But one hope remained. Quickly eX- plaining to the girl what was neees- 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 I short distance from it's 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 q 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 to be solved.
 Looking across the angry water. John pointed ahead to where biz tree extended its limb far over the tide. He turned to the girl.
 There's m eddy right under that tree. If We can get this craft into that, We may be able to make the limb.o seizing the board which had been pried from the roof, he began padding and steering the unwieldy bulk ln the direction desired. Nearer and nearer the limb it swung. until as the moment rlHened John placed himself astri9e the ridge peIe and iift- ed ,he girl in the air. Al that instant the house caught in the eddy and be- eaa te swing and as t did so the man lizjed his burden to the supporting branch. Ethel eraspiHg tbe Saylre ab- 5ect firmly. euScnueed herself in safety as thc man arose fHE tAe HeHp that would land him 1 her 'te. AS he saraaE. however. f1e= trHaehef6Hs tees- Iaz hane h hun -aFe fe aH4 iaIzsas Az marE, r. ~tHt downward hs5 lend zzkaz faa slaie af tAe Int aal 6af =HIas aIm as he plunged 5afe zae taFHsnl
 SE this from the toaeh upon
 zse sat, EtHe' su SaNus Wi,h
 gerrer as tAe tay of heF
 -as swept aW9y
 se dina lfghf Of morning Morgan z& Sf5ier watching tHe shack
 zaurs5 dHWH The =rrea#.
 feses emerge fsofl It7 Iuta-
 as =tsE themselves UF5u inc roof
 56sd htS rompaalan with
 s0t out of the tox. Spider
 Ha ta mine boss aud Elackit Gu with ur. Tae reSt of y0u fel
 Ha year hlaakef~ and say YsLaaal need t1 reHpmbel 1ls stEeH yon eet up. II Wat
 Uf
 @E by 1he two men he hal H8~eH Morgan started rapidly off to 4zFa ad il which he could inter
 rt t floating Aut. Ethel fr9m he nefcf their approach and Stidin z3 tla Grauad tsStenea to mect them Jage=ler theg ai} ser out at fun spec df tHs bend, reaching l. q few minute s1Etr
 The house lodged against q rock i tAe foaming pass. was at q standstn aH3 John. who had been dashe against il had managed to grasp tn caves and pull himself once more | tho of where lie now hay gaSpine
 "We1l soon have him ar, all right,