The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hard Guy, by H. B. Carleton

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Title: Hard Guy

Author: H. B. Carleton

Release Date: October 9, 2008 [EBook #26855]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration]

_There will be fine, glittering, streamlined automobiles in 2000
A.D. Possibly they will run themselves while the driver sits back
with an old-fashioned in his hands. Perhaps they will carry folks
down the highways at ninety miles an hour in perfect safety. But
picking up a hitch-hiker will still be as dangerous as it is today._

HARD
GUY

By H. B. CARLETON

He was standing at the side of the glassite super-highway, his arm
half-raised, thumb pointed in the same direction as that of the
approaching rocket car. Ordinarily Frederick Marden would have passed a
hitch-hiker without stopping, but there was something in the bearing and
appearance of this one that caused him to apply his brakes.

Marden opened the door next to the vacant seat beside him.

"Going my way?" he asked.

A pair of steady, unsmiling blue eyes looked him over. "Yeah."

"All right, then. Hop in."

The hitch-hiker took his time. He slid into the seat with casual
deliberateness and slammed the car door shut. The rocket car got under
way once more.

They rode in silence for half a mile or so. Finally Marden glanced
questioningly at his companion's expressionless profile.

"Where are you headed for?" he asked.

"Dentonville." He spoke from the corner of his mouth, without turning
his head.

"Oh, yes. That's the next town, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Not very communicative, reflected Marden, noticing the rather ragged
condition of the other's celo-lex clothing.

"Have much trouble getting rides?"

The passenger turned his head, his blue eyes without emotion.

"Yeah. Most guys are leery about pickin' up hitch-hikers. Scared they'll
get robbed."

Marden pursed his lips, nodded.

"Something to that, all right. I'm usually pretty careful myself; but I
figured you