The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-10
CHAPTER XcIv.-oUT OF THE
EARTH


In the chill, olet-shadowed dusk Of
that clear evening n chap fallen motor
car crept sluggishly into the little
mountain town OF Mesquite. a settle
ment so remote from all main travelled
ways that mapmaSers ignore It's worry
existence. while the advent OF
stranger Is all event In the lives OF
It's Inhabitants and the passage of an
automobile fair cause for nine days.
wonderment. Should the latter, in
deed. degn to stop overnight in Mes
quite, local history dates anew from
the epochal circumstance.
Thanks to this humble communal
frame of mind, Mesquite welcomed the
inundated motor car with less ribald
mirth than It doubtless had expert
enced In anticipation, arriving ignom-
inously az 1t did at the heels of two
mutinous mules, driven by a chauffeur
who steered with one hand while the
other nourished cracking whip
lash over the backs OF it's sole motive
power.
It's one passenger, n cripple as help
corner of the rear seat. saluted Mes
quite with snarl. Though he was
In sore need of such rude comforts as
the town stood prepared to afford him,
MS ueIncanOr toward IL was tnat or
one who suffers an indignity rather
than begs accommodation. His opin-
ion of the town was unaffectediy low.
and he didn't hesitate to express 1t In
the most positive terms. Mesquite
learned something of the ungentle art
of virulept vituperation before any
thing happened to moderate the Ill
wind OF his humor
Mr.. Seneca Trine however, was not
without some reasonable excuse for his
bad temper (though 1t Is quite trle
that want of an excuse had not yet
prevented him from being as rad tenn
pered as he pleased. when the 1T was
on him). He had spent tho best part
of Two days sitting In that motor car,
most Of the time without any attention
whatever, for the last eighteen hours
marooned alone in the heart of barren
hills, In complete ignorance of the prog
ross of his one-sided feud with Err.
Alan Law. His mercenaries leaving
him there at his own bidding to pur-
sue his unholy purposes, had failed to
return: he had not the least inkling Of
how they had Jared, whether they had
succeeded at last or failed as usual In
I, their business of eXterminating Alan
Law; and he esteemed the fact that
they had not returned to report prog
ress portent of ominous character
Only the Willingness of his chauffeur
to walk matter of twenty miles
! through the dark OF the previous night.
in order to bring back this team OF
mules. had saved the aged vnletudi-
: marian from perishing of starvation and
. thirst.
And now. as the car crawled to a
pause before the Mountain House
Mosquitoes one caravanserai-and Mes
quite itself, to the last fea-bltten
hound. gathered round to view this
wonder. Mr.. Trine's indignation and
chagrin distilled words Of poisonous
itrnN orf efI
and adequate reason that he could not
move without assistance) and sawed
the air with his one able arm and bills
tered his thin old lips with curses as
black as his hate-ridden heart.
"Barcus-old man!'
.Yes?"
"I1ave you any idea
Devil one"
God help us!''
'Amen!"
did you notice what that black
guard had fixed up7"
What do you meanc'
"Why--at the bottom of the shaft
got only glimpse coming in-the
door OF the powder-room was open. and
OF blasting powder. -
Whats the good OF that? We're
fast enough as It Isl"
simply to make assurance doubiy
sure oy causing cave-in
Silence answered that - Barcus,
shoulders to the bulkhead, worrying
knuckle with his teeth for the inspira-
ton that was over-iong In coming.
why tho deuce doesn't he set off his
explosion IL he means to?"
Heavens only knows. Perhaps he's
thought OF some scheme more devilish.
Perhaps he set the stage with an empty
powder keg simply to drive us mad
with the strain of waiting :"
II wouldn't put that by him, either"
Barcus commented. See here: What
Il N ynn lrpnu hour