The Motor Maids Across the Continent

s Campbell and the others to see Billie

aracter, and if the Comet had been a favorite animal or a

ried her cousin, putting her arms gently around B

ught he would be quite safe in this lonely place. It was stupi

illie's sitting up all night to protect the automobile from kidnappers. Billie, her normal, cheerful self, was the most sensib

oulder with her devoted Nancy hanging over h

aid Mary, "and a very good one, too, because he no

g to do?" asked E

ey had been obliged to unstrap and open the night before; nor had he touched th

marked as her eyes fell on the alcohol stove. "Then we'll get breakfast a

hair and washing their faces from the bottle of drinking wat

I've been a fearful cry-baby, as if weeping could do any good. Here, let's wash them off and get busy," she a

was glad to see you a little human like th

nd the fragrance of the bean did seem to comfort them somewhat in their trying position. When the most optimistic person in a party becomes the prey of wretch

ne. She arranged her snow white hair in its usual three-finger puffs, pinned on her lace

ad only never started on this madman's journey. Your father was a foolish fellow ever to

ment when I found we had lost the Comet, but I know we shall get the Comet back and everything will be a

each person with an orange, a soft boiled egg and a cup of coffee. "Firs

l and it was quickly dispatched especially by Bil

her to the edge of the grove and was standing sil

omptly produced fro

ine trees? I believe if I could get to one of the upper branches, I

ent, Billie," Nancy objected, "even if y

for five minutes and I'll engage to do the r

erself in pongee bloomers and a pongee blouse. Then she kicked off her russet

ad not put forth any substantial limbs until more than half-way up. But the trunk was scarred and corrugated

he next largest branch, she climbed on as nimbly as a sailor in the rigging of a ship. Nancy admired her friend's graceful and agile figure, and occasionally through the foliage, she caught glimpses of Billie's earnest face. Her gray eyes were fille

under any circumstances be washed. It was various degrees between seven and half-past by the several watch

" Miss Campbell was saying when a jolly voice

Helen, she was y

sweethearts, she

eself, I hav

y knows, I'd be

ir, much longer than men wear their hair in the East, could be seen underneath his sombrero. He wore a blue flannel shirt with a bright scarlet tie, velveteen trousers and long cowhide boots which extended beyond the knees. He was, in fact, a cowboy. The gir

itely, since it was none of his business to show interest in things that did not concern him, when M

garb of Peter Pan watching from the tree tops could not restrain

the cowboy reining in his horse and lifting off his sombrero. "I

Gee, at your s

ir it. We were obliged to stay here all night. And while we slept, a

ave a long, me

devilish low scoundrelly trick. If I could get to a tele

ly help us, we would owe you a

en it may have broken down, again. I'll just climb up an

ed

le and grasping a limb, drew himself up into the very tree

g girls hardly knew whether to keep silent

wear my gymnasium suit, but, oh, dear

llie leaned around and looked straight d

ee the country perfectly," when words

e smiled gr

he said, observing the silk bloomers w

Suffragette," Billie laughingl

or the first time saw the strange bird roosting in the tree above them, and

hocked voice, "what will Mr. McGee

lled down the cowboy, "it's

y. "I haven't been able to manage them yet and keep

d himself above Billie, his spurs jingling musically, n

s she could and in two seconds had slipped back

ipwrecked party with a sailor aloft in the lookout

of surprise. "I've found it, ma'am. I've found the red motor and it's coming this w

way?" they cr

uthwest and at the rate it's goin

his road?"

y here unless it shoots out ov

Campbell. "I should think the th

ling on his tracks

s he now took from its case, and examined cr

to shoot him, I ho

t be neces

under any circumstances

humorous, good

d the ladie

s Campbell proposed that they pile all the suitcases one on top of

ld be obliged to stop. As for Barney, he leapt on his Texas horse and t

long way off like a red speck on the road and as it came nearer, their