IO Part, at Gem CHAI* TIMM tn*' dmkilsl L» .»»I Judith Ti belligerent» th«« < turn'd simultan* <»usly and sc rear of th» tender opposite side the . found i and Mr Barcua Handing ■ above the body of It ap|M*ar«d, had stunned falling and r« uinincd in- t«ak a. t . at the .1 H« i ■ , r <4 ward ti ab urd • lio eta rt*d the tro • to a full |au»’ 1 <4 I 1 <4 ti Hf•"> - ' iar ■4 U- h r »(> IM: » tn ma? ««r !4 rV' ■ar ” ithuut | lauaibie <td M ! ■ li t a Ar** aid flrw- 1 ovrr 1111« ten rd. b. thi genti**- ”-rt. in,. «eis th* |<r» * lite -1 • * Ifie el J f‘ and I ee nil, Ape 1 1» •nd II at! «1 said i ■> i. Wltb th* (re eel th* i, ■ • Trtn r 1 ipc-aranra ot l aw and Judith iiud tli«’ t«-nd« r. closely pur* h«» «nginm-r. * bo was in turn ur«u< d b> gentlemen with ra- tirr«*d Bar« u* and Rose to ac- h puMvd him at a round ring . lily bing enough to arlxo nd drag her *tth him toward Judith flung him a phrase nnt advice In passing i ou simpleton unless t.-e a qui < k run further f Mr Al m Judlll i Trine brib« d a’teh'u'p »d and c an as resent fully little before hlm t f the Pullman Mr lai» I assisted Rose aboard M utxrMclounlr <•%« piar«* i lngrain«»d cbhalry iy bullet« that the ballast round his fret < ar ff» lie K S rrr me lief al rigid dfaslly at "M ili» t*< gethrr on the Oil rrvn rm But on >k herself •Pl' together *l>: trh«4 Up lì » ic n» nod phuiff.'d Mraihfully In an « any chair, n th*- pays of bur>lnx h* i tini..* I.etv « ry indi'stlon the publlratlnn "Hh •xt of deep li>t*r< nt tn It Mr ItnrruH. how** hnd I- anted th* l< »■* n < f Pitt«r • * r.«-nr<' to the rffei't that the out* d tearing of Mii*. Ju'llth Tritìi* wan no aure Index to her Inward hutn<*r unleim. that la. It nilxlit be fak**n to Indicate the di rect contrary of Ita »emiliane*; th<*u(h even thia »a- no reliable rule llctnlndlnx hln. < lf of thia, h* there fore Invented a inert <1 Inlrreat in an other tnaxarino— which he kept a -junx woman For all her exaa ration, Judith ron- lalncit heraelf Ion r than might have bc*n expected I r continued «how nt placidity, inde* lulled Burrus into a danyeroua frolli r>f security Err »uadi <1 that »he i ant to behave, behave he 4’ • • r aw nar- gradually cerned row |y », at drat, i lout hi Imælf in a tnoioae reverie »1 e * • • t ww the aermlr.gly perniai nt i rnlng Into which he had pl it «<•<1 his • far«- and Will you I»« good If 1 l«t you out?** - "No mor«* shenanigan?" “I promise “ “Word of honor?” "If my »ord of honor means any thing to you you have it “ * Well ?“ ho said dubiously In the same humor he turned snd ro* |«-aa**d th«’ knob, promptly Judith rj»« r*« d It wide '«nd rw pt out Into the corridor. h« r mood now or »- of r«ally fetching mockery. "Thank y rou so mt ch?’’ she laughed Into bls fact «• of di* «.»iiifihir«’, and drop- ping him at n ironic < urtsy, she turn» d forward am d swung int«j th»- di awing room < ccup! .1» d by 1 r .ne “Wond» r »hat she put that or. for?“ h» sp« culatrd. with r«* r* fere f« r« nee n* <• to ’he nnkle |<mg Pullman wrapp r which Ju dith had n fit to don during her P* r.od of captivity H»*av«n knows It's hot enough without wearing more clothing than d«-< «.♦n«-y d«*rnands But )uu n« \«r ran t«-ll about a wom an I b< t a dollar I've made a b!lth«*ring an» of myself letting her loose at all!“ He took his doubts aft. communl- eating them to Alan and Rose. And his long confer«-nce with Alan and Rose on the ot ervation platform afford'd Judith ample opportunity in whk h und**t« ct«-d to suborn the train crew to treachery. Whether she did or not. this is » hat happ«*n«-d In the course of the next hour th»* p« < al ».i-» f«»r««'d to tak* a aiding to mak«* »ay for the California limited. mt bound, and when thie had passed. of the special coughed ly and pulled swiftly oi Pullman stalled on the sic1 From i f th«» tender the brakemar n av* <1 aff» ting far»*» «11« J rnant faces of CHAPTER XXXIII. P u 11 rr. a n. <» !r>j <1* luw rurftoitrd, ’ and m * to tt.«* brnkrtnan I pro got to fix thing» up with sist» r < there a really any doubt tn your I as t*> that, ' ftarceia aaiej rising, i t mine) telling you you re right " *. hilt at (lisy 1 n t l t’Atis <1 »» Alan <titered the car With 1 :■ An*! him an*] was gre.-ted by a »term re«» Imi 1. ,-n put u|H*ratlon that fairly bllatereel snd > u ht t moment of r* i • le’la of the Pullman Mr Seneca •M hclpleaa In tela Invalid chair, I’lebrate-d hia Introduction to the Ctpiti .1 li a . UK man whom tec haei never before* ■'S» i ■»■ achemed to Rnis •> His h> avy les «i M i » snd 1her be 1 through the troth r 1 rus had bla L tocsin. Med I Alan mad« no effeert to restaend. but •bon: imi ■ listened with Ids bead critically tn (ba ■” H ’J n 1 . porter. tele anet an «*xn»|H*m<Ing expr*a darin. • " i of deep Interest informing his 1« «111 ali fl t ifferlhK eeuntetiancs until Mr Trine was «haïr in» n -■ i hout a of breath and vitriol; when mur» ■ i » < ■’ th wrath ' younc**r man boat'd with lb« slight ■ ||lx mounti ■ . r 1 shade of mockery In his manner And length 1 M Ml and »a*» I a tolerant hand to Barcua. won h th-it Iglnomial » ”H«* lias. n<* doubt,“ Alan Inquired, 1 ou a mi ' ly to be te cell aboard this car?** si and Barcus agreed, aping railroa i n. »«•Il the manner of his apparent casta It *i » be jus t> who and color “Ain’t dat de troof*** hrOUgh Ihr I 1 el “Take him a»Ay. then,” Alan re- ing r»f t i t ut “shiftl« i «a and quest« <| »»arily “If you pleas«»“ uilabor H' "Yas, »uh!“ Barrus replied, with Mr 1 II« g-’-l ’t «•••! ■; ■ ; iromptly nlmbla alacrity s<*lting th«* back of the Harens Jenni’* t for hi* throat with a ì wheeled « hair and rv inging it round for a spin up the length of the car. Before Trine had recovered enough t<> cur»«* him ¡»r»»i’«-rh, the <1 >r t » his dn»uli.>- room »¿»n < |o«o <f and Burma wait ambling back down the n l<* Hia grin of relish nt this turning of the table»« on the tnonomanlnr proved, however, short lh«-d It «rased itself In a t»inkling when Judith shouldered roughly past him, uearing a sullen nnd forbidding count«*! atice, and flung herrelf Into tho draalng room with her fath« r The cause of her temper waa not far to s<*«‘k at th«* fnr end of th«* car Alan waa bending rollcltously over th«i chiiir in which Ros«» was r«*sting. i Ono of hln iirms was iiround h« r shoulder. Her fa« was lifted confidently to his. Ba *cua mused morosely on his ap- pi'di' naion of trouble n brow, simmer ing ox or the taxing flroof (hat atrange women*« jealousy, lie didn't Ilk«* the prorp ct nt all If only Ainu and R oh «» hadn't boon so d^’spemtely in levo that they couldn’t keep away from one nnotli«»r! If only Alan had been s« n- slid«» enough to outwit the woman nnd lent «• her behind when ho started In pursuit of the special! If only there hr<1 not boon that light engine in pur- —an Barcus firmly belhmul It must londed to the guards with Trine's iinscruptih *is hirelings! No tollln < when they might catch One of His Arms Was Around Her up! Shoulder. The fear of thia Inet catastrophe worked together with hl« fours of .hi bellow Of r. ■ lli- hr. . i tn leaped dlth to render that night li sleepless lor hia shot« I mid b .ni<l h-il It tint at one for Bui cur . He spent It In s chair ' ningly Mr I ait uh m id*’ nothing of whence lit* could watch both the door that, he < loseil iii without hesitation to th«* com lartmetit Judith had chosen and got the tli in.in by the thio.it | ro for her own (formerly Marrophat's reeding to shako til" hr illi i nt ol his quarters) ind th«» endleaR ribbons of body with the griuitest i ..oil will mid stool that swept beneath th«» tracks. dispatch In th« com so of this enter But nothing hnppened. Ho napped talnment th« fireman slipped on tho uneiiHily from time to time, waking cub plaitorin, trod on nothing, mid with n Ht irt of fright, but always to went over bai kward i. Inking Mr. Bar- llnd nofnlng iimlss. Ever Judith cua with him to the linl' i I stopped behind Unit (dosed door, and At glniosl the s. ino moment Mr. ever th«* truck behind was Innocent of Law, at t • in t d I ng to restrain the engi th«» glt.ro of a pursuing headlight. neer from going io the n.«latiinco of Nor did anything untoward mark tho hia fallen worker, dueled 'll under a progress of th«» morning uii I«> hr , In- vicious swing for Ills chin, grappled dm d, Judith's protracted sessions with hlu in«, tripped him up mid went with her father behind tho closed v. Ith his to tli« ground on th« oppo door of th«» drawing room wore to bo site Bid, ni th« l< ><•< > in i > 11V <• freni that counted ominous. occupied by Mr. IlnrcuH mid th« fi re Ever since lunch-time tho girl had man. boon closeted with her father; Ihircus For th. next several seconds ho was had beet getting aome well earned and i ery bus. Indeed keeping I i I h face out f the ballast. The engineer was a sorely n« edod rest in hia quarters; Alan sto tiding Ilia watch on Uie obs r- ’’•vy Ann, hut active mid Infuriated, ration plntf« rm, in company with lie tough' like a demon unihnlned. It ..M gULvury exciting. All. Law was Rose; and the train booming along Uno UKll DMCUULh WildMl llHMte Of Ml U1 Struck the Caboose With a Crash Like the Explosion of a Cannon. Alan and Ban us when they showed In hands tor the purpeeses of his mns the front doorway quernele’- staining them a shade of etxeiiv Upon which map and water and CHAPTER XXXIV. scrubbing liael re e ffect whatever And ho had Invented a rneeet e xcruciating Hand Car. li,«:hod of reve ctiglnr himself upon th«» "Well!" Mr liarcus broke a silence druggist who had I tak« n advantage of wh<■•*•- eloquence may not be translated hia confide nce 1» a'd sold him the in- in print can you beat It?” eradlnble dv c when he was roui •d by "Not with this outfit." Alan admlt- th« «udden fils t of a rnngaxine ac ross ted gloomily the car misting his brail by a bare "But- damn It' — we've got to." two Itie'hea. and the bang of a chair "Profanity eien youra. my friend-— overturned by Judith as she ju min'd | won't make this Pullman move without furiously toward an engine.” up ami flung herself I the door. "All the same, we eant stop hero Ju«t what h«d happened on the nb- like- bumps ou a beg. waiting for that aervailon platform Barcus didn't know, gang of thugs to »ail up in the light but ho could readily believe that the engine and cut our bl *•<1 throat«." lovers hail Just Indulge el In some espe Mr la« answered this unanswer- cially provoking unit long druw n-out able contention uuly with a shrug, caress. Then, stepping out on th«* forward lie' ove rhauled Judith none too soon. platform of the Pullman he cast a In another mon e nt she would have hopi'le'ss eye over the landscape. had her sister by the throat—If leer Haw, rugged hills hemtued In the purpose had not been to throw Hose right of way. hills whose vast flanks bodily overboard, ns Bare us sus|>ected we re’ covere d with dense thickets of Hai iilly, he was as quick on hie feet mesquite, chapi-aral, sagebrush and as Judith i n hers; ra; and almost before cacti, the haint of owls and rattle he h eel grasped <t the th« situation, situation, he hail snakes anti litndo No w iy of es graaped her -hr.d seized her arms and cape from that ; k* t In the hills oth dia»n them (orc ely behind her back. er than by tho rall.-oad ltse’lf nt the annic time ■ winging lu r round lie low e re el his gaxe to the tracks and endeavoring tn propel her back and siding . net started sharply through the dourwry. Eh what now?” Barcus inquired It wa> a man aite *». For tho rnsu- with Interest. Ing five mlnutea he had hh hands full "Se nte thoughtful body has left an of violently “neentful nnd superbly old hand car over there in thee ditch.” iibl*-hodh-d young woman Only with Alan replied. "Maybe if Isn't beyond the greateat illfllculty dlil he auccced sen Ice—" In wrestling her up the aisle and to "With me supplying the horsepower, tho door of her compartment, where I suppose!" nil even more furloua realatance for ' llorse Isn't the word." Alan cor- i emo nild11lonnl mlnutt prefaced the rocteel me ticulously; and escaped tho ultimate cloning of tho door upon tho either'» wrath by dropping down to tho maddent <1 Judith. Even then he might ballast anti trotting over to the ditch. not draw a free breath there wan no wher<> the hand car lay. way of locking that door from the out "Looks as If It might work." he’ an I bid!'; and lie dared not leave go the nounced. "Coxae along and lend nte a handle, lest the gitl attain tly out und hand.” renew the battle. "Half a minute." Barcus answered, Waving aside Alan'a proffer of as- dodging rudtler ly back Into the car. slatnnco, he ac idly advise d that gen When he’ reanpeared, after some tlvo tleman to re turn to his poet of duty minutes, Roeet accompanltwl him. and and not let his Infatuation blltul him Barcus was entiling as brilliantly as to what might nt any moment loom though nothiug whatever was wrong up on the» track he hind the m. Pnrc'.ts with his world. stoutly held the door against the girl's "Sorry to keeip you waiting, del top." attempt to pull it open and througn h<> cxplulned; "but I was smitten with another period «In n she oce upieel her- an Inspiration. There didn't seem to self with kicking Its panels as If hope be any » use in letting the amiable ful of breaking a way out. A long Juellih loaae upon this fair land, sei I puuso folleewed. He licarel no Bounds found a coll of wire’ In the porter’« from within. And wearying, he* won closet t.tiel wlreel the handle’ ot the elcred whnt the de vil rhe' was up to. drawing room door fast to th« bars Then her voice’ penetrated the barrlejr, across the aisle. It'll take her eome Its accents calm and not unainlablo: time to ged out, now, without assist "Mr. Ilare us!" ance.” "Hollo!" he replied, gtartled. "What Ten minutes more hael passed before 1« It, Miss Judith?" tho two grimy and perspiring gentle "I’lea»« led me cut.” men Hucce’e deel In pla' ing the hand car "Not much." upon tho track«. "Oh please!” “It's n swell little h"nd car.” Bar Struck by the' fact that «he hadn't cus eibservoel grlmiy "no v < nd -r the-y lost her temper on henrlng his refusal, threw It away.” he he sitate <1 It W hs very true that he "What'.i tho differ ence. uu ,e *1 icuk.i. couldn't «lay lluru tusver, holding on “But will If’" Barcus doubted Horne»here far bark along the line » locomotive hooted mournfully if ” Alan replied, helping “Its got to!" Rose aboard “If we can only Ktil out of sight before they get here “Don't worry,“ Barcus advised | “that's a freight whistl* “Maybe you can distinguish the wh'xtle of a freight from that of a pav senger train I don’t say you ran», but I'll take no chances on your jud * | rnent being good Hop aboard you're coming with us’" I Hlowly the hand «ar stirr«*d on Its grease hungry and complaining axles. slowly It gathered momentum aad surg'd noisily up the track an Alen and Bar* us. on opposite sid* s of th«* handlebar, alternately rose and f« II bark, slowly it mounted fh*9 «light grade to the bend in th«* »rack. rounded It. lost sight of the stalled Pullman on the siding and b*gan to move more swiftly on a moderate du wn grade. Behind it the thunder of an ap proaching train grew momentarily tn volume, lending color to the theory of Mr Barcus that what they bad beard had been the whistle of a freighter rather than of the light engine But just as Alan »as about to advocate leaving the tracks and taking the hand car »Ith them, to ch ar the way for the train, its rumble b* gan to diminish, grew h.*es and beautifully less, and was Stilled “What do you make of that*1 panted across the racking bar. “The obvious" Barcus returned “The freight has taken the siding to wait for a* me other through train to pass We || have to look sharp and be ready to jump “ The rradp b.-ram» a tra*e mere Steep; th* car b . v*-d with I»-a tance coast “Let down the balance of this incline—and we'd better save our strength." But they bad barely regained their breath and mopped the str< aming sweat away from their eyes when a second whistle, of a different tone, startled both back to their task Catching th* eye of Barcus Alan nodded despairingly "Afraid It's all up with us now. groaned; that sounded precisely like the whistle of the light engine " "Sure It did!" Barcus agreed wouldn't be us If we had any better luck The saints be praised fo grade!” For all Its age and decrepitude the hand car made a very fair pa e at the urge of the two who rose and sagg**d again without respite on either side the handlebar: and th* grade was hap pily ling, turning and twisting like a snake through the hills. A little grace was granted them, moreover, through the circumstance (as (hey afterward discovered) that tho light engine had stopped at the siding long enough to couple up Trine's Pullman thus automatically ceasing to be a light engine, and becoming a special. It was fully a quarter of an hour be fore the’ growing nimble of the latter warned the trio on the hand car. just as tt gained the end of the trade and addresse’d itself to a level though tor- tuoue stretch of track. And at this point discovery of the switch of a spur line that shot eC southward into the hills furnished Alan with his indi’pi’tident Inspiration. Stopping the hand e ar after ft had Jolted over the frogs, he Jumped down, set the switch to rhunt the pursuit off to the spur, and leaped back upon the car Hardly had they succeed d In work ing ti e’ hand car up round the shoulder of the next buid when th» riiec.al took the switch withe it pauee and the roar of its progress, shut off by an Inter vening mountain, was suddenly stilled to a murmur But even so. there was neither rest for the weary nor much excuse for self-congratulation: th«’ rumble of the special was not altogether lost to hear ing when the thundt r of the freight replaced and drown« d It out. Of a sudden, releasing the handle- bar. Alan stood up and s'gued to Bar- cus to imitate hie < \ im; !e. "Well - *" this Inst panted, when he had obeyed. "Jump off—leave the hand car where It Is they'll have to stop to clear it off tho track." "And then?” 1 “I'll buy a lift from them if ft takes my last dollar in the world,” Alan promised "It's our only hope. We can’t'keep up this hi’artbrcaking busi ness forever—and it can't be long be- fore Trine and Marrophat discover their mistake!" I !i lily to i. r • in f th* time and th* event she was biding with such pati* me a- s'i> could fr.ua- tsr Th* whistle of a lorom H taking the freight jr. 1 d th for ber to take act on on her c plan Rlalng. ah* glanced HL * fl dfx.r A curve in the freight latonng up a abl*-d ber to catch a g light, followed by a i led windows, indicating a ’ !.e Special, be.yot.d a doubt Without hesitation s I n»e »he »rain wia not runrrnjr at drop}» 1 out to the ba iasi. wh«*!<-d « rrar’./ about, caught th« handbar at th* « I of th* box car as It passed and swung herself up between ft and th* oboo?^. A trifle iater the freight gamed the summit of the grade and began to run more imrx tbly. Climbing to tk ■he peered keen Ing, whh h • iH I she might not du Judith Uncoupling the Caboose. trading frvm the window of the spe cials engine, one on either aide. At a venture, «he snatched off h?r coat’and waved it wildly in the air An arm answered the signal from one window of the pursuing locomo tive. Marropbat. of course! She turned and peered ahead The freight a as approaching a trest’r that spanned a wide and shallow gully. So much the better! Dropping down again between tho cars, she set herself to solve the prob lem of uncoupling the caboose. In this she was successful just aS the last car rolled out on the trestle Its own Impetus carried the cabooe« to the middle of the trestle before it stopped. As this happened. Alan and Barcus, already warned ot an emergency by the slowing down of the cur. and for some time alive to the feet that the special was again in pursuit, leaped out upon the ties and helped Rose to alight. Already the last of the freight w as whisking off the trestle, Its crew thus far unconscious of tt ir loss. And behind them the special wiiS plunging forward at unabated speed. There was no time to execute their plan of th»> first desperate instant to run along the ties to safety cn the solid earth: the distance was too gr< at; they could not i ’saibly mat co It With common impulse the two men glanced down to the bottom of the gully, then lookeel at each other with eyes,informed by common inspiration. ltarcue announced In a breath: “Thirty feet —not more." Aim replied "Can you hold th« weight of the two of us for half a min ute?" Barcus shrugged: “I can try. We might as well—even if I can’t ” While speaking, he was lowering himself between the ties. "All right," he announced briefly. With a word to Rose. Alan slipped down beside Barcus. shifted his hold to the body of the latter, and climbeel down over him until he was supported CHAPTER XXXV. 1 solely by the grasp of his two hands on Barcus' ankles. Caboose. Instantly Rose followed him. sll(> For once. In a way. it fell out pro- ping like a snake down over the two and clscly as Mr. Law had planned men till she’ in turn hung by her grasp prayed. on Alan's ankles, then released her Constrained to pull up In order to re hold and dropped the balance ot the move the obstruction from the track, distance to the ground, a scant ten the train crew of the freight choked feet, landing without injury. down its collective wrath on being pre A thought later Alan dropped lightly vented with a sum of money. In the to her side, staggered a trifle, recov hopes of further largesse it lent Its ered and dragged her out ot the way. common ear to Ainu's well worn tale, Barcus fell with a heavy thump and which had so frequently proved useful went upon his back, but demonstrated in similar emergencies, of an eloping his lack of Injury by immediately pick couple pursued by an unreasonlngly ing himself up and Joining the others vindictive parent; and had its hopes in a mad scramble for safety. rewarded by the price Alan bargained Overhead the special engine, hur to pay in exchange for exclusive use tling onwarel like some titanic boil, of tho caboose as far as the next town. struck tho caboose with a crash liko So that It was not more than ten the explosion of a cannon. It collapsed minutes before Hose was settled to upon itself like a th ug of pasteboard. rest in such comfort as the caboose af That it had been constructed of forded. while Alan and Barcus sat more solid stuff was abundantly within Its doorway and smoked. | proved by the shower of timbers, splin Neither he nor any other aboard the ters and broken Iron that rained about freight suspected for an Instant that, the heads of the fugitives. In the box car next forward of the ca- For all that, the’ gods smiled upon booee. a woman In man's clothing lay e uta*«. Uivy uacapsd pwduo. uow ami aaaiu yUunkli^a u; 11 hz »tit u azH-’itnh________ __ _