Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-03-28
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
A PRiMA DONNA Of The HILLS

I don't profess to know much about
motoring, but happen to have rather
an intimate acquaintance with the
slopes Of the Alps that border Lake
Geneva. Consequently, though l did
not attempt to argue the point with
Jack Bedford, | felt convinced that the
gradient of the road he had chosen
was too steep even for his powerful
Daimler. True. we climbed the first
part at a pace that seemed to justify
his optimistic assertion that we would
reach the crest of the mountain before
we knew where we were.
after that we need only give the
machine her head. and We can slide
down into the valley and reach the
Hotel de la Coronne In plenty OF time
for dinner" said he cheerfully.
Always supposing the track is all
right, said |.
"Of course it's all right, my dear
chap Why. there has been no snow
for ages, and 1t will be the easiest thing
in the world, when once we reach the
top. Hullo! What's up now" he broke
Off, as a curious grinding noise made
itself audible, and in another moment
the motor car began to slide back
ward down the steep mountain road.
Jack Redford Is not the sort OF per-
son to lose his head easily, but |
noticed that his voice was strangely
hoarse ms he shouted to me to jump
out on the on side.
1t was rather near shave, even as
1t was, for had we remained in the car
the extra weight would in all human
PROBABILITY nave caused us 10 TAKE
header-motor car ana ali-oVer tne
rather nasty looking precipice that 1el,
sheer down some SIN or seven hundred
teet INTO the valley oelow:
the brake slipped Dit, thats an
but she'll be all right when we get her
on to bit OF more lever ROAD.
! The fact is, old chap, you were
right, the road Is 100 steep, ana IN.
sooner we get back-good heavens!
ne broke on. Just look at the mist RS
ing up the valley! IL II comes as iai
Jas this. I'm hanged II ! can see now
we are 10 steer down the corkscre"
track.
Before the words were weii out o.
MS. mouth the mist came roihhs up
ehVeiop'hs fhe whoie mountain Sue IL
an impenetrabie white curtain. =,
| JACK heaiords cheery iaugn souha
ed curiousiy INJURED as ne shouted tt
me TO help him shove the motor towar Ie
the bank, and a moment iater had .e
srope my way 10 ma seat peside NH
III the car. d.
LOOK here' Dalstoh' ne saiu' you
know lot more ABOUT these parts thaI
| do. How long do you suppose II vii
take this bally Old mist TO clear on?
| 1T all depends said !, cautiously
III wind springs up we are all right
but II 1t remains dead calm ike II II
at present then we may be here foI
hours
| LOOKS as though we should nave I.
spend the night In this beastly fog,
laughed Redford, as he iighted MI
pipe.
| 1t might be worse, said l; "and
anyway, we are not likely to be rui
over by anything. There doesn't ap
pear to be any sort OF human habita
ton up this road at all, ana, by INT
way, that reminds me-yon never ex
planned why you wanted TO take thi
particular route, instead OF the usua
track" =.
ITO tell the truth, Dalston,' he said
Il came up here as an amateur de
tective.
"A WHAT" ! exclaimed mcreduous
ly.
Sounds like Sherlock Holmes, does
MT II, old man, but you recolicct IN.
mysterious disappearance OF the Me
OF my opera?'
"Rather-but l can think why yo'
didn't have duplicate copy
because The thing wasn't even typed
us RAD OF mine 10 nave the Whoi
thing done at once. ia spent month
over 1t, as you know, ana 10 tell Tn
honest truth, when i glanced over u
MS Tor the last time teit ,nere feai
~ was some good work IN the opera
zone OF the SOLOS dldnt quite please me
so ! locked the whole thins away !,
my desk, and went out TO dine WIZ
Draycot OF baiioi. fou remeihpe
praycot' doht you ola chap
Ratner, SAID l.
We'll tneh' you understand Una. W
maze hignt Vi IT, Draycot ihsls'e
Oh toastihs ,ne new opera, ahG-wei
10 MAKE long Story snort; 1 cam