The Lamar register., 1919-03-12

wns frying 10 get Stlllings TO agree to
drop the railroad case against him,
and Bob says he mnde some vague
promise of help in the High Line busi-
ness if the railroad people would
agree not TO prosecute
"Therc is n screw loose somev here !;
know by the way Judge Warner
took hold When / proposed TO swear
out the warrant for Sranton's arrest,
he said. 4 can't understand, Mr
Smith why you haven't done this be-
fore and he sat down and filled out
the blank. But we can let that go for
the prescnS How are you going to
get me ucross the river without TAX
Ing me through the heart Of the town
und giving the Brewster police II shy
at mpf"
Starbucks answer was wordless.
With "a quick twist Of the pilot wheel
lie sent the car sllidding around the
corner. using undue haste, as it
seemed, since they had two hours be-
fore Them. A few minutes further
along the lights of the town had been
loft behind ana the ear was speeding
swiftly westward on country road
paralleling the railway track; the
road over which Smith had twice
driven with the kidnapped Jibbey.
'1'm still guessing" the passenger
ventured. when the last Of the rail-
road distance signals had flashed to
the rear. And then: "What's the fran
tic hurry, BillyT"
Starbucll was running with the
muller cut out. but now he cut II In
and the ronr of the motor sank to n
humming murmur.
"I thought so" he remarked. turn
ing his head to listen. 'You didn't
notice thnt police whistle just as we
were leaving the courthouse. did you?
nor the answers to It while we were
d0deing through the suburbs? Some
body has marked Us down nud passed
The word, and now they're chasing us
with "a buzz-wagon. Don't you hear
Itf'
Iiy this time Smith could hear the
suffering roar OF the following car
only too plainly.
Its big one" he commented.
You can't outrun it. Billy; and be-
sides, there is nowhere TO run to in
This direction"
Again Starbuck's reply translated
itself into action. with skillful
touch of the controls he sent the car
uhead at top speed, and for matter
OF ten miles or more held dlmin-
ishlng lead In the race through sheer
good driving and an accurate knowl-
edge Of the roud and its twistlngs and
turuings But the road would soon
become cart track ia the mountains /;
there was no outlet to the north save
hy means of the railroad bridge at
Little Butte station. and from some
where up the valley and beyond the
railroad bridge came the distance
softrned whistle Of train.
Starbuck set n high mark for him
self as courageous driver Of motor
ears when he came to the last of the
thre6 road crossings. Jerking the car
around sharply at the instant of track
crossing, he headed straight out over
The ties for the railroad bridge. 1t
/ was courting Of death. To drive
The bridge at racing speed was haz-
/ ardcus enough. but to drive 1t thus in
/ the face Of downcuming train seemed
/ nothing less than madness.
II was after the ear had shot into
l the first OF the three bridge spans
[ tlar the pursuers pulled up and
I opened fire. Starbuck bent lower over
/ his wheel, aud Smith clutched for
hnudholds. Far VI the track ON the
north side Of the rivera headlight
flashed In the darkness. and the
hoarse blast Of locomotive. whistling
for the bridge, echoed and re-echoed
among the hills.
Starbuck drove for his life. With
the bridge fairly crossed, he found
himself ON II high cihbnnkment; and
the oncoming train was now less than
half II mile away. Somewhere be
yond the bridge approach there was II
road; so much Starbuck could recall
II they could reach its crossing before
the collision should come
They did reach 1t. by what seemed
to Smith margin Of no more than the
length of the heavy freight train