The Motor Maids Across the Continent
faces as he came toward them, and it was evident that Barney McGee unless he wanted to be run over would have to
emselves standing helplessly in the r
and digging his spurs into his
shoot!" they screa
report of a pistol and the sound of
und the car at a standstill, Peter Van Vechten lyi
d him," cried
I punctured, and not the thief
He is injured," exclaimed Mary. "L
Campbell, and immediately they all
ggested Barney, "and if you've got a bit of r
m?" they
your car? Automobile thieves in this country
n's fifty dollars persisted in floating before them, and it occurred to them furthermore that he might be on
d Miss Campbell in a resigned tone
the cowboy assured her. "Caught
Barney following on his horse, and presently they had him
ife as a prisoner," observed Miss Campbell, as she a
was not so forgiving of Peter's sins as the ot
an any other thief," she said. "This is the second time he h
ened his eyes and regarded them all steadily with w
g amiably. "You shouldn't have doubled on your tracks. Some
smiled so delightfully, that immediately his captors fel
ke me for, a th
five helpless and unprotected ladies in the night and take their au
se and fell back helplessly, fin
recognition cam
aimed. "So it was your automobile. I had no time t
arney, "I think we'll be taking you along to the next village where w
Peter in a rather weak voice, "but I give you my word o
is the re
s or minutes. It seemed only minutes, only an instant, really when I was able to crawl out of my blankets and start up this red motor car. My one ide
cowboy. "The only thing you've got to pro
the subject. Miss Campbell was m
ut I do think you should be punished for having caused so muc
; "no, I'll not give my word to
e haven't heard how you escaped from Chicago with the police at your very heels? We might have thought there was some mistake even then, if Cousin Helen's pocket book hadn't disappeared along with
into the faces of his accusers.
ared to be talking to himself. "Nothing but disas
He's the kind the East produces and sends out West to be finish
laughe
intervals vehicles and motor cars followe
e next town. Shall we turn the thief over to some of them or take him
ll looked u
have to go to court and give testimony and all t
o was now hard at work repairing the Comet. "We
rust herself to return his glance just then, but after that, every time she caught the coo
e's side. Elinor was still undecided. She was trying to be perfectly just, but it did seem
wells of pity and she was afraid to speak le
good deal of rattling and rumbling, but the girls were not satisfied and they worked as hard over it as two young mechanics. The company lunc
bell, with Nancy and Elinor, withdrew under a distant t
ss?" asked Barney of Billie. He had
had replied, and leaping on his small, sw
ainst the time y
f noon. Mary looked about her fearfully. Then, with sudden resolution, she took a little silver penknife f
some day they will find out that they were mistaken, too. Once I was accused like that, and I know how you must f
n seized her han
ttle brick,"
you," she answered. "
e off down the road, and Mary