The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-07-08
'WIE7STLAND TRAILS
Continued from page two)

and told to get back to the Springs
quickly. The riders then disappeared
in the darkness. Before crossing, one
of the riders tied a rope across the
gulch right at the waters edge be-
tween two trees and told Spencer not
to go back that way again, knowing
if he did he would have to dismount
in the water to take down the rope, it
being up to the horses stomach at
that point. After a period of waiting
Winnie thought it was time he should
be back from the station. The girl kept
insisting that she look at more things
that she was showing. Deciding to
go out to where they were again dane
ing, she made inquiry regarding Spen-
Ger. No one knew about him. After a
bit a boy on the place who had been
hiding near where the men were plan
ming 70 duck Spencer got Winnie at
the door outside and told her what he
had heard. Without uttering a word
she grabbed her hat and ran to where
her pony was. Jumping into the
saddle she rode as fast as she could.
She knew what ducking match was.
She intended to halt the men before
they got to the river, urging her pony
hard as she could. AS she approached
the river she heard horse neigh on
the far side of the river. She knew
then that the men had played their
game and Spencer was on the other
side, might be tied or not, but she knew
he would be drenched. She rushed on
down the gulch with the idea of ford
ing the river at once. In her flight
her pony struck the rope stretched
across the opening and went down,
throwing Winnie into the river. She
screamed as she struck the water.
Spencer, having heard his horse neigh
ing and hearing the hoof beats of her
pony, had rushed to the edge of the
stream. Being a good swimmer he
did not hesitate second, but jumped
into the river and swan toward her,
bending his full strength to get to
where she was. Winnie could swim,
but the shock unnerved her and her
clothing being wet, she struggled hard
to keep afloat and to keep from get
ting into the gorge toward which she
was rapidly drifting. There the water
rushed over rocks and swirled in ed
dies with great power Debris and
logs would be caught in these eddies,
hurled round and round, crushed
against the rocks and finally thrown
out into the stream again to repeat the
same action further down. Seeing that
she was swiftly getting into the cur
rent, she screamed out again. Spencer
in the meantime saw her danger, call
ed to her to keep up her strength and
this time when she screamed he recog-
nized her voice. He exclaimed my
heavens, they have killed her.. Doubl-
ing his efforts as he saw her peril
that she was giving out, he prayed
that he could reach her in time to pre-
vent her getting into the eddy. Just
as she threw up her hands and gave
up he reached her, but too late to pre-
vent both from getting into the swirl.
She had tainted and he caught her
about the waist to keep her above the
water. They went down with a rush,
the force of it breaking his hold on
her. With agony on his face he saw
her whirled away from him and go I'M
der, then come up little farther away
from him. A big log was caught in
the whirl and he was afraid that this
would hit her. She and the log going
toward the center of the swirl when
they were caught in the eddy. He had
gripped onto a rock and held, seeing
her peril, he made up his mind that he
must go to the center of the pool Get
ting upon the rock he leaped outward
to the center. He grabbed the log and
drew himself up and going over to the
end where Winnie was approaching,
he lay down, reached and caught her
and pulled her up on the log. The
moon had come up and it was almost
like day. After getting her on the log
she gradually came to and opening her
eyes and in a weakened and nervous
voice called out, where am | and
where is Spencer and my pony?" The
pony has swan across to the other
side and joined Spencer's horse graz
ing. He quickly drew her to him, hold
ing her close to him, he said, 81 am
Spencer, fear not, we will get out of
this. Help me by keeping cool" The
log had been thrown out toward the
edge several times and narrowly es-
Gaping being thrown against the rocks.