Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25

above. His way led through dense woods,
and the blaze of the lamp threw cone
OF light far ahead. while the wheels be-
meath him turned silently and swiftly over
a carpet of pine needles under the dark
ness or jolted over the tree roots that
spread In ridges across the way. To the
east cold, pallor stole between the regf-
ments of trunks. but as yet no bird called
or diurnal beast moved from its holt In
the earth. as he drove along. Dan could
mark the fresh imprint of hoofs upon the
ground. stamped darkly here. The gate
at the end of the wood hung open as the
horseman had left it. and Sweetland per-
ceived that his master las in the right.
Now, chafed by the sweet. cold air, MS
black face burned and his blood leapt at
his heart. But anger 1t was that heated
him. The passion Of lifetime the trust
and friendship and honest love he had
ever entertained for Titus sim were turned
In these terrible moments to deep loathing
and hatred. As he leapt forward and al
tered his gear for climbing at a steep and
tortuous hill, his minds gear likewise
changed. From his soul he shut of love
and pity forever; he forgot all this knave
had suffered, but only remembered his own
sufferings and accumulated misfortunes.
Sim had hoped, and still hoped, to hang
him; Sim had seized the chance offered by
the Devil to tear him from his young wife S
side upon their wedding day; Sim had
plotted and planned with a spiders pa
tience and craft to fill his shoes; and even
now what fend's errand might he be upon ?
But the luxury OF rage was not for this
moment Once Dams hand shook, and in
second he came near wreck.ng the motor
between lofty hedge banks. He saved it by
a miracle and turned cold at a danger
ayerted Her life might depend upon his
skill and GOODNESS now. The car grunted
slowly up stiff hill of rough and broken
surface. Here a horses progress must be
infinitely swifter than his own His heart
sank at the necessary hardness at prog
ress. but his anger died and, when it was
70 ha ba n
mastered himself and drove with utmost
skill and judgment.
Light began to gather in the sky, and
Dan was glad. for in five minutes more
he would be upon the waste land and must
make his effort. From the Moor gate to
Johnny Beers public house was five miles,
and Sweetland calculated that II he could
accomplish that distance in as many min
utes he and Sim ought to arrive at the inn
together. But two long and stiff hills
occurred upon the road. These must slow
him down considerably. and. to make up
for the lost time. it would be necessary
to take declivities and level ground at
the greatest pace his car could travel. He
thoroughly estimated the tremendous risks
he ran and the fatal issue of any mistake.
He was only thankful that. for good or i'll.
he would perish with a broken neck or he
would save his wife from possible de-
struction. 1t was now light enough to
see the road ahead. The Moor gate, blown
forward without slackening of speed.
Sim. 1t seemed. had not counted upon
such swift pursuit Had he shut the gates
behind him he would have much improved
his own chances but all stood ajar save
one and Sweetlands hope was SO much
the higher. Now. on the Moor. no fur
Their obstacles could be met with. The
surface was good. the road wide; and 1t
was unlikely that any vehicle would share
the way with him or be passed. either go
ing or approaching. Ponies or sheep might,
indeed, interrupt him. but he trusted to his
hooter to frighten them away before he
reached them.
Dan set the powerful machine at work
in earnest, and he felt 1t gather itself to-
gether beneath him. like. a living thing.
hum like hive of huge bees and leap
forward with accelerated speed. The road
slimmering in dawn light seemed a shin
ing white ribbon that was wound by the
car as 1t flew onward. There came a SEN
sation that he sat upon huge, busy, but
motionless monster that was swallowing
the track. The roadway poured under his
wheels like a river: the Moor to right
and left wound away like mighty wheels
whose axes were on the horizon.
Though Dan drove the five miles In rather
less than five minutes the time to him
seemed very long. Twice he was In peril
and twice escaped death by a shade. At
a steep hill where 1t became absolutely
necessary to slow down he put on pace
again too soon while yet fifty yards of the
declivity remained to be run. But the car
responded quicker than he expected, and on
a little bridge which spanned the bottom
of the coomb and crossed the stream his
right fore-wheel actually touched the gran
lite parapet. The hub of the wheel struck
splinter from the stone. which shot up
ward like bullet and tore Dams elbow
to the bone. Then came the last straight
mile-a long and level tract, upon whose
left stood Benefits Cross. while to the
right lay Furnum Regis. the Oven Of the
King. Now a final rush began. and strain
ing his watering eyes to look ahead and
see if by chance Titus Sim might be in
sight, Dan saw, 300 yards in front of him
a sheep standing upon the middle of the
road with Its back toward the car. He
was now running more than eighty miles
an hour, and only seconds separated him
from the creature He sounded his hooter:
but the sheep did not move. and Dan had
barely time to grip the iron rail in front
of him when there came the crash Of i'm
pact. The car was now Swimming the
ground rather than running upon 1t; thus
the full weight of the motor struck the
wether and 1t was hurled ten yards for
ward and fell in a crushed heap Of wool
and bones. The impact carried away the
motor lamp, which dropped to the right,
and the car had passed between lamp and
sheep and was q hundred yards beyond
them before Dan drew his breath. A bolt
had given at one end Of the bar he held,
and moment later it became detached in
his hand.
Half a minute more and the Warren
Inn came into sight, while at the same
moment Daniel saw a horse galioping hard
three hundred yards ahead OF him. Com
pared with the speed Of the car 1t appeared
to be standing still; but just as he found
himself beside 1t the Warren Inn rose on
his right, and Sweetland was forced to slow
down that he might stop. AS he did SO he
sounded the hooter with all his might, to
rouse Johnny Beer.-Stm. on the horse had
become aware OF a motors approach long
before 1t reached him, and guessing that
Dan was following. he had pushed his horse
too fast He knew It was failing, but hs
also knew that Sweet.and must slow down
before he could alight. and the sequel
proved him correct, for Daniel had already
overshot the turning to Hangman's Hut by
two hundred yards before he could pull up
By rather more than two hundred yards,
therefore, Sim had start upon the half
mile of rough ground that separated tho
high road from Minnie's home. Sim was
also mounted, but herein lay no advantage,
for his steed, cruelty overridden, now came
down with q crash and threw the rider over
his head. Titus turned q clean somersault
and fell in a peat miro on his back unhurt.
Dripping with black mud from head to heel,
but none the worse, he rushed on, and az
Daniel breasted the last hfl1ock he saw
Titus knock at the door Of Hangman's Hut
and Minnie throw 1t wide open. Sims fall
had lost him ground. and he was now q
hundred yards ahead Of his enemy when
he entered the cottage.
Wild monsters both the men looked now,