The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-02

/ And he saw Virginia struggle to
shake loose from the saddle He
had but an instant's glimpse Of q
white face In the gray water, OF
hair that streamed; an instaut's
realization of<a faint cry that the
waters obscured.
BE knew the terror Of that gray
whirlpool below. He had every rea-
son 10 believe that by no possible
effort OF his could he save the girl
he would only throw away his own
life. too.
most the instant that the water
engulfed her. He sprang with his
| full strength into the stream.
On the bank the two men saw 1t
as in a dream. They called out in
their impotence, and they gazed
with horror.widened eyes. The
waters swept tho struggling fig
ures down tho stream and out OF
their sight,
MuIvaney, rideTless, was battling
toward them through the torrent.
The storm recommended, the
wind walled in the spruce tops, and
the snow sifted down into the gray
waters
Bill Bronson had no realization
J OF tho full might OF tho stream un-
| I'll no felt it around his body.
Hn SWAN with his ewes omen
fail In the current, al i with a
really incredible speed. I'D by tho
mercy OF the forest gods almost at
once no caught a glimpse Of Vir-
ginia's dark tressea In tho water.
The man seemed simply to leap
through the water. And in On In
slant moro bis arm went about her.
GIVE yourself to the current
he shouted. "And hang on TO me- y
He knew this river. They were
Just entering upon a stretch OF wa
ter dreaded OF old by the rivermen
that Ind sometimes piled down tho
stream in their furladen canoes
a place OF Jagged rocks and crags
and powders.
Even in the shadow Of death she
was aware OF the strong wrench OF
his muscles as no swan, the saving
Knight of his powerful franc. She
knew that he was not afraid for
himself, but only for her.
! Up TO now she had not entered
into comradeship with this man.
She had held herself on q different
plane.
But DO was comrade now: no
matters what the outcome. even II
they should find only inhospitable
/ Death at the end OF their trail. this
relationship could never be destroy
ed.
"1f let 70 Of you, can you hang
on to my shoulder" he asked her
Yes"
%Then put your hand on my
shoulder. iii try yo work in to the
nearest shore.
Her fingers locked In the cloth
Of his shirt. And no began o little
at Il time, 10 cross the Rixty feet
OF wild water between them and
the shore.
| Flo had never boon put to 4
greater test. Every ounce Of his
strength was needed. He was
heavily clothed and shod, and the
girl, exhausted, was scarcely able
to give aid at all. Moro than once
no felt himself weakening.
But, the river gods were Iuerci-
full, after all. A jack pine had fall
len on the shore. and its green
spire, still clothed with needles,
lay half.submerged, forty feet out
into tho stream.
Bills arm encountered it, then
snatched at It in a final. spasmo-
die impulse Of his muscles. And
his grip held fast.
Hang on" he breathed. only
a moment more"
He drew himself and the girl up
on the slender trunk, then crawled
along 1t toward the shore. Nov
they were half out Of tho water.
And in a moment later they both
felt the river bottom against their
knees.
He drew her 10 the bank, stag.
gered and fell and for q moment
both OF them lay lifeless to the
soft caress Of the snow. But Bill
did not dare lose consciousness. Ho
was fully aware that the fight was
only half won.
Get off your clothes" he com.
'manded; you're soaked through
and III wiring EN- out. If don't
you can't live to get TO the cabin.
Your stockings first.
Tho thought OF disobedience did
not even come to her.
Rub your skin swiftly with your
hands,. 10 went on. above all
thinks keep the blood going IN your
veins Rub as hard as you can. {"
Already she had tossed him her
dreueheti stockings and he was
wringing them in his strong hands.
She rubbed her lgs dry with hr
palms, and put the stockings back
on. Then she threw off her coats
and outing suit, and he wTung them
as dry as he could. Then quickly
she dressed again.
"Now-fast as YOU can walk to-
ward the cabin. We're across tho
river, you know"
CONTINUED In Our Next Issue.)