All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

BY HOOF AND TIRE. sun was dipping behind the Sierras and a faint breeze rustled the ripening fields of timothy as they hummed down the long lane leading to the main highway. Nora was awaiting them on her front porch. She tripped down the walk looking sweet and syiph-like in her ‘dainty organdie. She wound ‘her new motor-veil, of old-rose chiffon, about her head and shoulders and smiled delightedly as she greeted the three proud possessors of the seven-passenger “used ” car. Gary assisted her to the seat beside him —he was always gallant, and Nora thought his manners perfectly grand—not abrupt and bossy like Tige Northrup sometimes behaved. On they skimmed to the Ramage Ranch up the valley and Nora ran into the house to powder her nose afresh and summon Belle and Jennie. The moon was pushing its way across the pines cresting the mountain when the sextette finally got under way for Grass- hopper. The going was comparatively smooth until the road merged into Willow Creek Cafion, but the six-cylinder engine pulled the heavy car up the twisting route at a steady gait. Then there were miles of dips and rises across the plateau which stretched clear to Eagle Lake where the road skirted the shore line, winding in and out the bristling cliffs and great eruptions of volcanic rock. The moon silvered the pinnacles of these crags and lengthened the deep shadows to gruesome and weird pro- portions. The Ramage girls shivered as the car chugged through this dreary section. had been told of daring hold-ups and fright- ful encounters and Nora, with impish de- light, was in the midst of a harrowing re- cital, when a wild yell reverberated from cliff to cliff. Belle and Jennie shrieked in terror as a horseman clattered from behind a ghostly crag and galloped close to the rear wheels of the car. Gary Burney stepped on the gas and the car shot ahead, but the going was treacherous, ‘the turns sharp and jagged rocks encroached upon the road at perilous angles. Gary became panicky, the car wobbled, slackened. speed and crawled Tales‘. ‘99 around a bluff where it was halted by a raucous command: ‘“ Hands up!” A mounted man, bathed in the full light of the moon, blocked further progress of the automobile. Nora Willis, cringing close against Gary Burney, suddenly straightened her slender but independent shoulders: ‘“ That’s Tige Northrup!” she announced in a clear calm voice. ‘“ Right you are, Nora, and not trying to hide it,” came the gruff answer. ‘“ You'll step down and out, Mister Burney, and be quick about it!” continued Tige. There was a movement in the rear: seat of the car and the horseman who had first startled the joy-riders, took «up the conver- sation: ‘““Steady there, mates! “Jest you keep your shirts on till we have our little say-so with your gay chaffeur.”” These orders were emphasized by the glint of cold steel flashing in the light of the moon. Gary Burney, mumbling unutterable things, descended from the driver’s seat. Tige ushered him beyond earshot of the automobile party and within the shadow of a ‘towering cliff where the figures were blurred. In remarkable short order Tige returned alone. ‘Your turn next, fellers. Just hist your shapes out of that there car and onto your ponies. Keep your seats, girls—we’ll join you in a minute. Me and Iceberg rode your hosses this far, Loop and Dummy, but we’d admire’ to stampede up to that dance on rubber tires. ‘IT guess if you’re right keen about the dance you can amble along on your ponies. Most likely you'll be late, but the girls’ll save a coupla dances for you—won’t you, girls? Gary, he’s changed his mind—he ain’t aimin’ to attend.” There was no response to this brazen speech; but Loop and Dummy knew Tige and the prodding of Iceberg’s gun stirred them into action. They obeyed orders and clambered reluctantly into their saddles while Tige and Iceberg, keeping them covered, got into the car where their recep- tion was decided chilly. It was not until the lights of the school cCoOmiclbooks C©