Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-09-16
CHAPTER xII-Continued

the food lifted It, only to let It sai
again. and swirled about their feet
tugging vicfousiy at the structure
tearing at the cables. thrusting AT the
cliffs. Their feet slipped on the wei
planks, they fell against the hand
rope and the sianting suspension
stays, clutchIng frantically with one
hand, striking with the other, giving
blows that LEFT each sick with pain,
desperate, ignoring the peril. ciingine
and sliding while they fought. silent
save for their heavy breathing and
the gruDts with which a blow was de-
tivered or received
Baxter fought foul as his strength
Slapped from him. Caleb was harder.
peTlunged, better muscled for this
rough and tumble game. He ham
mered Baxter over the kidneys and
Baxter gasped with the pain. his face
comforting while he hung like dead
weight to his opponent. faint with an
guish- When It passed he flung up
his knee and caught Caleb In the groin,
temporarily evening things He broke
free and dashed out, right and left.
failing at Caleb's head and jaw as the
latter crouched against an angle OF the
hand rope and a stay, covering up.
Then, with an energy summoned from
his reserves, Caleb rushed, landing
hard above the heart. Baxter stag
gered, CROPPED forward and flung an
arm about Caleb's neck. dragging with
all his weight while Baxter strove for
balance. His fingers found Caleb's
throat and worked desperately in
shntting or breath. torturing as they
pressed upon the jugular.
AS they chung. sfhwart the planks
now, Bakers weight almost unbear-
able IN the crook Of Gaieb's arm. his
body stretched out down stream with
tire force of the water. the eastern
tuttress shuddered. tottered. slid
plnnglng into the gut II toppled side
ways. shaking the bF4Sge as a terrier
shakes a rat, dragging II until the
cables sang above the noise Of the tor
rent and then. anchored by sunken
ledge and crevice TANNED hard. It
hold firm. the cables still secure. The
Ffliden Jar, the lowered pitch. was too
much for Baxter The blow over the
heart had finished his endurance. His
fingers lost their gsip on CaIeb's throat,
the furious water claimed him. His
despairlng clutch on Caleb's smooth
sliekeF failed. He gave cry, his face
CHASTITY in the white light of the moon
and slid into the current like a hog.
Caleb sRatched him by the collar Of
his coat and shifted his armhold for a
grip on saving stanchion as they i
both Strengthened cRt in the imperlous
sweep OF the mRddened creek. He /
thought HIS arm wonld be torn from its
socket with the strain and he managed /
TO wrap his lees about the panks,
shouting at Baxter. yelling his loudest.
Unless Baxter helped to save himself
or Caleb let looss OF him. another mo-
ment would see them both whlrIed
down the gut sYer and over. their
lungs filed with water. battered.
drowned
sect hold Of Yourself" Caleb yelled.
Baxter Get grip on something.
hang on to me. Haul yourself up
Quickl"
The Inslstent words and the will be-
hind them worked In Bakers numb
brain and reused him to a last furry
ing fight for life. With a frantic effort
he clAwed at Caleb. twinIng his fingers
10 the slIcker and slowly dragged him.
self 0p from the suction OF the food
Caleb got both hands to the stanehfon,
fbot a. rnfUhf hold Uo~tow
found the opposite enc, then the hand
rope. and so eFawied to safety. reieas-
Ing Caleb from his dead weight. He !
began to hitch himself up the incline {
while Caleb lay for the moment slack,
utterly exhausted. his breath coming
h great gasps, the fibers of his mus
cIes seeming to be torn apart. his {
sinews racked. He got to his knees
II last and then to his feet. The
bridge might collapse at any second. 4
here was no time to lose. Baxter COL 4
apsed again from weakness. face down
N the planks where they still showed {
lbOve the eyer-rislng. furious water. o
Caleb got an arm about him. With q
he help Of the >hand-rOpe he hauled /
3axter along until they reached the
old cliff Of the western side of the v
nut The blood was pounding IN his y
rain with his efforts and It seemed s.
. II someone was calling to him. He n
TODD. leaning against a tree-Baxter :
Gated GA a ledge, his face Ia his z
ands. elbows on knees-and faced the
reek and the broken bridge. breathing
D great gulps Of Good air. The call
anne plainly now, no fiction Of his
izzy brain.
Refined upon the verge where the IT
I'M buttress had broken loose, was n
city Clinton on her pinto pony. the OF
,relegs of the snorting horse braced II
yainst danger. The moon was free Of tn
.ud and the girls face was clearly Ct
sfble. She had no hat and her chest pl
Bt hair was In disorder he
How long bad she been thereT' Or
aleb wondered while he sfrove 70 on
itch what she was saying above the ml
muIt Of the creek. He heard his sc
lme She recognized him. with his Of
lrkor -forn HIS face bloOdv And abe ne