White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-12-01
both OF these roads 90 over to yrewst-.

IDENTIFY the leader Of the squad OF
armed men. ''The one to the left fol
lows the railroad as far as it can and
then climbs the Timanyoni range BY
way of Led Horse pass. The other
begins to climb right here and goes In
over Dump mountain, and the two
come together as one in the big hills
south of Brewster
Thanks" said Markham; "but we
don't know which way our-the Fleet
wing went"
II can help you there. 1t went up
the mountain"
'That helps u.s." Markham asserted.
Then, "a mining man, are you? I
didn't know there were any mines
over here"
There are not many. Ours, the
| Cinnabar, is about the only one ship
ping ore just now. Broughton's my
| name"
Markham is mine," was the prompt
| rejolnder; "and this Is my friend
Owen Landis Much obliged for the
Information about the roads. Well be
| getting along before our Fleetwing
party gets too far ahead of u.s."
AS they went out the young mine
owner followed them.
"I'm no alarmist," he said, "but are
you gentlemen 'heeled,' as we say out
in this part Of the world?"
Markham grinned and pulled out his
q 1Jto f0 Iict
tonishment, since Markham had neg
lected to mention his purchase
'Will these do?"
Fine and dandy, if you know how
to use 'em. Reason I spoke was that
we're down here for our payroll money
its coming in on Forty One-and
had hint that Red Gunter and his
gang might try to grab it off. That's
why so many Of us are here with the
bells on. But If there's anything In
the rumor, and they are after us, they
likely wouldn't bother with you. So
long," and he went back into the sta.
ton building.
AS the two friends reached the car
the distance-diminished below Of To-
comotive whistle broke the silence of
the desert night.
There comes Broughton's train"
said Lands. Lets get away ahead of
his truck. Then we won't have to
pass it on the mountain road"
"You didn't speak soon enough"
Markham grumbled, kicking a fiat tire
under the roadster. II wonder what
did that?"
Whatever had done it, the tire had
to be changed, and they fell to work.
When it came to the replacement they
found that the spare was only about
half inflated and would have to be
pumped up-by hand. While they
were rigging the pump the train came
laundering in, made it's brief halt, and
went clamoring on.
Shortly after the disappearance Of
the train they heard the starting roar
Of the mine trucks motor, and a mo-
ment later the truck, with it's load Of
armed men passed them. The young
mine owner was at the wheel.
After the truck had gone, they
found the tire pump in their roadster's
equipment kit had leaky check-valve,
and wouldn't hold long enough to put
the proper pressure into the half-in-
flated tire. While they were taking
turns at the leaky pump, the railroad
agent came across on his way home,
and asked if he could help them out
'Not unless you can tell us where
we can borrow a decent tire pump"
said Lands.
"Why, yes" was the friendly an
swer. 1--we got flivver, and tire
pump is about the most useful attach
ment it has. Wait, and I'll fetch it."
He crossed to a shed behind the
nearest of the half-dozen darkened
houses and presently returned with
the pump, good-naturedly taking a
hand and helping them fill the big
spare.
you've saved our lives" Markham
said, returning the borrowed pump.
Thanks a thousand times. Good
night"
AS he started the motor he glanced
at the dash clock.
1T was just midnight when we
stopped, and now it's quarter to
one; three-quarters of an hour wasted
time enough to put that Fleetwing
thirty miles ahead! That's the tough
est piece Of luck we've struck yet!''
But, as they were soon to learn, ILL
luck was not through with them. Be-
fore they had made more than a
couple of miles up the stiff mountain
grade the roadsters motor sputtered,
began to miss, and then stopped dead,
the brakes slipped and let the car
drift backward.
Lands caught at the emergency
brake and stopped the drift. AS he
did it, he pointed at the gasoline gauge
on the dash and said, Look at that,
will you'll"
Markham looked. "What do you
know about that I told those
garage fellows at Copah to be sure