The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-03-04


But his confidence was demon.
strated to be premature by the dis.
covery, which rewarded the first cur
sorry examination, that the car was
very thoroughly out of commission.
Two minutes later, however, their
earnest inquiries ELECTED the fact
that, although Barcus was justified In
his surmise that the neighboring
country was poverty-stricken in re-
spect of motor cars, Mesquite itself
boosted two motorcycles whose own.
ers were not Indifferent to a chance
to sell them secondhand at con.
siderable advance on the retail list
price of the machines, when new.
And thus it was that, within ten
minutes from Roses discovery of that
chance.fung 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 Urine
reused on an elbow and looked out Of
the window just in time to see the
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. a1l a series
Of passionate screams emanating
from the bedchamber Of Seneca
Urine, where the cripple lay posses
sed by seven devils Of insensate rage.
His screams brought attendance;
but it 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 two-seated, high-power
racing machine of the latest and
speediest pattern. driven by two IRE.
sponsible wayfarers who proved only
too susceptible to Marrophat's offer Of
double the cost Of the car-f. o. b.
Detroit-for it's immediate surrender.
The two piled OFT promptly enough;
Marrophat and Jimmy jumped In;
Urine from his bedroom window sped
them on their murderous mission with
a blast Of blasphemy.
It must have been an hour later
when Alan, checking his motorcycle
as it surmounted the summit Of a
long upgrade, looked back and dis.
covered, several miles distant on the
far.flung 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; 1t 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 rertinaciously, 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 Barcus be exempt,
If they were caught in company
though Judith might be, in view Of
Ma2rorhat's. 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, If 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 IN and round or back.
So sinuous and meandering was its
course, indeed, that Alan seldom could
see a hundred yards Of it 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
pursuit-never knowing whether thu
latter lost or gained.
And thus catastrophe befell .. i.
Round the swelling bosom Of WOOD
ed mountainside the motorcycle swept
like hunted hare, and without the
least warning came upon Barcus and
Judith, dismounted, Barcus bending
over his cycle and tinkering with its
motor. ID;
For one manipulating 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 tho
declivity, less between them and the