The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-08-09
CHAPTER V-Continued

For a moment she stared at me un
belieyingly. Then, with a half-sob.
half-cry of Joy, she clasped her arms
tightly around me. Something In her
look, something In the touch of her
slender. clinging form made my heart
exult
Once more we had whirled of into
the main current; once more we were
In that roaring torrent The water
smashed and battered Us, whirled rs
along reIentlessIy, dashed Us In heavy
sprays: yet with closed eyes and
thudding hearts we waited. Then
suddenly we were sweeping along
smoothly, and on either side Of Us
the valley sloped I'm green plateaus
up to the smiling sky.
unlocked my arms and peered
down to where her face lay half hid
den on my breast
Thank God. was able to reach
YOU"
yes, thank God!" she answered
family. ''Oh. ! thought il was all
over. nearly died with fear. II
was terrible. Thank God for your
But she had scarce spoken when
realized with q vast shock, that the
danger was far from over. We were
hurrying along helplessly In that
fierce current, and already heard the
roar Of the Squaw rapids
BE brave. Berna." | had to shout
again; well be all right Trust me-
dearp
She was staring ahead with dilated
eyes of fear. Yet at my words she
became wonderfully calm, and In her
face there was a great. glad look that
made my heart rejoice. She nestled
TO my side.
We took the rapids broadside on
but the scow was light and very
strong. Like a cork In mill-stream
we tossed and spun around The
roar of doom was In our ears Thud
crash, roar, sickening US to our
hearts; lurching. leaping. beaten. BAT
tered E. then all at once came
a calm; we must be past: We opened
our eyes
We were again sweeping round a
bend In the river In the shadow OF
a high bluff. II we could only make
the bank-but, mol The current
hurled Us along once more. There
about two hundred yards away. were
the dreaded Whitehorse rapids
"Close your eyes. Berna!" I cried.
Lie down. on the bottom. Pray as
you never prayed before"
We we're on them now. We both
dropped down in the bottom of the
scow, and she clasped me so tightly
1 marveled al the strength of her
] felt her wet cheek pressed to mine.
her lips clinging to my lips.
Now. dear. just moment and IL
will all be over"
once again the angry thunder OF
the waters The scow took them nose
on. riding calamity. Again we were
tossed like a feather In q whirlwind.
pitchforked from wrath to wrath We
clutched each other convulsively
Would il never. never end
Ii seemed the last had come Up
I'D we went We seemed TO hover
uncertainty. tilted. hair-poised over a
yawning gulf. Dizzily we dippen
over; sieeply we plunged down.
gave up all hope. | felt the girl faint
in my arms How long II seemedl
wished for rhe end
Then. swamped from bow 70 stern.
nall turned over. wrecked and bro
ken, we swept into the peaceful basin
of the river below.
Boats and scows were lined up for
miles along the river shore On th-
hanks water-snaked outfits lay drying
in the sun We. too had shipped
much water in our passage. and
few days would be needed to dry out
again.
Madam Winklestein I found sur
prisingly gracious Winklestein. too,
had conveniently forgotten our last
interview. and extended TO me rhe
paw of spurious friendship. 1 was
free TO see Berna as much as I chose
Thus IL came about that We
rambled among the woods and hills.
picking Wild flowers and glad almost
with, the Joy of children In these
few days noted a vast change IN the
girl Il was as II In the poor child