Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-12

meter deep on the mountains The Merlin had
stuck, he said and had to be pulled out with oxen
Surprising the Duke intended going to Madrid
instead of turning off by way of Salamanca he, and
incidentally we. seemed likely to come in for an
adventure. -
We had all taken coffee and rolls in our rooms as
nobody dreams of going down Stairs for breakfast
in Spanish hotel and soon after eight were Joltlng
out of Val" We had kept Ropes waiting after his
only long enough to strap our luggage
the roof; and the other car also had luggage
and passengers to pick up we We're just in time to
leaving the house of the Duke relations with
everyone on board 5.5tert
AS the Lecomte took the road to the south on
leaving town, it gave us an assurance that it would
not make for Salamanca; but there was still doubt
as to its movements 1t could 60 to Madrid directly
over the snow heights of the Sierra de Guadarrama
it could pay visit to the Escorial 1t might
halt there for the night; and as there were many
alternatives, were anxious to keep our leader
continually in view.
The wind was bitter cold and Pillar shivered in
her cloak which was not made for motoring. When
Dick saw this before l could speak he had his own
fur lined coat off insisting that she should put it
on Il can take Casa Trianas," said he, since he
is still posing a soldier of Spain. And glance
warned me not to blunder by asking why, in the
of common sense, she shouldn't have mine,
which wasn't using, instead of his which was on
his back. He wanted her to wear hscoat-and hang
common sense
After an instant's stupid bewilderment 1 saw this
and could hardly help chuckling. How many days
had he known herr Scarcely more than two AT
Biarritz he had given sound advice my affairs;
couldn't understand this fall in love at sight bus
mess thought girl wasn't worth red cent till
she was twenty-two; couldn't see himself being
sentimental under any circumstances; going to
wait to make his choice till he went back to America
believed owed it to his own country TO put
his countrywomen first and anyhow couldn't stand
girl who wasn't able to converse nationally. Yet
Pillar if she was to talk with him in his own tongue
must perforce limit her scintillations to Vary
nice, lovely, all raight while if he wrestled with
hers he could scarcely GO beyond phrase book
limits The language of the eyes remained; but
that had place in the realm of common sense
My overcoat was singularly unbecoming to Dick;
but he beamed with happiness init, as he regarded
Pillar cozily folded in his and, looking the picture
certain things occurred to me which might say to
Dick when got him alone.
On this morning of biting wind and brilliant sun,
! there still more dazzle of snow to lumine the
mountain tops; and though the road was dull, the
beauty of the atmospheric effects was worth coming
Squishl The brown slrsh of melted snow gustsd
out in fountains as fat tires plewed through and
on either hand it lay unbroken in virgin purity
beneath the pines Half mile higher, and even
the traffic of heavy OK carts and the suns fierce
fire had power to break the marble pavement.
1t shattered and Clipped, and carved into deep
ruts by wooden wheels; but there were no muddy
veins of brown. Ten minutes more, and Our engine
began to labor Them before there time to
count the moments, we were in snow to axles.
The motors heart beat hard but with sturdy,
dependable noise which comforted Pillar, who was
half laughing half frightened at this her first adven-
ture AT any instant now might come upon the
Lecomte, held in the trap which threatened to
catch Ropes kept the car in the wide ruts made
by OK carts; but even with his good driving we
swayed to right and left, leaving the rough track
and blowing into drifts dangerously the preci-
pice edge. or skidding as if We skated polished
ice, failing to grip the frozen surface.
Now it was the time to relieve the willing engine.
Dick and sprang out, and Colonel O'Donnel fol-
lowed, though would have persuaded him to
keep his place. Only Pillar was left in the car, with
Ropes driving while three men, knee deep in
snow set our shoulders to help the Gloria she
made the supreme effort. Pushing and slipping at
every STEP our blood which had run sluggishly
with cold. racing through veins, putting
on of .xyIe topt11,