The Winslow mail., 1923-09-14
ohtX b. Aor peA- ard Bre+hers~

| stopped before the porch. Link had
| tied two long, heavy planks upon the
! car, one on each side, and in every
available space he had strapped extra
| tires. A huge cask occupied one back
seat, and another seat was full Of tools
and ropes. There was just room in
this rear part of the car for Nels to
squeeze in. Link put Madeline in front
| beside him, then bent over the wheel.
Madeline waved her hand at the Si-
lent cowboys on the porch. Not an
audible good-by was spoken.
The car glided out Of the yard,
| leaped from level to slope, and started
swiftly down the road, out into the
open valley. Each stronger rush of
dry wind In Madelne's face marked
the increase of speed. The buzz, the
roar Of wheels, of heavy body in flight,
increased to a continuous droning
hum. The wind became an insupport-
able body moving toward her, crush
ing her breast, making the task of
breathing most difficult. To Madeline
the time seemed to fly with the speed
of miles.
Cactus barred the way, rocks barred
the way, guIlies barred the way, and
these Nels addressed in the grim
humor with which he was wont to
view tragic things. Again and again
Link used the planks to cross washes
in sand. Presently he came to a
ditch where water had worn deep into
the road. Without hesitation he placed
them, measuring distance carefully,
and then started across. The danger
was in ditching the machine. One Of
the planks split, sagged little, but
Link made the crossing without slip.
At length a mile of clean brown
slope, ridged and grooved like wash
board, led gently down to meet the
floor of the valley, where the scant
gramagrass struggled to give tinge
of gray. The road appeared to be-
come more clearly defined, and could
be seen striking straight across the
valley.
To Madeline's dismay, that road
led down to deep, narrow wash. The
crossing would have been laborsome
for horse; for an automobile it was
| impossible. Link drove back to the
road, crossed it, and kept on down the
| line of the wash. 1t was a deep cut in
red earth, worn straight down by
swift water in the rainy season. 1t
narrowed. When Link reached the
narrowest points he got out of the car
| and walked from place to place. Once
with little jump he cleared the wash
Then Madeline noted that the farther
rim was somewhat lower. In a flash
she OWNED Links intention. He was
hunting a place to jump the car over
the crack in the ground.
Soon he found one that seemed to
suit him. for he tied his red scarf upon
a greaSewood-bush Then, returning
to the car, he clambered in, backed up
the gentle slope and halted just short
of sleeper ground. launching low over
the wheel, he started, slowly at first,
then faster, and then faster The great
car gave a spring like a huge tiger
The impact Of suddenly formed wind
almost tore Madeline out Of her seat
She felt Nels' powerful hands on her
| shoulders. She closed her eyes. The
| jolting headway of the car gave place
to a gliding rush. This was broken
by a slight jar, and then above the
hum and roar rose a cowboy yell.
Madeline. waited with strained nerves
for the expected crash. 1t did not
| CHI fhO
level valley floor without a break She
had not even noticed the instant when
| the car had shot over the wash.
A strange breathlessness attacked
| her, and she attributed 1t to the celer-
| ity with which she was being carried
along. Pulling the hood down over her
face. she sank low in the seat. The
whir Of the car now seemed to be a
world-filling sound. There was a long,
| blank period from which she awakened
to feel an arm supporting her. Then
| she rallied. The velocity of the car
had been cut to the speed to which she
was accustomed. Throwing back the
hood, she breathed freely again, recov-
cred fully.
The car was bowling along a wide
road upon the outskirts of a city.
Madeline asked what place it could be-
Douglas" replied Link. can jest
around is Aqua Prieta!"
That last name seemed to stun
Madeline She heard no more and
saw little until the car stopped. Nels
spoke to some one. Then sight of
khaki-clad soldiers Guickened Made
lines faculties. She was on the boun-
dary-line between the United States
and Mexico, and Aqua Prieta, with its
white and bue-waled houses, it's
brOwn-tiled roofs, lay before her. A
cavalry officer approached the car,
stared, and removed his sombrero.
Can you tell me anything about
Stewart. the American cowboy who
was captured by rebels a few days
ago?" asked Madeline.
yes" replied the officer. Stewart