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

a heavy touring car, she said It was,
driven by man, a woman in the
seat by his s!de-Judith 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 az
driver, and skill is the lesser factor
in such race.
They could overtake the fugitivea
practically when they would.
But for some weird, Incompetent.
sible reason they chose to hang GER
tain distance in the rear, distance
that could readily be bridged by two
minutes Of furious driving.
Why?
In the succeeding quarter-hour the
calmness of fatalism became Alans.
They were biding 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 1t
swung away in a wide, graceful curve,
| bordered for some distance by railroad
tracks on slightly lover level.
He had guessed tne fiendish plan OF
the other driver only too truly.
AS they approached 1T express
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 muffler cut out, the
| pursuing car swept up and baffied him,
bringing it's right forward wheel up
beside the left rear wheel of his car
then more slowly forging up until,
with it's 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 a 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 a
ball on a string. There was 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."
"No-not even much hurt, fancy.'
he replied And your"
Not 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 a 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 hins
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 Urine.
The crash he had expected, of the
car being crumpled up by the oncoms
1 Ing locomotive, did not follow.
AS he scrambled to his feet, his first
glance was up the track, and discovs
! cred the train slowing to a 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, a curl.
/ Gus compound of passions coloring it,
/ relief, regret, hatred love
1 His third glance deserted beyond
I 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.
mol" she cried violently. mo, you
shall not-!'
Her hand sought the grip of q re,
volver that protruded from her pocket
With a short, hysterical gasp, he bes
gan to laugh.
What" he tainted her-"again?'s
Think what you like!" she cried In
frenzy. "You saved me once-1pow &
spare you. We're quits. But next
time
"O-rot!" he interiected "You wiz
800 ~