New-York tribune., 1909-10-10

BIrn Tor q time were III JNG I'et'4 Llet L4lS 1P
q cloud OF smoke like cyclone ripping out rs
path.
Se.,rle had not only gained half-mile lead
but his ear was apparently switter- He knew
Us every trick and ounce OF power tie drove
Superblv He was reckless now. Tor he had not
missed the knowledge that behind hlm was
meteor burning up his trail
Like a leaping beast. a road-devourIng mIno-
taur the car with Van shot roaringlv through
space He could not tell that Searle. ahead
was slipping vet farther IN the lead tie only
knew that come what might, till the mechanism
burst or the earth should split, he would chase
his man across the desert The dust IN the AR
from Bo>twick's ear drove bhndlngly upon
him Far far AWAY a mere SpeCk IN the road
he beheld a freight team approaching, a team
OF twenty animals AT least, which he and B'>t-
wick must encounter.
\ sudden memory of road conditions decI.lcd
h1rn % move The rutS where he was were bad
enough they were worse where the team must
be met. He did not reduce his speed % take To-
the brush. The ear beneath HIM flung clean
of the ground he swung % climb out Of the
grooves IL landed with all four wheels a-Spm.
but struck only on two. \ sudden Swcrve. TAR
out of the course and the monster nghted
abruptly Another sharp turn. and away II
went again. crushing the brush and tInglng up
the sand IN a track of its own that pardlleleti
the road. but roughcr though free from the rutS-
The brush was small, SIN inches high but
the wheels bounced over It madlv. The whole
car hurtled and lcdped in rot of motion. IL
dived. II plunged nose upward It rodred Ike "a
tiend. but II shot with CannOnbaN velocity
across the desert $ floor.
FIVE minutes later BoStwIck's car was almost
fronting the team IN the road with Its score
Of dusty mules. He dared not take the rutS at
speed. and groaned as he slowed % climb The
bank He lost but little time. however. Once
on the side, he was going ahead again Ike mad,
nevertheless, he cast "a glance behind and saw
that his gap had narrowed. Moreover. he dared
not attempt 10 return To the rutS as before, be
cause they were deep and a second OF the teams
was coming a mile or so away,
Like two pitching pOrpOIses. dISchargIng
fiery wrath and SkimmIng the gray OF the des-
ert sea, the two devices raced upon the brush
And nerve began 20 tell an was absolutely
reckless. SedTle was not The former would
have crowded on another notch OF speed, but
Bo~twIck feared and shut ot a trlrle OF his
power. Even then he was rocking, quIverIng.
c,trccniug. onward like a star escaped from It>
course, and the gains Van made We're slow.
The man on the second team paused % SEE
them pass In smoke and dust and with war S
own din they cleaVed the startled JIr. And the
man who saw the look that had set on Van s.
hari-chiSeled face was aware that unless his
car should tdIl there waS nothing on earth he
could not catch.
BoStwick had begun to weaken The pace
over SagebTuSh rocks. and basins of sand was
racking both the car and the nerves that held
the wheel. How long such a flight could be
continued he dared not guess. Even steel has
limitations. To what he fleeing he could
scarcely have told since the telegraph would
send It's word throughout the desert land and
overhaul him wherever he went.
y Sickening apprehension aSSailed him. how
ever within the minute One of his cylinders
Was missing. His trained ear caught the
change of the tune, and he felt his speed de
creaSing. He glanced back briefly where the
dusty lump of steel like "a redhot projectIle,
Numbered in his wake.
He beheId a sudden t,nlike flare of dust III
the cloud Van WAS making. He even family
heard the far report, and grim JOY sprang mo
his being
Van had blown out q tire. Striking the high
places Crowding on the speed. holding % a
straightdwav course like "a mercileSS fate. the
horSemdn heard an air cushion 90, felt the
lurch and lameneSS of the car. and Steadied IL
back upon its road He did not retreat bv $,
much hIir the lever advancing his spark
He did not bulge the gas control, but left II
still wide open ID all his tires should blow
out together he would not halt his pace. Tic
would drive that 10 destruction OF to tri-
umph IN the race.
SEARLE'S \ rejoicing endured but the brictcst
span. His motor had begun aglln 20 >pIut
r1,tt,hJDi..-ti ,1attb -TN.D i.,