New Ulm review., 1914-12-30

sldefaDle ADVANCE on the retail sl1Sl
price Of the machines, when new.
And thus 1t was that, within ter
minutes from Roses discovery of that
chance-flung warning in the dust. the
party was again in rapid motion.
His beauty sleep disturbed by the
departure of the machine bearing
Barcus and Judith, Seneca ,Trine
reused on an elbow, and looked out so1
the window just in time to see the
second motorcycle gathering mome4
tum. Alan steering, Rose in the seat
behind.
Sixty seconds later Haunting ban
ner of dust was all that remained to
remind Mesquite that romance had
passed that way-that. and series
Of passionate screams emanating
from the bedchamber Of Seneca
Trine, where the cripple lay posses.
sed by seven devils of 1nsensate rage.
His screams brought attendance;
but it vas matter Of many precious
minutes before, his demands could be
met and MarNphat and Jimmy reused
from their crapulous slumbers in ad.
Joining chambers; and half an hour
elapsed before the chauffeur, reused
from his own well-earned rest, sue
ceeded in convincing the pair that
pursuit with the motor car was out
Of the question
But the devil takes care of his own:
within another half hour what seemed
to be sheer, bull-headed, dumb luck
brought casual automobile to Mes
quite-a two-seated, high-power
racing machine Of the latest and
speediest pattern, driven by two ire
spohsible wayfarers who proved only
too susceptible to Marrophat's offer Of
double the cost of the car-f. O., b.
Detroit-for its immediate surrender.
The two piled out promptly enough;
Marrophat and Jimmy jumped in;
Trine from his bedroom window sped
them on their murderous mission with
blast of blasphemy.
1t must have been an hour later
when Alan, checking his motorcycle
as it surmounted the summit Of a
covered. several miles distant on the
far-fung windings of the mountain
road, small crimson shape that ran
like a mad thing tirelessly pursued
by a cloud cf tawny dust like a gold
en- ghost.
and one of uncommon road-devouring
quality; it might or might not con-
tain Marrophat and Jimmy, once more
In pursuit. Whether or not, bitter
experience had long since educated
Alan in the gentle art of taking no
chances.
Though it was his life that they
sought so pertinaciously. no later than
yesterday (and then by no means for
the first time), they had proved that
If Rose were with Alan they would
Include her ruthlessly in whatsoever
scheme they might contemplate for
his personal determination.
Nor would Tom Rarcus be exempt,
# they were caught in company
though Judith might be, in view Of
Marrophat's infatuation for the girl. :
j These two we're far ahead, out of
sight, indeed; and must somehow be
overtaken and warned-no easy mat
ter, since the machine which bore
them was, if anything, faster than
Alan's, just as the racing automobile
was faster than either.
Alan kept his gaze steadfast to the
:oad before them, daring not once to
!ook up and round or back.
So sinuous and meandering was it's
course, indeed, that Alan seldom could
gee a hundred yards of it ahead, but
must pelt on in panic flight hoping:
Tor the best-that Judith and Barcus
would soon show up in front, that
something might happen to hinder the
oursuit-never knowing whether the
after lost or gained.
And thus catastrophe befell ). :.
Round the swelling bosom of wood.
ed mountafnside the motorcycle swept
. like a hunted hare, and without the
least warning came upon Barcus and
Judith, dismounted, Barcus bending
over his cycle and tinkering with ita
motor
For one horripilating instant COLI.
sion seemed unavoidable. Barcus and
Judith and the motorcycle occupied
most Of the width of the road; there
was little room between them and the
declivity, less between them and the
forest. To try to pass them on the
latter side would be only to dash his
brains out against the trees; while to
make the attempt on the outside would
be to risk leaving the road altogether
and dashing of into space
And it was impossible to stop the
cycle-so brief was all his warning.
In desperation Alan chose the outside
Of the road; and for the space Of q
single heartbeat thought that he might
possibly make it, but with the next
realized that he would not-seeing the
front wheel swing off over the lip OF
the slope.
At this he acted sharply and upon
sheer instinct. AS the cycle left the
road altogether he risked q broken