Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-03-16

E 'FN - EVfA 4HOs
my heart.
Frantically / sprang for the entranc,
on the cove. The floor Of the cave wa
slipping and the water d%eepened swift
ly as | advanced. Soon | was founder
ing TO my knees, and on the instant /;
great wave rushed in. drenchlng me /,
the waist. dazing me with its spra,
and uproar, and driving me back e
the far end of the cav
With a dreadful hollow suckins
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.
er 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.
clutched at the naked rock with bleed
Ing fingers.
Again, after a paroxysm during
which | had seemed to stand a great
way off and listen to my own shrieks.
there came TO ms a momen of calm.
| knew that my one tenuous thread
Of hope lay in launching myself into
that wild food that was tearing
through the cove | was not a strong
swimmer. but a buoyant one. / might
find refuge on some half-submerged
rock on the shores Of the cove-at
least | should perish in the open. In
the sunlight. not trapped like a des-
perHte rat. And | began to fight my
way toward the opening.
And then a dreadful vision flashed
across my mind. weighted down my
feet like lead. choked 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
emAFaeA95heL watersIIf indeed the
sharks did not come into the cave.
And hen | think | went quite mad.
| remember trying to climb up TO the
ledge which hung beetling fifteen feet
above. Afterward my poor hands
showed how desperately. And I re-
member that once slipped and went
clear under, and how / choked and
strangled In the salt water. For my
mouth was always open. screaming,
screaming continually.
And when | saw the boat fighting its
way inch by inch into the cave | was
that Ii was a vision. and that
my own wild beseeching OF him
save me had made the face OF Du-
sald Shaw arise before my dying eyes.
Dugald Shaw was still mendlng the
BOAT on the shore Of the cove, and
his was-a mocking phantom.
Only the warm human clasp of the
that drew ne into the boat
made ma believe In him. :
The boat bobbed quietly in the eddy Z
Il the far end of the cave. while a wet. I
obbing, choking heap chung to Du- I
aid Shaw. / clasped him about the
eek and would not let him go. for
ear that ! should find myself alone n
gain. %perishing In the dark water. My Z
cad was on fills breast, and he was Il
back my wet hair with strong n
Iender-hands- n
What was this he was saying? my n
lssie, my little, little lassie r. u
And no less incredible than his II 10
as to feel his cheek pressed. very
emily, against my hair ~
After a little my seif-control came n,
ack to me. l stopped my senseless 70
lildish crying. lifted my head and n
led TO speak. I could only whisper, n
fou came. you came :" m
..Of course / Gamer he said husk. "
y. There. don't tremble so-you are cc
Ife-safe In my arms IN
After a while he lifted me into the n,
ern and began to maneuver the boat m
II OF the cave. l suppose at another 81,
me l should nave realized the peril In
1t. The fierce flow through the RI
chway all but swamped US, the or
mt threatened to hurl us against the m,
cks. but l felt no fear. He had mr.
me to save me, and he would. All =,
once the dreadful shadow OF the :.
vern was left behind, and the sun
immersed my chilled body like -,
draught of wine. / lay huddled In 10
= ctrths my thcNA dpVh my hAuus 10,
he rowed swiftly across the oye and
owe the boat upen the beach.
but Captain Magnus was ~
there, including Crusoe.
'usoe II was who had given warning 90,
my danger. Like a wise little dog. A.,
ZEN | ignored his admonitions he had IL
n home. AT first his uneasinesS and
barking had got no notice. -
ice or twice the Scotchman, worried -,
his fretfulneSs. had ordered him {,
iay. Then across his preoccupied -.
nd there flashed a doubt. He laid So
wn his tools and spoke 10 the ami -
II. Instantly Crusoe dashed for the ~
cks, barking and crying with eager
SIS. %
Then Mr.. Shaw understood. He
the painter of the boat and
jagged it down the beach. He was
owing off as Cookie, reused by Blu
usoe's barking, appeared from the cd
of his afternoon siesta. To ba
were borne the ~Scotchman'S part I'm