The Delta independent., 1914-12-04

second motorcycle gathering momen.
tum. Alan steering, Rose in the seat
behind
Sixty seconds later a Haunting ban
ner of dust was all that remained to
remind Mesquite that romance had
passed that way-that, and a series
OF passionate screams emanating
from the bedchamber Of Seneca
Trine. where the cripple lay posses
sed by seven devils of insensate rage.
His screams brought attendance;
but 1t was matter OF many precious
minutes before his demands could be
met and Marrophat 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 twoseated. high-power
racing machine Of the latest and
speediest pattern, driven by two FIRE.
sponsible 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
It must have been an hour later
when Alan. checking his motorcycle
a. 1t surmounted the summit Of a
long upgrade. looked back and dis
covered. several miles distant on the
far-fung windings of the mountain
road. small crimson shape that ran
like mad thing tirelessly pursued
by a cloud OF tawny dust like a gold
en- ghost.
A motor car. beyond all question.
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 land then by no means for
the first time). they had proved that
II Rose were with Alan they would
include her ruthlessly in whatsoever
scheme they might contemplate for
his personal determination.
Nor would Tom Barcus be exempt.
II they were caught in company
oh Tpd oh he L., VII 80
Marrophats infatuation for the girl.
These two were far ahead. out OF
sight. indeed; and must somehow be
overtaken and warned-no easy mat
ter. since the machine which bore
them was. II anything. faster than
Alan's. Just as the racing automobile
was faster than either
Alan kept his gaze steadfast to the
road before them. daring not once to
look up and round or back
So sinuous and meandering WAS its
course. indeed. that Alan seldom could
see q hundred yards OF II ahead. but
must pelt on In panic flight. hoping
for the best-that Judith and Barcus
would soon show up in front. that
something might happen to hinder the
NnttueT IQe
latter lost or gained.
And thus catastrophe befeli E.
Round the swelling bosom Of wood
ed mountainside the motorcycle swept
like q hunted hare, and without the
least warning came upon Barcus and
Judith. dismounted, Barcus bending
over his cycle and tinkering with its
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 on 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 a
single heartbeat thought that he might
possibly make 1t. but with the next
realized that he would not-seeing the
front wheel swing on over the lip of
the slope.
At this he acted sharply and upon
sheer instinct. As the cycle left the
road altogether he risked broken
knee by releasing his grasp of the
handlebars and Strengthening out his
leg and driving 1t down forcibly
against the roadbed. The effect OF this
was to lift him bodily from the sad
die: the machine shot from beneath
him like some strange proJectile
hurled from the bore of n great gun.