The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-11-02
On the Edge
By F. CHURCHILL WILLIAMS
Copyright, by u. B. Lippincott Coz

corner" was a bend in the stage O a
over the mountains and through San
Marcos pass from San Luis Obispo tC
the California town to which | was
travelling. why is it ugly, them"
asked, seeming a story. In response
the driver told me about Maxine and
Captain Jack, which substantially was
as follows:
Captain Jack some years ago drove
one of the big four-horse stages over
the San Luis route. He was the best
driver in that part of the country and
to Maxine, the Mexican boy whom he
had ~befriended more than once when
the other boys called him "Greaser'
and stoned him, he was a hero. Max
limo lived in an adobe hut up by the
mission, at the throat of the valley.
His father vas a wood-cutter and
Maxine drove the long-bodied, rat
Ting wagon or which the wood, felled
on the mountain side, was brought to
town. Maximo's chance to prove him
self came II afternoon as he was
slowly toiling up the San Luis road
beside the empty timber wagon.
1t was a fine day for southern Cali
fOrnia-no more could be said in
praise of it. For a mile, and in some
places two miles. ahead the road
wound around the shoulders of the
mountain until, at last, like a thin.
yellow ribbon. its dusty line vanished
in the gray and dull green of the
slopes. Everywhere this road fol.
lowed the edge OF the 300-foot canyon,
Crowding against the wall Of rock
from which it had been cut.
Maxine watched an eagle wheel
slowly above the blue depths of the
canyon and wished he was back in
town with his loaded wagon.
Then, as his eyes followed the cir.
cling fight of the eagle, a dark speck
came within the focus of his vision
and something about it made him sit
up very straight and gaze at it from
under his leyeled palm. He knew
quickly enough what it was-the San
Luis stage inbound with Captain Jack
holding the reins. What startled him
was the pace at which it was moving.
1t was two miles away, yet he could
e that it rocked along the curving,
steep road at a tremendous rate. It
was a runaway and a runaway on
this, the most dangerous part of the
mountain route, could have but one
ending, unless soon stopped. A slip
or a stumble by the horses, or, what
was worse, the failure of the coach
tC cut a corner short enough-and
there would be only mangled bodies
and some splintered wood to mark
the place Of a tragedy.
Maxine, scanning the road ahead,
dxed on the spot where this was al
most sure to happen. 1t was a hun
dred feet in front of where he had
halted. There was the sharpest curve
on the road and there the road was
moreover than at any other point. A
moment he sat on the lumber wagon,
inactive; then he slipped down and,
urging on his team. drew up the wag-
on 200 feet above the sharp turn. The
was broader there and almost
level for a short distance and the
curve was . gentle one. The wagon
stood close to the edge of the road,
and there was 10 feet Of space be-
tween it and the inside rocky wall.
He embarrassed the horses quickly
and, with a slap on their tanks, start
ed them running loose down the road.
Then he scrambled up the rocks and
waited. He was only just in time.
The rapid pounding of the hoofs Of
the oncoming horses came to his
Then the team and stage shot
around the corner above him and he
knew what had happened. The brake
Of the stage had broken and Captain
Jack, who was alone, had vainly tried
to check with the reins the four big
animals, which, alarmed by the bang
ing upon the heels Of the wheel
horses, had run away and now were
beyond control. The stage reeled
and Captain Jack, with feet
braced, lurched and swayed on the
front seat, his face set, the reins tight
rs a bow-string.
Maxine saw him throw all his
on the inside rein in an effort
to help the horses around the curb.
The leading horse nearest the edge Of
the road made a desperate attempt to
obey and its shoes struck fire from
the lints. The heavy wheelers
hunched themselves stiffiy, trying to
hold back. But all would have gone
into the canyon II they had be-
gun to slide 20 feet further back. AS
It was, the leading horses held their
and slipped inside of the bar
ricade Of the lumber wagon. With a
the stage struck 1t, locking
wheels with it. throwing it partly over
the edge of the road. The wheel
horses we're thrown upon their hind
quarters, the front traces snapped and
he leader wildly galloped away. Max
mo sprang from the rocks and ran
the wreck Of the stage.
Captain Jack was kneeling on the
heck of one Of the fallen horses and
.rying to quiet them both. Maxine
,at o. the neck Of the other horse
Ind waited for Captain Jack to speak.
By-and-by the captain put out . big