Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 106: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

388 “ Just one moment,” she said, “and I'll. get my hat up-stairs.” He threw the door open. “You come as you are. Quick!” Even then he was in the car before her, © springing in with one leap from the curb, and before she had well settled herself in the seat, and closed the door after her, he had sent. the car lurching down the street. The foreman, yelling for them to wait, raced after, but the car gathered speed like a running horse, and whipped away out of reach of his voice. It was a big machine, low-hung, with a long, gray hood stretching out in front, and it nosed with uncanny speed down the streets of La Blanca. It turned corners here and there, but went around-the last corner on two wheels. She cast a sharp glance at Garth at that. She had ridden with speed maniacs before, and she knew the type of man who drives hard to frighten a woman; but Garth leaned his broad shoulders forward, and his big hands had the wheel in a death grip. He was not driving for any motive of pleasure. He was driving with an intent eye fixed before him, and a wrinkle of pain- ful anticipation carved on his forehead. They whizzed past a cart, and the driver yelled with terror as the fenders flicked under the noses of his pulled-up horses. They skidded past a turn and whirled into the open roadway leading from La Blanca to the dam. And she sighed with relief as the car stretched out on the open road. But there was no relief in Garth’s actions. He did not lean back against the cushions and smile across to her for an appreciation of his fine driving through the traffic. He bent even lower over the wheel, and now the motor hummed up through a swift cres- cendo as the car stretched out toward the looming mass of the dam. CHAPTER: XXVII. CONCERNING HOTELS. HE wind cut across her face, now, and left her almost breathless. She had never before ridden at such a rate, for the car bowled along, lurching past the un- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. even places in the road. body and straining the springs. seemed to lift into the air, and landed wit a thud farther on, wrenching the heavgy Yet she felt, with sudden surprise, that. she had no fear. The man knew his and he knew his road, and he was drivi 5 not to break a record or to get a thrill, b to beat death in that gas-filled tunnel the Chiluah. She felt that he probably was quite unaware of the rate at which they were traveling. His thoughts were already up there at the tunnel gaging the chances of life for that unfortunate—perhaps one of those greasers of whom he had spoken so contemptuously the moment before. Now they heeled up the slope and swerved down past the rim of the dam, and across the valley. Where the first cliffs jutted up she saw a dark cavern, perfectly round, and before this there was a crowd of several hundreds already gathered. The scream of the horn cleared Garth’s path, and he brought the car to a grinding stop with foot and emergency brakes at the very edge of the tunnel. On the ground, hatless, his hair blown up stiffly by the wind, his big’ arms bare to the elbows, he faced the crowd. “Ts he out yet?” he called. The only white man in sight stepped up to him. “No chance, Mr. Garth,” he said. “ The tunnel is full of gas.” “TI know that. Don’t tell me what I know already. I asked you if the man was out of that tunnel yet?” “ This is the point,” answered the other, flushing, and he produced a_ blue-print. “The tunnel runs—” “Damn your plans! I know the tunnel by heart if it’s been run as I ordered. Why haven’t you got him out?” “Three times we tried—’ began the other, white about the lips with anger. “ Who tried?” rT; My men.” ‘““These?” A wide gesture embraced the peons, who stood agape. ‘“ Why in hell didn’t you go in yourself?” ‘““T?” stammered the other. “Go into that hell for the sake of a—” THE OHIO STATE UNL EC DOO SCO