Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-10-26
The Light
of
Western
Stars
A Romance
By
Zane Grey
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
By
Zane Grey
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
llllIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIlTIllITlIIlIlIIl1IIll1
Copyright By Harper and Brothsn

Copyright By Harper and Brothsn
"Can gets a permit to go into the In
Of the officer.
"You are going on? Madam, It's
forlorn hope. Mezquital is a hundred
miles away. But there's a chance
the barest chance if your man can
drive this car. The Mexicans are
either murderous or ceremonious In
their executions. The arrangements
for Stewards will be elaborate. But,
barring unusual circumstances, 1t will
take place precisely at the hour desig-
mated. You need no permit. Your mes
sages are official papers. But to save
time, perhaps delay, I suggest you take
this Mexican, Senor Monies, with you.
He outranks Don Carlos and knows
the captain Of the Mezquital detach-
ment."
81 thank you, sir. I shall not forget
your kindness" concluded Madeline.
The white, narrow road flashed out
Of the foreground, slipped with incon-
ceivable rapidity under the car. When
she marked q clump Of cactus far
ahead It seemed to shoot at her, to
speed behind her even the instant she
noticed it. Nevertheless, Madeline
knew Link was not putting the car to
its limit. Swiftly as he was flying, he
held something in reserve.
1t came at length, the bursting re-
port. The car lurched, went on like a
crippled thing, and halted, obedient to
the master hand at the wheel. Swift
as Link was in replacing the tire, he
lost time The red sun, more sullen.
duskier as it neared the black, bold
horizon, appeared to mock Madeline,
to eye her in derision.
- Link leaped in, and the car sprang
0Ead. The road began to wind up; it
turned and twisted in tantalizing, lazy
curves; it was in no hurry to surmount
hill that began to assume proportions
Of a mountain; 1t was leisurely, as
were all things in Mexico except strife
That was quick, fierce, bloody-it was
Spanish
The descent from that elevation was
difficult, extremely hazardous, yet Link
Stevens drove fast. Then, in taking
an abrupt curve, grasping spear
ruined another tire. This time the car
rasped across the road into the cac-
tus, bursting the second front-Wheel
" inEnnH ink and
Nes worked. Shuddering, Madeline
felt the declining heat Of the sun, saw
with gloomy eyes the shading OF the
red light over the desert. She did not
look back to see how near the sun was
to the horizon. She wanted to ask
Nels. Strange as anything on this ter
rible ride was the absence Of speech.
AS yet no word had been spoken. Made
line wanted to shrek to Link to hurry.
But he was more than humanity swift
in all his actions SO with mute lips.
with the fire In her beginning to chill,
with a lifelessness menacing her spirit,
she watched, hoped against hope,
prayed for long. straight, smooth
road.
Quite suddenly she saw 1t, seemingly
miles of clear, narrow lane disappear
ing like thin, white streak In distant
green. Perhaps Link Stevens heart
leaped like Madelines. The huge car
with roar and JERK seemed to an
swer Madeline's call, a cry no less
poignant because it was silent.
Faster, faster, faster! The roar be-
came whining hum Then for Made
line sound ceased to be anything-she
could not hear The wind was now
heavy, imponderable, no longer swift,
plastic thing, but solid, like an onrush-
ing wall. It bore down upon Madeline
with such resistless weight that she
could not move. The green OF desert
plants along the road merged In two
shapeless fences, sliding at her from
the distance. Objects ahead began to
blur the white road, to grow streaky,
like rays Of light, the sky to take on
more Of a reddening haze.
That was Madeline's last clear SEN
sation upon the ride. Blinded, dazed,
she succumbed to the demands upon
her strength. She reeled, fell back.
only vaguely aware Of helping hand.
Confusion seized her senses. All about
her was a dark chaos through which
she was rushing, rushing, rushing un-
der the wrathful eye Of a setting sun.
But at an end Of infinite time that
rush ceased. Madeline lost the queer
feeling Of being disembodied by
frightfully swift careening through
%Bundless distance. She distinguished
voices, low at first, apparently far
away. Then she opened her eyes to
blurred but conscious sight.
The car had come to a stop. LINK
was lying face down over the wheel.
Nels was rubbing her hands, calling to
her. She saw house with clean white
washed wall and brown-tiled roof. Be
yond. over a dark mountain range,
peeped the last red curve, the last beau
tiful raw of the setting sun.
CHAPTER XIII