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

quvered to its iron entrais There was a sudden
awakng of carbureter, pistons, sparkling plugs
valves, trenbler, each part which had been resting
With a signing scream of the gearing the car
stumbled forward and up, united force pressed
into service Staggering: plunging, pushing, we gave
all the help could and for few minutes it seemed
that with aid the motor would claw its way to
the highest point. But the Lecomtes forty horses,
and the strength and good will of five men-counting
Carnona, who did as little work as he could-were
not enough. The wheels sank to the axles whizzing
round in the snow without propelling the car. With
the motor unable to do its part men alone could
not do all. The automobile would not bulge for
all our pushing and, seeing that labor was lost,
stopped to breathe and raise our eyebrows ques-
tioningly at one another. Carnona wondered audi
bly, what he ought to do.
Some one who came to Vallado1id last night was
hauled through the drifts by oxen said T. And
even as spoke, like ram caught in the bushes
ready for the sacrifice, spied in the white distance
the black silhouette of an enormous OK. He was not
alone, for more penetrating glance showed that
he had a yoke fellow as big and black as himself
and, guided by red sashed boy in scarf and shawl
they advanced toward us slowly but surely that
suspected something more than coincidence. 1t
flashed into my mind that this youth and his oxen
were not wandering through mountain snow drifts
for nothing The wolves which howl in these same
wild Businesses winter night scent prey; and
so, thought did the boy, with the trng substitute
of petrol for blood. This youth had made good
haul every of the word by accident yesterday
out searching for other hauls to-day, and would
We hailed him. He feigned surprise, and hest
tated as if to enhance his value then casting down
long lashes he listened to proposal pretended
to consider pros and cons. 1t would be a terrible
strain for his animals to drag such great weight
but Oh, certainly they would be able to do it.
They were docile and strong Every day nearly
they drew heavy loads of cut logs over the noun
tains. For twenty pesetas he would risk injuring
his oxen, but not real less; and they would drag
the gray to the top of the pass, that he could
promise.
What extortionl" protested Carmona, who is
not famed for generosity, except when something
can be made out of it.
pleaded Monica
That settled it. To please her he would
- have given twice twenty pesetas for half the
distance. The boy was engaged without further
hagglng; the animals were harnessed to the
big .Lecomte with rope which the youth
happened" to have; and with thrilling cry
OF "A-r-r-r-il O-lah! he struck the two black
backs with his goad
The great headsIwere lowered to adjust the strain
and every muscle in the powerful, docile bodies
writhede and punched with the tremendous effort
Big as they were, it seemed impossible that two
oxen could do for the car with passengers and lug
gage, what its own engine refused to do; never.
dering jerk then with steady, if numbering, crawl
"O-lah!' shouted the boy; humping on the thick
hide over the straining muscles fell the goad and
thus the car lurched through the deep snow, all Of
us following except Ropes, who, having poured
melted snow into the radiator, and let the cooling
stream flow through the water pipes, was bringing
on the Gloria slowly, by her own power. She had
now only two passengers and not half SO much
luggage as the Lecomte. which perhaps explained
Gloria!'' / should have liked to shout.
could now have pushed ahead, and, keeping pace
with Carmonas car, the oxen struggled nobly up
the pass, have tried for word or two with Monica
But perhaps Lady Vale Avon expected such move
on the part of the troublesome young officer; and
by way of precaution she had crowded near to the
girl in the tonneau. conversation worth having
would have been hopeless at such close quarters,
and disappointed the chaperon by making no such