Alma record., 1914-02-05
CHAPTER v.
On the Red Road.


afternoon was arched with a sky as
blue as the tiles of the Temple of
Heaven and STEPPED in a wash of sun
light as yellow as gold Nothing in all
the springy landscape but looked
warm and opalescent and invitlng-ex-
cept tawny bull that from across
barred fence-cOrner switched a trucu
lent tail in silence and glowered SUI
lenly at the big motor halted motion
less at the side Of the twisting road
Curled worm-like in the drivers
seat, with his chin on his knees, John
Valiant sat with his eyes upon the
distance. For an hour he had whirred
through that wondrous simmer of
color with a fiippant lettering breeze
in his face, sweet from the crimson
clover that poured and rooted over the
roadside
"Chum, old man." said Valiant, with
his arm about the bulldogs neck, IF
those color-photograph chaps had
shown us this, we simply wouldn't
have believed it, would we? Such
scenery beats the roads we're used to,
what?" He wound his strong fingers
in choking grip in the scruf of the
white neck, as a chipmunk chattered
by on the low stone wall. NO you
don't you cannibal, He's a jolly lit
tie beggar, and he doesn't deserve be.
ing eaten!"
He filled his briar-wood pipe and
drew in great breaths of the fragrant
incense. What a pity you don't
smoke, Chum; you miss such lotl'
After a time he shook himself and
knocked the red core from the pipe
bowl against his boot-heel. Il hate to
start" ne confessed, half to the dog
and half to himself. ITO leave any
thing so sheerly beautiful as this!
However, on with the dance! BY the
road map the village cant be far now.
So long, Mr.. BULL"
He clutched the self-starter. But
there was only a protestant wheeze;
the car declined to bulge. Climbing
down, he cranked vigorously. The
motor turned over with surly grunt
of remonstrance and after tentative
throb-throb, coughed and stopped dead.
Something was wrong. With sigh
he flung off his tweed jacket, donned
smudgy Jumper" opened his tool-box,
and, with a glance at his wrist-watch
which told him it was three O'Clock,
threw up the monsters hood and went
bitterly to work.
At half past three the investigation
had got as far as the lubricator. At
four o'clock the bulldog had given it
up and gone nosing afield. At half
past four John Valiant lay fat on his
back, like some disreputable stevadore,
alternately tinkering with refractory
valves and cursing the obdurate
mechanism. A sharp stone gnawed
frenziedly into the small of his back
and just as he made a final vicious
lunge, something gave way and a
pricklng red-hot stab of pain shot zig
Tagging from his smitten crazy-bone
through every tortured crevice of his
impatient frame. Like steel from flint
it struck out a crisp oath that brought
an answering bovine snort from the
fence-corner.
Worming like a lizard to freedom,
his eyes puckered shut with the
wretched pang, John Valiant sat up
and shook his grimy fist in the air.
You silly loafing idiot" he cried.
"Thump your own crazy-bone and see
how you like it! You-oh, lord!"
His arm dropped, and a flush spread
over his face to the brow. For his
eyes had opened. He was gesturing
not at the bull but at girl, who
fronted him beside the road haughti-
ness in the very hue of her gray-blue
linen walking suit and. in the clear
cut cameo face under her felt cavalry
hat, myrtle-blue eyes that held
smolder of mingled astonishment and
indignation. An instant he gazed, all
the muscles of his face frightened with
chagrin.
II beg your pardon" he STAN
mered. Il didn't see you. l really
didn't. / was-I was talking to the
bull"
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thistly fence-corner,
while the startled dignity of her feat
ures warred with an unmistakable ten
dency to mirth. He had struggled to
his feet, nursing his bruised elbow,
irritably conscious of his resemblance
to an emerging chimney-sweep. II
don't habitually swear" he said, but
I'd got to the point when something
had to explode"
"Oh," she said, don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into a laugh that
seemed to set the whole place aquiver
with a musical contagion. They both
laughed in concert, while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth a
30 on nhoI