The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-10-20
CHAPTER XIV

After that crashing impact ana
TOPICS cry, and the shrill blast OF
his whistle, silence descended. Clint
took one bound toward where he
guessed Tope to be; then he
checked, and turned. June from the
window above him spoke softly:
"Clint, you all right?"
you'd better come" he said
foarsely. It was a matter of sec
onds only, until she stood beside
him. Her fingers caught his.
tHere, you take this!" she babe
him, and pressed Tope's old revolv-
er into his hand.
He saw Tope kneeling beside a
man who lay here on the ground.
The flashlight illumined his counte-
nance. Rab Taine! His cheek was
smeared. Blood from a cut on his
head had flowed out over his ear
and trickled down his brow and
face. He lay limp and lifeless.
"Dead?" Clint asked hoarsely.
Tope shook his head. His hand
was on Rab's wrist, feeling for the
faint pulse that fiuttered there. mot
dead yet" he said.
June pressed close to Clint, and
she said miserably:
''It's Asa. Oh, what is it, Clint?
What happened?"
Clint shook his head, staring at
Asa Taine, who sat here under the
damned wheel of the car. Asa was
unconscious; and there was some
thing mysteriously affrighting in his
posture. His hands hung down limp
ly by his sides; and the bent steer
ing-column pressed the wheel itself
against his body, so that he seemed
to bulge in the middle. His head
was in a grotesque and unnatural
position. Cricked to one side, it
rested against the frame of the
door. His head was erect, even
tilted backward, but his chin
seemed to be pressed down on his
chest. It was as though he were
frozen in the very act of hic-
cough.
Tope said refiectively, as though
thinking aloud: 81 guess he piled
into that tree faster than he meant
to. He must have seen me, and
that would surprise him. guess
he lost his head, stepped on it. He
didn't mean to hit so hard"
Rand and another policeman in
uniform came painting through the
rain. s'What happened?" Rand
gaSped.
Without explanation, Tope said
crisply: Zone of you watch the 9TH
er house. Rand, you 60 call Inspec-
tor Heale. If he's not too sick to
move, get him up here"
Since they first discovered Asa
here, Inspector Tope had not left
the mans side, had kept him fixed
in the flashlights beam. Now they
saw that his lips began to stir and
humble. Then he blinked. The
light was in his eyes.
June cried softly: ssWe'n get you
out in minute, Asa VS. u
Mrs. Tame came running out of
the kitchen door, brushing past
Rand as he entered, drawing some
wrap around her. She reached the
side of the car. "Asat'' she cried,
and caught at his shoulder, tugging
at him.
"Oh," he whispered. 1t was like
q whistle of pain. My head. Neck.
Don't touch" s
Mrs. Tame whirled on the Inspec-
tor. s'Quick," she commanded.
sect him out Of there" And she
looked all about. where is Rab?"
she cried.
Asa muttered through stiff lips; his
lips were blue.
Sorry, Mother" he said, and
tried to smile. "He lodged in front
of me. / ran right into him. /
couldn't help it,"
His lips closed and opened again.
II couldn't help it," he repeated.
1--WE both lodged the same way"
II was going to town." Asa muir
INJURED. "But my headlights went
out as soon as hit the road.
] came back to get new fuse"
His words were spaced widely: