Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-12-03

somehow 1 cOuld escape. Iial luSSe
waters were for me the very face OF
death, sure and relentless, terrible and
slow, did not at once seize hold upon
my heart.
Frantically | sprang for the entrance
on the cove. The floor of the cave was
slipping and the water deepened swift
" as | advanced. Soon | was founder
ing to my knees, and on the instant
great wave rushed In, drencbing me to
the waist, dazipg me with its spray
and uproar, anc driving me back to
the far end of the cave.
With a dreadful hollow sucking
sound the surge retreated. / stag.
gered toward the archway that was
my only door to life. The water was
deeper now, and swiftly came anoth-
err fierce thrush of the sea that drove
me back.
fed to the far end of the cave, but
the sea pursued me. Swiftly the wa
ter climbed--it flung me against the
wall, then dragged me back. I
clutched at the naked rock with bleed
ing fingers.
Again, after paroxysm during
which had seemed to stand q great
way off and listen to my own shrieks,
there came to me moment 81 calm.
| knew that my one tenuous thread
Of hope lay In launching mysef into
that wild flood that was tearing
through the cove. l was not strong
swimmer, but a buoyant one. / might
find refuge on some half-submerged
rock on the shores Of the cove--at
least I should perish In the open, In
the sunlight, not trapped like a des-
perate rat. And began to fight my
way toy ,rd the opening.
And then a dreadful vision flashed
across my mind, weighted down my
feet like lead, clicked back even the
cry from my frozen lips. Sharks
The black cutting fin, the livid belly,
the dreadful jaws opening-no, no.
better to die here, better the clean
embrace of the waters-if indeed the
sharks did not come into the cave.
And then I think I went quite mad
1 remember trying to climb up to the
ledge which hung beetling fifteen feet
above. Afterward my poor hands
showed how desperately. And ! re-
member that once l slipped and went
clear under, and how l choked and
strangled In the salt water. For my
mouth was always open, screaming,
screaming continually.
And when l saw the boat fighting its
way inch by inch into the cave l was
sure that 1t was q vision, and that
only my own wild beseeching of him
to save me had made the face Of Du-
gald Shaw arise before my dying eyes.
Dugald Shaw was still mending the
boat on the shore Of the cove, and
this was a hooking phantom.
Only the warm human clasp Of the
arms that drew me into the boat
made me believe In him.
The boat bobbed quietly in the eddy
at the far end of the cave, while wet,
sobbing choking heap chung to Du-
gald Shaw. l clasped him about the
neck and would not let him go, for
fear that I should find myself alone
again, perishing in the dark water. My
head was on his breast, and he was
pressing back my wet hair with strong
and tender hands.
What was. this he was saying2 my
lassle, my little, little lassie!"
And no less incredible than this II
was to feel his cheek pressed, very
gently, against my hair
After a little my self-control came
back to me. l stopped my senseiess
childish crying, lifted my head ant
tried to speak. I could only whisper
"You came, you camel"
"Of course / camel he said husk
lily. "There, don't tremble so-you are
safe-safe in my armsl"
| After q while he lifted me into the
stern and began to maneuver the boa
out of the cave. I suppose at another
time / should have realized the peri
of 1t. The fierce flow through thu
archway all but swamped us, the CT
rent threatened to hurl us against thu
rocks, but i felt no fear. He hat
come to save me, and he would. AL
at once the dreadful shadow of TIN
cavern was left behind, and the sun
shine immersed my chilled body lik'
draught of wine. lay huddled Ii
the stern, my cheek upon my hand
as he rowed swiftly across the cove ant
drove the boat upon the beach.
Everybody but Captain Magnus wa
assembled there, including Crusoe
Crusoe 1t was who had given warning
of my danger. Like a wise little dos
when ignored his admonitions he ha
run home. At first his uneasiness an
troubled barking had got no notice
Once or twice the Scotchman, worries
by his fretfulness, had ordered hir
away. Then across his preoccupie
mind there flashed a doubt. He lai
down his tools and spoke to the an
NAL. Instantly Crusoe dashed for TIA
rocks, barking and crying with eager
ness.
Then Mr.. Shaw understood. ii
snatched the painter of the boat an
dragged II down the beach. He wa
showing off as Cookie, reused b
Crusoe's barking, appeared from tn
seciusion Of his afternoon siesta. I