Then we took a sort of dumb fright, and tried to
follow; but it was all over in a second, before we saw it, still less
realized it--his struggle, swimming for dear life, and not gaining an inch;
the stick held out to him in the nick of time, just as he passed a spot
where the beast of a current that had him swooped inshore.
I am sorry to say that my husband's first words to the man he may be said
to have saved from death were, "You young fool, what did you do that for?"
"For this," Harshaw panted, slapping his wet breast.
"For a pocket-book! Great Sign! What had you in it? I wouldn't have done
that for the whole of the Snake River valley."
"Nor I," laughed Harshaw.
"Nor the Bruneau to boot."
"Nor I."
"What did you do it for, then?"
"For this," Harshaw repeated.
"For a piece of pasteboard with a girl's face on it, or some such toy, I'll
be sworn!"
Harshaw did not deny the soft impeachment.
"I didn't know you had a girl, Harshaw," Tom began seductively.
"Well, I haven't, you know," said Harshaw. "There was one I wanted badly
enough, a few years ago," he added with engaging frankness.
"When was it you first began to pine for her? About the period of second
dentition?"
"Oh, betimes; and betimes I was disappointed.
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