The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-01-27

a heavy touring car, she said It was.
driven by man, woman in the
seat by his sideJudith the latter, the
man an old employe Of her fathers
by the name Of Marrophat
Marrophat!
Alan remembered that one.
He could only trust in his skill al
driver, and skill is the lesser factor
in such race.
They could overtake the fugitives
practically when they would.
But for some weird, incomprehen-
sible reason they chose to hang Ger.
tain distance in the rear, a distance
that could readily be bridged by two
minutes Of furious driving.
Why?
In the succeeding quarter-hour the
calmness of fatalism became Alan's.
They were hiding their time for some
secret and fatal purpose The blow
was predestined to fall, but cruelty de-
| ferred
For his own part, he drove like an
exceptionally cunning mailman.
And then, quite clearly, he recog-
nized the time and the place and the
character Of the road that lay before
| him as the car sped like dragon-fy
| down slight grade.
| From the bottom of the grade It
swung away in a wide, graceful curve,
bordered for some distance by railroad
tracks on a slightly lc-ter level.
He had guessed tne fiendish plan OF
| the other driver only too truly.
/ AS they approached at express
i speed the stretch where the road par
alleled the tracks Alan sought to hug
the left-hand side of the road, but in
vain.
Roaring, with it's muller cut out, the
pursuing car swept up and baffied him,
bringing its right forward wheel up
beside the left rear wheel of his carr
then more slowly forging up until,
with its weight, bulk and superior
power, it forced him inch by inch to
the right, toward the tracks, until his
right-hand wheels left the road and
ran on uneven turf. until the left-hand
wheels as well lost grip on the road
metal, until the car began to dip on
the slope to the tracks. !
He heard the far hoot-toot of q
freight locomotive
There followed maniac moment,
when the world was upside down.
Alan's car slipped and skidded, swung
sideways with frightful momentum
toward the railroad tracks, caught its
wheels against the ties, and !.
The sun swung in the heavens like q
ball on a string. There was a crash, a.
roar ~. There was nothing-Ohy
The car had turned turtle, pinnfng
Rose and Alan beneath it.
"Alan!" she gasped. You are not
killed."
1 "No-not even much hurt, fancy!'s
he replied And your"
mot much"
The deep-throated roar of the loco
motive believing danger silenced him.
He closed his eyes.
Then abruptly the weight was lifted
from his chest. He saw man drag
ging Rose from under the machine
and saw that the man was Marrophats
And almost Immediately someone lift.
ed his head and shoulders, caught him
with two hands beneath his arm pits
and drew him clear of the machine.
And the face of his rescuer was the
face Of Judith Trine
/ The crash he had expected, of the
car being crumpled up by the oncoms
ing locomotive. did not follow
AS he scrambled to his feet, his first
glance was up the track, and discov.
cred the train slowing to halt
His next was one Of wonder for the
countenance Of Judith Urine as she
stood, at a little distance, regarding
him; her look almost illegible, curl.
Gus compound of passions coloring it,
relief, regret, hatred. love
4 His third glance deserted beyond
her the figures Of Marrophat carrying
Rose in his arms, stumbling as he ran
toward his car on the highroad.
He moved precipitately to pursue.
/ but found his way barred by Judith.
i mol" she cried violently. mo, you
shall not"
Her hand sought the grip Of re.
! volver that protruded from her pocket
With short hysterical gasp, he bes
gan to laugh
WHAT he tainted her-"a gain 20
Think what you likel" she cried i'm
q frenzy. "You saved me once now i
spare you. We're quits. But next
| time
H.