ing circles toward the
deadly vortex where the main rush from the fall went down. Second thought,
however, suggested there might be a very small chance that when swept
round toward the opposite shore one could by a frantic struggle draw clear
of the rotary swirl into the downward flow, which ran more slackly close
under the bank. I came back and explained this to Grace, and then for the
first time her courage gave way.

"You must not go," she said. "No one could swim through that awful pool,
and--I am only a woman, weak after all--I could not stay here and see you
drown. Ralph, it was the thought of having you beside me that gave me
courage--you must not leave me alone to the river."

"It is our last chance, sweetheart," I said very slowly, "and we dare not
neglect it, but I will make a promise. If I feel my strength failing, when
I know I can do no more, I will come back to you. Standing here you could
reach my hand as the eddying current sweeps me round. Now, wish me good
fortune, darling."

Grace stooped and kissed my forehead, for even as I spoke I knelt to strip
off the long boots. This was no time for useless ceremony. Then with a
faint ghost of a blush she added, "You must not be handicapped--fling away
your jacket and whatever would hamper you," after which, standing beside
me at the edge of the water, she said very solemnly, "God bless and keep
you, Ralph."

Then I whirled both hands above my head, leaped out from the quartz shelf,
and felt the chilly flood part before me until, instead of dull green
transparency, there was daylight about me again, and my left hand swept
forward through the air with the side-stroke which in younger days I had
taken much pains to cultivate. Now there was the hardness in muscles which
comes from constant toil behind it, besides a force which I think was not
born altogether of bodily strength, and even then I could almost rejoice
to feel the water sweep past me a clear half-fathom as the palm drove
backward hollowed to the hip, while the river boiled and bubbled under my
partly submerged head. But I swung right around the eddy, and almost under
the tail rush of the fall, while once for a moment I caught sight of
Grace's intent face as, husbanding my strength for a few seconds, I
passed tossed about on the confused welter close by the quartz shelf.
Then, as the circling waters hurried me a second time round and outward
toward the further shore, I made what I knew must be the las