The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-10-20


Holding tie boat steady on its
course with her left hand, Dorothy
shifted the searchliCht with her right
looking for the rowboat.
On the instant came a grinding
voice.
Terror caught at Dorothy's heart
She shifted the searchlight quickly
up and down the swollen stream
There. already past her down the
stream by a hundred yards the row
boat burst into view in the blaze from
! Dorothy's searchlight. 1t was low in
the water. Both Howard and Alice
were standing up. The sound of an
Then, quite suddenly, the boat sank
and the two people sank with it into
the river
Fairly sobbing in her excitement
and anxiety, Dorothy spun the steer
ing wheel around. The boat answered
at once, crashing and pushing its way
through the debris in a wide arc.
Could she get TO Howard and the
girl in time?
AS the boat Strengthened out with
the downstream current il fairly shot
ahead. Away In the distance the
searchlight disclosed the bobbing
heads of Howard and the girl. Alice
was to the left, Howard to the right.
They were both about the same dis
| lance from the boat.
1t seemed ages to Dorothy, but 1t
was really only a moment or so until
she was between the two. AS she
came to this point she swung her
searchlight to the left disclosing Alice
| hanging to a log some twenty feet
| from the boat. Again Dorothy swung
| the steering wheel The boat staggered
bit from the impact Of logs and
/ debris, then chugged up to Alice's side
But what was Alice doingf
| AS Dorothy watched In utter amaze
ment she saw Alice, with an evil look
| on her face, pushing the log she was
| holding straight toward the boats pro-
| peller. In an instant it would mesh
| with the machine. The rear end of
! the boat would be pounded out!
| Dorothy always had been suspicious
! of Alice. Now she saw in an instant
| what was in Alice's mind. Alicia
| splendid swimmer-wanted to wreck
| the boat She knew Dorothy couldn't
| swim in a current like this. In this
way she might eliminate Dorothy and
| be sure Of Howard for herself!
Dorothy gasped. For moment ter
ror held her so firmly in its grip that
she could do nothing
Nearer and nearer Alice pushed the
| log toward the propeller. In moment
the girls diabolical endeavor would
! be accomplished.
On the instant, though, Dorothy
came to life with a rush. She fairly
| leaped from the steering wheel toward
| the engine. In a mad frenzy of ex-
| element she dashed at the electric
| switch Even as she shut off the en-
| CINE there was series of crashing
| thuds at the rear of the boat. These
sounds then stopped abruptly. She
| had been in time.
Leaning over the side of the boat
Dorothy found Alice swimming weakly
{.
evidently a strain for her to keep
| af1Oat
For one mad moment, Dorothy
thought of pushing Alice off into the
river to fight alone. and perhaps lose
| out. Then in a rush her better nature
| triumphed. She leaned over and helped
Alice into the boat. The latter came
submissively enough.
Dorothy started the engine again.
To her joy the boat showed leeway,
though ominous jolts and kicks came
from the rear.
She started the searchlight again,
beating up and down the river, looking
for Howard.
There he was, hanging to log near
by, blood streaking his face from a
wound in his forehead.
Together the two girls helped him
into the boat.
Howard sank YEARLY into the bot
tom of the boat. He gazed up at
Dorothy with eyes in which great
love was glowing.
81 saw it ALL" said Howard, weakly
you're wonderful. Dorothy"
He sank exhausted to the floor.
A great JOY welled up in DOrOthy's
heart. She looked rather pityingly at
Alice, covering pathetically in the far
corner of the boat.
Z Never again would Dorothy have to
worry about this other woman.
And with her heart overlooking with
thankfulness Dorothy stopped and
pressed a kiss on Towards lips.