The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-01-22
EPISODE H.
THE HUT OF DISASTER

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 rufians
employed by Morgan and the Spider,
and there turned loose. Immediately
II 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 q
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 30 firmly that
he was unable to force the latch. Us
ing the butt Of his gun n hammer, he
welded 1t 20 vigorously that he at last
beat in a part Of the upper half Of 1t,
Only to llnd 1t 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
light stun. loosely nailed and careless
ly 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 q 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 Its
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 grasplng 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 big tree
extended its limb far over the tide. He
turned to the giri.
there's an eddy right under that
tree. II We can get this craft into
that. we may be able to make the
limb" SEEKING 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 1t 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 30 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 he
sprang, however, the treacherous foot
ing beneath him gave 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 Its 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 boz. Spider.
you and the mine boss and Baaet54
come with me. The rest Of you fel-
lows 70 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 of to-
ward q bend at which he could inter
cent the floating hut. Ethel from her
perch saw their approach, and sliding
to the ground hastened to meet them.
Together they all set cut at full speed
for the bend, reaching it q few minutes
later.
The house, lodged against q rock In
the foaming pass, was at standsuIi.
and John, who had been dasned
against 1t had managed to grasp the
caves and pull himself once more to
the roof where be now lay easpans.
sweT soon have him Of. Ill right"