The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-14

wav-bappening along like this every
time / need a car the worst way "
"Dr;ve ON" Trine screamed to tne
chauffeur. Drive on, do you near
But Judith had stepped up on .he
running board and was eyeihe '
driver coldly, with one hand sigh,.
cantly resting on the butt oi -"
weanon at her side. The car remained
at standstill.
su,nburous profanity followed
nungent stream of 'vituperation tna'
was checked only by Judiths nue.
runtion. We've had to gag you once
before, you know. If you want aho'ne'
taste of that-keep on"
"But where's Barcus" judith oe'
manded when. after helping Rose into
the car and running of to thank tneir
hosts. Alan returned alone to the car
Goodness only knows" the young
man answered cheerfully. He ~ouiu
insist on rambling off down the can
Won in search Of an alleged Town
where we could hire a motor car
somewhere down there. tried "
make him understand that we hao
plenty Of time, but he was mulisn as
he generally is when he gets a fooiish
notion into his head. So l oaresay
we'll meet him on his way back-of
else asleep somewhere by the road
side!"
Taking the seat next to the chauf-
feur. he gave the word to drive on
and they slipped away from the loca-
ton OF the mining camp, saluted by
cheers from the miners.
The road dipped sharply down the
mountainside TO the bed Of the canyon.
The car moved smoothly and swiftly,
coasting: only now and then was II
necessary to call upon the engine for
power with which to negotiate an up
grade or some uncommonly long
stretch of level road.
Half an hour passed without word
spoken by any member of the party.
Each was deep in his or her own es-
pecial preoccupation: Alan turning
over plans for an early wedding Rose
hugging the contentment regained
through her lovers protestations:
Judith lost in profoundest melancholy;
Urine nursing his rage, working him
self up into a silent fury whose conse-
quences were to be more far-reaching
than even he dreamed in his widest
moments.
Its first development, for all that.
was desperate enough.
The aged monomaniac occupied the
right-hand corner of the rear seat
Thus his one able hand was next to
Judith, in close juxtaposition to the
revolver in the holster on her hip.
Without the least warning his left
hand closed upon the weapon. with
drew 1t and leveled 1t at the back Of
Alan's head.
As he pulled the trigger Judith flung
herself bodily upon the arm.
Even SO. the bullet found a goal
though In another than the intended
victim. The muscular forearm of the
chauffeur received it.
With shrek OF pain the man re-
leased the wheel and grasped his
arm.
Before Alan could move to prevent
the disaster the car, running without
q guiding hand, caromed of a low
embankment to the left and shot full
tilt into a shallow ditch on the right,
Smelling its passengers like peas from
a broken pod.
Alan catapulted good twenty feet
through the air and alighted with
such force that he lay stunned for
several moments.
When he came to. he found Barcus
helping him to his feet; heavy sew.
en-passenger touring car halted in the
roadway indicated the manner in which
his friend had arrived on the scene
of the accident
When damages were assessed it
was found that none of the party had
suffered seriously but the chauffeur
and Seneca Urine himself. The former
had only his wound to show however,
while Urine lay still and senseless at
very considerable distance from the
wrecked automobile.
Nothing but barely perceptible
respiration and internationally flutter.
ing pulse persuaded them that the
fame Of life was not extinct in that
poor. old. pain-racked body.
CHAPTER LII,