Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01

PT-NHE big collie was making a
gallant fight Of il,
Nesta had beheld the entire
scene She was walking along
the River road, in the frozen
slush of that muddy byway, when
first the rabbit flashed across her path
and scurried out on the frozen sur
face of the stream. Hard at bunny 5
heels galloped a halfgrown hound
puppy.
Out uDon the treacherous early
March ice the pup followed his fast
escaping prey. Then. 80 yards from
shore. patch of rotting channel ice
swayed and cracked and disintegrated
under the young hounds feet. In the
gray eXpanse appeared a patch Of
black water. In the middle of it the
pup was fioundering helplessiy.
Once and again the puppy reached
the broken edges of the water hole and
strove to lift himself up to safety.
But ever the decaying channel Ice
kept crumbling under his wildly claw.
ing fore feet, and he slumped back, his
whole head submerged.
Then something brushed harshly
past her toe. She looked to see what
it was A collie had come upon the
scene from nowhere in particular and
was daShing across the firmer shore
AS he neared the ragged gap the
ice began to bend and crack under
him. He came to a sliding halt at
the edge Of the hole and braced his
white feet, leaning far forward to
catch the frantic puppy by the scruff
Of the neck and to draw him out OF
the water.
Before his jaws could close on the
wriggling victim the ice had given
III 10
than before. In it now two dogs In
stead of one were struggling.
The collie secured his hold on the
pups neck. With an effort that car
ried his own head and shoulders far
out of water. he swan to the edge of
the hole and fairly thrust the hound
upward over the edge.
Perhaps here the ice was less weak
than at the point where both had
fallen in. At any rate. it did not break
under the puppy's fore feet. With
last effort Of strength, the little fell
low clawed his way to the surface OF
the ice and dashed off at top speed
for shore.
The impact of the youngsters jump
drove the collie's head far under. He
came up beneath the ice. Whether by
instinct or by luck or by brain, he
swan up stream yard or so. Once
more his head appeared in the gap.
dripping and gasping. To the edge
of the hole he swan, at the place
where the puppy had clambered to
safety. But his own weight was far
greater than the hounds. The ice
broke under him as he heaved himself
up. Down he went. far below the
surface; only to rise and strike out
for another point.
Twice he had lifted half his tawny
body over the edge and was drawing
up his hindquarters when the ice col
lapsed with him. The fourth time he
came up, more feebly, yet undaunted,
his white paws cut and bleeding; and
he swan from end to end of the gap
as though seeking some firmer spot
for his next effort.
+
1T was then that Nesta Boyce,
through no volition of her own.
found she had left the road and was
hurrying out onto the frozen river to-
ward the hopeless battling collie
Common sense babe her turn back
But the strange CLINT of hope in the
dogs eyes. as he saw her come to his
help, outweighed sanity.
Yet she kept enough presence of
mind to stoop and up-end long
ELdHh Which SOHl6 DObs Ildu lcIJ ~ lIlS
on the ice when they had been seek
ing bonfire material.
Nearing the gap, she placed the
plank in front of her on the ice. and
crawled face downward along it.
The rotting ice cracked and heaved:
but, thanks to the distribution of
leverage, it held. Presently she was
able to reach forward to the dog.
The collie had swan close to her
side of the gap; and as she reached
he made one supreme effort to lift
himself over the edge. The ice crum.
bled again under him. But this time
Nesta had firm hold of his ruff The
ice groaned and chuckled and bent
as she pulled him toward her.
Right raliantly did the dog second
her efforts. Scrambling heaving,
writhing. he drove forward and up
ward as she tugged him to her.
And now both of them lay on the
fiat plank-panting and worn out.
Then, inching her way. Nesta he
gan to retreat toward shore. still on
the plank. Even after she had come
70 the landward end of 1t, she con-