Stanley R. Matthews

“ The next moment, to the astonishment of the four actors, a sparkling red automobile rushed into sight, coming from the direction of Ash Fork and headed toward Fairview.
A youth in leather cap and jacket was in the driver's seat; beside him was a young German in a "loud" suit and a red vest.
"Pretzel!" yelled Little Eva; "I'm a jay if it ain't Pretzel!"
"Saved!" cried Eliza.
The big red touring-car came to a halt in about the same place where the bear had recently held the fort. ”

“ Is there a boy who has not longed to possess one of these swift little machines that scud about the roads everywhere throughout the United States? Is there a boy, therefore, who will not be intensely interested in the adventures of "Motor Matt," as he is familiarly called by his comrades? ”

“ Tomlinson!" snarled Brisco. "We'll fix this car before we're done with it. If you ever take it to Albuquerque, you'll have to scoop up the pieces and tote 'em there in a lumber-wagon. That's part of what we're going to do to play even with you and him!"
Matt's heart skipped a beat, and a cold chill ran through his body. Could the villains really mean to destroy the Red Flier?
"You'd better think well about what you do," warned Matt. "If you ruin this car, Mr. Tomlinson will never let up on you till he puts you where you belong."
Spangler brought his hand around in a sweeping blow. ”

“ A quarter of an hour later the Red Flier drew up in its old berth alongside the hotel. Eliza got out and ran hurriedly to tell Legree what had happened to the tin box.
"I'm sorry for Eliza," said Matt, climbing slowly over the brakes as he got out of the car. "She's a nice girl, and it's too bad she has to feel all cut up over the way the box was taken from her. I've got a notion that Legree is fooling them all—and you and me into the bargain, Carl." ”

“ At first he thought that skylight episode was not a dream, and he looked up to see the place he had come through. Instead of seeing anything so unsubstantial, his eyes encountered the face of Legree.
"You sleep like a log, Carl!" exclaimed Legree. "Where's Motor Matt? What's become of the automobile?"
Then, in a flash, Carl's hazy mind connected with the tangible things surrounding him when he went to sleep.
"Vy," he cried, struggling to his feet and staring around, "I vas in der car mit Modor Matt! I vent to shleep in it mit him."
"I know you did; but where are Matt and the car now?" ”

“ Fortune was riding with Brisco that day. But for that he must have been hurled from the trail in a dozen places.
Driving a car was comparatively new work for him, and the chances are that never before had he been on such a dangerous piece of road. Yet he was naturally a man of iron nerve, and would not hold back where Motor Matt led.
Spangler, from his appearance, was as frightened a man as there ever was in Arizona. ”

“ Perhaps there were twenty-five or thirty houses in the place, the main street being bordered by half a dozen stores.
"Doan' yo' go an' tell me dar ain't no hotel," faltered Uncle Tom.
"No matter how small a town is, Uncle Tom," returned Eliza, "travelers can always find a place to stay. Our hardest work will be, I think, to discover some one who will lend money on our jewelry."
"I'll furnish the jewelry, Eliza," said Legree. "This watch of mine is worth enough, I think, to furnish us with food and lodging while Motor Matt gives us a lift to Flagstaff." ”

“ Well, sir, my name's Legree. I suppose you're looking for Motor Matt?"
"Another bull's-eye for you. I came here on a telegram from Motor Matt saying that there had been important developments concerning my automobile that was stolen from me near Ash Fork. Where's Motor Matt?"
"He is unavoidably absent just now," answered Legree, "but I am confidently expecting him to appear at any moment. To be frank with you, sir, I sent that telegram and signed Motor Matt's name to it."
The cattleman became indignant. ”

“ The most distinctive feature of the lake's appearance, the feature which first impresses and stays longest with the observer's fancy, is a certain grotesque effect, as if a set of crazy men had been operating a pile-driver there for the last century, for the trunks, stumps, and stark branches of dead trees stick out of it everywhere in desolate parody of some such human handiwork ”

“ Wow! Let's duck f'r de rocks agin!"
"Get into the car!" shouted Matt, giving the crank a whirl.
One beauty of the Red Flier was the quickness with which the machine caught up its cycle; and it had been the same with Matt's twin-cylinder motorcycle. Half a turn of the pedal was enough for the little Comet, and one pull of the crank did the business for the red car's motor.
While the machine popped its defiance of Brisco and Spangler, Motor Matt ran around and vaulted into his old familiar place. He felt at home—much more so than he had when driving the runabout. ”

“ At that moment Legree issued from the hotel. He did not act at all excited, although he must certainly have learned from Eliza what had happened.
"Eliza's been telling me what a time you've had," said he. "The principal thing is that Brisco has left the car and got onto a horse. I was surprised to hear that. I can't imagine why a rascal, who's as badly wanted as he is, should leave a swift automobile and take to horseback."
"I should think, Mr. Legree," remarked Matt, "that you would be more interested in the loss of that box than in anything else." ”

“ Just as soon as we get to Fairview I'll have the sheriff, or some other officer, go to the notch and see that Klegg gets all the attention he deserves."
"Waal, even at that, ye ain't got no call ter lug me inter town. I ain't done a thing. Brisco was the feller that had it in fer you. It's him ye want ter git even with, an' not me."
"You didn't have a hand in robbing Mr. Tomlinson, did you?" said Matt sarcastically. "There are a lot of other things you've done, too, and I'm going to turn you over to Lem Nugent, the man who owns the runabout, as soon as we reach Fairview. ”

“ It isn't the box, but what was in it, that Brisco is anxious to get."
"Wasn't there anything in the box?" queried Matt.
"No, and there hasn't been since we left Ash Fork. I opened the box on the q. t. in that town and took out what it contained. That object is in my possession. I intend to stay in this town, Matt, until Brisco is captured. I don't care anything about Spangler; Brisco is the man I want. If you've got time, you can stay and help me; and you can keep all you get for recovering the runabout for yourself."
"What will you get for your work?" ”

“ Matt drew in his head, fearing he would be seen. He listened intently, however, and could tell by the scrambling feet below just how near Brisco and Spangler were coming. When they came too close, Matt was intending to push the stone down on them.
"Beats the deuce where those whelps went to!" grumbled the voice of Brisco.
"They must be here. Thar wasn't any place else they could go. I wasn't gone from the road more'n five minits, Hank."
"They wouldn't have had time to get past you?"
"Nary, they wouldn't. They're here, I tell ye; they must be."
"The whole side-hill is under our eyes. ”

“ If it hadn't been for you, we'd 'a' won out on that game and been all to the good. I don't reckon we'd have bothered you at all, though, if you'd been content to carry out your orders and push on to Albuquerque. But you couldn't do that; oh, no. You're trying to be first aid to the weak and down-trodden wherever you run into them, so you had to mix up with that bunch of stranded actors.
"When I drove the runabout into Fairview after gasoline and oil, I dropped Spangler off to lay for the tramps and get that tin box. ”

“ Then he turned, and met the leveled weapon of Legree. Brisco's astonishment was ludicrous to behold. And O'Grady was fully as startled.
"Phat th' blazes d'yez mean by thot?" and O'Grady jumped over the counter and stood glaring at Legree.
"I'll explain," said Legree, with a coolness that filled Matt with admiration, "but while I'm talking, O'Grady, don't get between the point of this weapon and that man, there."
"Is ut a hould-up?" demanded O'Grady.
"Not at all. The man behind you knows me, and he knows that he owes me a hundred and twenty dollars." ”

“ Having gained a position about half-way up and down the line of treed actors, the bear sat down in the road and proceeded to enjoy the situation.
"Are you all right?" sang out Legree from the top of the pine: "is everybody all right?"
"If bein' hung up like dis is wot yous call all right, dad," answered Little Eva, "den it's a lead pipe dat we's all t' de good. But, say, I ain't feelin' real comfertable in me mind."
"Shoo dat animile away, Mistah Legree," begged Topsy. "Hit ain't right tuh make us stay hyeh lak dis when we's all tiah'd out." ”

“ This car is a faster one than the Red Flier. We can show him our heels at any stage of the game."
They fairly flew, and rocks rushed past them as though hurled by some giant hand.
"There'll be some danger when we get to the place where Spangler is waiting, Josh," said Matt. "I'll slow down and you can get out, if you want to."
"Wot d'youse take me fer?" cried the boy. "I'm wid yous, Matt, win 'r lose. See? Make yer ole play. If Uncle Josh ain't wit' yous at de finish, den call him a quitter an' mark him off'n yer callin'-list." ”

“ A cry of fierce anger escaped Brisco. He made a fierce attempt to get at Legree, but O'Grady restrained him.
"Faith," said O'Grady, with cheerful disregard of his past actions, "Oi knowed yez was a bad egg th' minyit Oi set eyes on yez."
"Dis," remarked Uncle Tom, with immense pride, "is de best job ob mascottin' whut Ah's done yit!"
"Better give up, Brisco!" called Spangler from the touring-car. "They've got it on us an' we'll have ter take our medicine."
"Got it on us, yes," stormed Brisco, "but they wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been for Motor Matt." ”

“ This is a part of the country that isn't traveled once a week, and you're seventy-five miles from Fairview. By the time you get back to town, we'll have got what was in that box, and have smashed the Red Flier into a heap of jack-straws. I know a nice little cliff alongside the road, and when we're through with the car we'll lash the wheel, open her up and let her go over the edge! I reckon that'll cook your goose with Tomlinson. He didn't calculate you were going to use his car transporting a lot of [Pg 14] stranded actors, and mixing up in their affairs on the way to Albuquerque. ”

“ Having reassured himself about the ropes, Matt returned to the side of the Red Flier and mounted the running-board. Looking over the side of the tonneau, he swept his gaze over Brisco's unconscious face.
"I can't understand what keeps him that way, Josh," said Matt.
"Mebby he's badly shook up inside," answered the boy. "Wot he needs is a doctor."
"Well, he'll have one before long. Stay right beside him and watch him every minute. If he's playing possum with us, we want to make sure he don't gain anything by it."
"I'm right on de job," said Josh. ”

“ This is a dacint, rayspectible hotel, an' guns ain't allowed in th' place at all, at all. Av yez don't hike, begorry, Oi'll call in th' town marshal."
"Call the marshal," said Legree; "he's the man I'd like to have here. That fellow who just bought gasoline and oil at this place is one of the gang who robbed Tomlinson, the Denver jeweler, over west of Ash Fork, and stole the automobile belonging to Nugent, the cattleman——"
Brisco began to laugh.
"What do you think of that, O'Grady?" he cried. "Why, that car you just helped me fill with gasoline is Tomlinson's car! I'm taking it east for him. ”

“ The Red Flier was rushing toward a place where the road forked. Both roads were bordered by rocky walls, and both had the appearance of being equally well traveled—which wasn't saying much for the travel, at that.
"I don't remember nuttin'," answered the boy, "bein' scart stiff all de w'ile I was in de runabout. I'd say go t' de right. Dat's always a good t'ing t' do."
"If we had the least notion which way Fairview lay we could shape our course a little better. But we don't know, so we'll take chances and go to the right."
There was a slowing of speed while Matt made the turn. ”

“ Spangler swore heartily. It seemed to be his only method for easing his feelings.
"The worst move we ever made," he muttered savagely, "was takin' Motor Matt out o' town last night. I didn't want ter do it, but Brisco had made up his mind, an' that settled it. We ain't got no one ter blame but [Pg 25] ourselves fer what's happened. Go on. The quicker we git ter Fairview an' hev this thing over with, the better I'll be suited."
Spangler, resigning himself to the situation, sank back in his seat.
Matt went around to the rear of the car to make the ropes attaching it to the runabout more secure. ”

“ Early in the morning he shoveled a path to the street, and then putting his shovel over his shoulder, said to his mother:
"I'm going over to Squire Ashmead's to see if he doesn't want me to shovel paths in his yard."
"He's got a boy of his own," said Mrs. Taylor; "perhaps he will do it."
Frank laughed.
"Sam Ashmead is proud and lazy," he said. "You won't catch him shoveling paths. I think I shall get the job. I want to earn something so that you need not sit all day sewing. It is too hard for you."
"I ought to think myself lucky to get employment at all," said the widow. ”

“ Wot was happenin', I says t' meself, an' w'y was it happenin'? De tourin'-car come back ag'in an' in it was Brisco an' Spang, but de odder guy had been left somew'ere. De tourin'-car was backed into de well, w'ere de runabout had gone, an' I started dis way t' see wot I could find. Say, Matt, I was knocked stiff w'en I found yous! Great, ain't it, how luck takes a shoot, once in a w'ile? If dat—— Wot's de matter w'id yous? W'ere yous goin'?"
Matt had jumped up, grabbed Josh by the arm and was pulling him down the road.
"Come on!" said he. "We haven't got any time to lose!" ”

“ These are no ordinary craft, mere vessels of transport plying hither and thither, but the countless homes of myriad Chinese, in which millions of human beings have been born, have lived, and have died. ”