Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-30
Tho Tension Lifted

Lac under the gigantic guard cap
.,s "a *ass $a"~ ah!'
r,,land's idol famed in fire against the
night.
hst OF the shouting. The tension lifted.
Nh the massed punts was movement
as Of a swarm that starts TO reassem'
pT..Now we're for it!" muttcrcd Car
,;chael. MS hands were laid on their
nmnt and another crept ahead. You
pst forward, Henty, and hang on. This
+ going to be some JAM"
,fbe voices "NIind your fingers! go
TInok out there, please "'' Thank you
~ Carefully there, sir = Hands,
h.nds sss You can't 80 quicker than
%a rest Of us Look out there, IL
,ou @ nlensc, sir " say. 1t is i'm
1oossible to see anything in this " y y"
'STrightfully sorry; it is the people
,.bind p voice would apologize as the
mw of the punt climbing the counter
A. craft ahead took somebody In the
sbow or the back. Forty yards away,
single launch, with portfolios glowing
.nI a banjo strumming avalon
se.med n Horatius keeping Henley
bridge against n whole river army of
the night.
And still they came, the punts; still
kncy came and pressed.
This was the thought that came quite
mddenly at that instant to Harry Car
michael "God help anybody II they
managed to fall overheard in that
nrcss." for he knew there wouldn't be
dogs chance for any one TO whom
that awful thing should happen.
lust as the ice foes close over the
head of the doomed swimmer who goes
throuyh, exactly so would those pupts
close above the head of any one IN the
water. Not n dogs chance. I'm
mediatey after that thought had struck
him, came tho event of which that
thought may have been the cast shadow.
Carmichael, sitting aft and busily
il %nding of this punt. or that, felt his
,wn craft dip little by the stern.
VlIeayiy laden rs she was with the para
phcrnala of three men, she could not
afford to take in water. Her skipper
turned and called out to the punt that
mounted them from behind: Hi
Steady" he shouted.
But his warning was lost In more
,cnding cry. 4 cry that brought people
10 their feet in the surrounding punts.
ss though suddenly human hedge had
sprung up in al instant.
That cry rang out: ''Stop, behind
there, Don't push! Stop, for Gods
sako--somcbody overboard.'
Good Lord" exclaimed Carmichael,
on his feet with the rest, "wherc!' he
thoutcd.
Two runts away. on his stnrboard
quarter. came shrill cries for help. The
side of the punt was heard to crack like
chid's toy. Black against the clear
ing sky loomed the figure Of n power
fully built man who set his feet against
It and thrust for all he was worth. In
loud alarm n voice cried: Don't have
Us all in ~
II Harry Carmichael never heard that
last cry, for in the punt where all the
commotion was somebody had called out
name, a name he knew.
"Clover!' 1t Is Glover" And, while
those in front struggled to stem that
press, those behind maintained thci,
relentless advance.
Clover This was how he was tc
find her, was it
There was not dogs chance.
The punts would close over hcr
Over Clover!
Now Harry Carmichael sometimes
thought so quickly that he didn't know
be was thinking at all. In that one
Instant of time he knew what wa;
wanted to be done TO stop this threaten
Ing horror. lie wanted space.
And as he knew this, so hc knew
what to do.
Stand by, you fellows" he called to
oBrion aud ii"nty. ''Look out tnl
yourselves; ] am going 10 sink us. "
And with, his arm and shoulder thrust
nhder the bow OF the punt that mad
ridden them hc set his own laden
punt rocking.
'Rcady there, 10 take the water
Hnirk'y.' he shouted toward the scene
Of the accident. "I am coming aboard
YOU, sir, TO tho stranger in tho inter
yening punt. Look out, everybody.
Now" There was n mighty h"oving
In the pack Of punts, a sucking and
Rurgling.
Then. where the campera punt had
been, there WIS u space OF swirling
water in which the serpentinc rehec-
llors Of the lanterns lepped and Curled
In which ahead, an outstrctchcd arm
appeared.
Quick, before they're on us again ~
cried Harry Carmichael "Quick
wan--pasS on the space. Pass it on
-
Y lie sprang across the stranger punt
to "her" the looming figure OF Jim Holt
was striving.
Got hcrt' gaspcd Carmichael.
Il think Hero, Clover, haven't
You got
LET me- come. Iot me----'
Into the slowly widening, moving
zap Of cleared water Carmichacl thrus,
his arm. passing il beneath the arms