B. M. Bower

“ Bill had called himself a prospector, said he had an outfit back in the hills and had come down to Abington's camp to see if he could rustle a pair of boots and a little tobacco. A likable fellow, Abington had found him; one of those rare individuals who can display an intelligent interest in the other fellow's subject. ”

“ Never dreamed he'd pull out with the car while his legs was shackled; did you?”
“I'm afraid my mind was quite taken up with my own problem,” Abington confessed in a slightly apologetic tone. “I'm not accustomed to chasing live men, you know. It's the dead ones I'm interested in, and the longer they've been dead the better.
“Nevertheless, sheriff, I realize your predicament. If there's a long-distance telephone in Mina you can intercept the fellow at Tonopah, I should think.” ”

“ Abington suggested when Park came out of the telegraph office looking less worried. “I'm willing to postpone the pleasure of chastising Shorty and Pete, and drive you straight through to Tonopah. Water is the only thing I needed for the trip, and the man is waiting out here with a full supply, ready to drive us back to my car. At the most we will be only three hours behind the fugitive and, as you say, he can't do much with leg irons on. ”

“ Here, in the chuck holes of the soda-incrusted lake bed, the car refused. to go any farther without power, and power in that grilling heat required a full radiator.
Even so, the two made fair time walking, and at the settlement Abington was able to hire a man to haul water out to the car. Also, Park was successful in getting wires through to the sheriff's office at Tonopah, and also at Goldfield, the only points he believed Bill Jonathan would attempt to reach. ”

“ He'll need to have a remarkable run of luck if he reaches there ahead of us. For instance, your motor had been heating, and you had only half a canteen of water. As I remember the road, there's a long, hard climb for several miles beyond that cañon. ”