Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1939-06-08
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

els there any chance of our not
coming through"
'sOh, don't think SOL
She faced him, pale and steady
in the fuctuant beam of the candle
in her hand. "You do think So"
"Well, yes; there's chance
against us, of course" The admis-
sion was slow and reluctant. "The
waters still rising. hate to have
you afraid" he burst out in a shak-
en- voice.
cam / afraid? suppose am. I
don't want us to die"
''Is the canoe dried out?"
mot thoroughly. 1t may be by
daylight"
"You'd better tell me the truth,
Kelsey" she said with a quiet cour-
age that made his throat feel stiff.
"Will the house stand that long?"
cit ought to. Better get some
more Sleep"
81 couldn't. All right; I'll try if
you want me to-"
1t was no more than fitful doze
that she achieved. A light shock,
followed by strange, scrabbling
noise, brought her to her feet. A
big tree, twisting and writhing in
the powerful grasp. of the current,
was scraping along the side of the
mansion, thrashing at it with des-
perate arms as it passed. A win
dow crashed in.
cts nothing" Kelsey treasured
her, as she cried out.
'sWhat time is it?" she asked stu
pidly.
"Almost four"
"Glunk?"
"Glunk is better, think. He
drank some water"
They sat in silence. Without warn
ing the floor subtly shifted beneath
them. Kelsey stood up and shook
himself. "We'd better be rigging
the canoe" he said in quiet, hard
voice. 'She may leak some," he
continued, and brought a small pail.
He propped paddle in the stern,
then lifted the craft forward through
the door until the bow projected
over the unseen water.
"Where do you want me?" Marine
was now ready to take orders. The
only thing she could do now to help,
was to prove herself amenable to
discipline.
Gin the stern"
She moved forward one step.
"Kelsey?"
"Well?"
''Kelsey, dear. I thought I want
ed to wait until tomorrow toto
have things said. Have waited too
long?" Her voice trembled.
''We may have ten minutes. We
may not have ten seconds" he said
with the curtness of controlled fear.
"Get in" =
''I'll take the ten seconds. Tell
me, dear; anything could happen,
couldn't it?"
eyes"
1--WE might be separated, if it did
happen"
eyes," he repeated, but in an al
tered voice. you're wasting time
that may mean"
cit wouldn't be so good" she per-
sisted, 'if one of us came through
and the other didn't"
"No; not so good" he agreed
heavily.
"Then l want you to hold me, if
it comes, and not let me 60. Will
: you? Will you promise?"
"I'l promise anything, if only
you'll get in"
She became practical at once.
"You want me in the stern, you said
Where's Chunk to go?"
''Flat in the bottom. He'll ballast
the canoe.
"You'n take bow-paddle, then"
Ignoring this, he said: "There's
only one bad spot. It's where the
bank dips down to the lake. Hold
her, bow-on, whatever you do"
"Kelsey!" Marine had ceased to
be practical. "Why are you giving
me all these directions?"
"Keep her away from the mouth
of the brook" he proceeded with
his instructions. GAS soon as you
reach open water"
"Kelsey! Answer me-"
"Please listen, Marne."
All good resolutions as to disci-
pline and obedience went down.
wind.
II won't listen! You've put only
one paddle in. Where's yours?"
Her hand went to her heart in a
gesture of such child-like and piteous
appeal that he looked away. "Where
is it?" she demanded.
''The canoe can't carry more than
two. For Gods sake, Marne-"
Observation-Disclosures me?"
The words came, stiff and slow.
Don't you understand? Three of
us would sink her, sure"
you're going to stay, to be car
ried away with the house? Is that
it?"
''No; it isn't. See that clump of
willows? I'll swim for it. I'm a
good swimmer"
"You might as well try to swim
Niagara. You're lying to me-"
The house quivered and sagged a
little. There's no time to argue,
Marne."
you're asking me to-"