Evening star., 1924-04-06
On The JWanzp R0aH,
The Story of an Adventurous Reporter
on the Trail of a Murderer

continued: Mighty good car, too. l
know it like a book. Used to have
the agency for it. Trouble is, it's too
high-priced for farmers"
And he ratified on while his hands
fused pointlessly with spark plug
and carburetor
He must gain all the time he could
but not push it second too far
for the minutes in which this man
might hope to escape were running
out. SO far as his scant knowledge
went the engine seemed sound.
Looks all right. Let's give her
try he said, shutting the hood.
Starting the stalled car might be as
bad for him as failing TO start 1t. for
he had a leaden notion that once
there was a clear way out of the
swamp only one of them would ever
take it. But he must do something.
By way of answer the man only
gave grim little nod and pulled
nickel-plated watch out of the small
pocket in his frayed trousers, con-
sulting it while Skinners heart
seemed to fade out of his body. Re-
turning the watch to the pocket, the
man looked at him-giving him, per-
haps, three minutes; or was it only
one?
SKINNER climbed into the drivers
~ seat. The man was about to fol-
low him, but changed his mind and
took a seat in the tonneau instead
that is, behind him.
With a dull, mechanical eye Skinner
looked at throttle and spark lever;
then turned the magnetic key and put
his hands to the wheel. He threw in
the self starter. 1t churned and the
engine whirled, but no explosion
came. He tried it again with the
same result. Mechanically, he looked
again at lever, spark, magnetic key
and at other equipment
Then he saw, with astonishment,
that the gasoline dial showed plainly
that the tank was empty. Through
his brain fitted the surprised and
contemptuous thought, Here's a man
running for his life with an empty
tank and not knowing it, He was
about to call out, with a touch of in
dignation, why, you're out of juice"
In fact, he half turned his head for
that purpose. But Immediately he
looked back again, applied the self
starter twice more, then slipped
saying, 1T won't go,' at the same
time springing from the car.
II tell you what" he added, as the
man was getting out of the car,
We've go to turn my car around
and beat it back to the main road
It's the only way. You and 1 to-
gether can swing it around"
He supposed it was exactly what
the man had in mind; but it would
gain him three minutes-and his help
in lifting the car around ought to
be worth that little respite, especially
as the man must turn the car before
he could leave, unless he chose the
slow and difficult process Of back
ing up.
"All right" said the man grimly.
and together they started up the
road to the red car.
But Skinner walked ahead and so
crossed over to the right-hand side
of the road. Thus when they turned
behind the car to lift it he would be
at the mans left and his right hand
would be close to the gaping pocket
in which the automatic revolver lay.
1t was a desperate chance; but. that
was better than no chance at all. He
kept talking. He was talking as they
took positions behind the car, and he
thought, when we stoop 1 will grab
for it,
prt c.
very deliberately took the revolver
in the right-hand one, looking down
into SINNERS eyes then with a tiger
ish little grin--as though some brute
instinct had sense a danger.
Guess you'd like that gun,' he
suggested with a ghastly sort of grin.
A horrible joke seemed stirring in his
mind and Skinner suddenly smelled
blood upon him. He must have
grinned that way when he was at
work back there on the main road.
Look here" said Skinner promptly,
IT don't know who you are or what
you're doing down here. But know
you want to get out. My names
Morrison and I'm from Shelbyville,
Indiana. You'll read about me il you
get an Indianapolis newspaper this
morning I've got to get out to
save my neck. Now I know way
to get out and you don't. Listen to
this: 1 came through a town called
Turner Junction about an hour ago. !
know a fellow there. He advised me
to strike for little flag station call
ii DI,th1rC and giving on n freight
there and so get up to Chicago. This
red car of mine is pretty easy to fol-
low and I knew I'd have to drop it
pretty soon. He told me the road
to Platburg-not used very much
and most of the way through woods.
I ought to have turned fiye miles
back; but like a fool I decided to
keep on to Allentown. The woods
road looked sort of rough and L
thought 1 could make Allentown and
catch a passenger train. But it's
too late for Allentown now. They'd
be pretty sure to have word there
before we could make it, and the
passenger train would be gone, Plat
burg is the only chance L see ana 1
know the way there. If anybody's
looking for you," he added, his eyes
steadily upon the mans, cit won't be
long before they find that car, and
this neighborhood won't be healthy.
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