e him our money."

"Uh-uh. This is the second holdup here at the Notch this summer."

"He's trying to get up!" exclaimed the girl.

"My hoss'll take care of him."

"But your horse might drag him to death."

"Well, it's his own funeral, ain't it?"

The girl's eyes grew big. She stepped back. If she had only said
something Lorry would have felt better. As it was he felt decidedly
uncomfortable.

"If you'll say what is right, ma'am, I'll do it. You want me to turn him
loose?"

"I--No. But can't you do something for him?"

Lorry laughed. "I reckon you don't sabe them kind, miss. And mebby you
want to get that car on the road again."

"Yes," said the girl's mother. "I think this young man knows what he is
about."

Lorry stepped to the car to examine it.

The girl followed him. "I think there is nothing broken. We just turned
to come down that hill. We were coasting when I saw a rope stretched
across the road. I didn't know what to do. I tried to stop. We slid off
the edge."

"Uh-uh. He had it all ribbed up to stop you. Now if you had kept on
goin'--"

"But I didn't know what the rope meant. I was frightened. And before I
knew what had happened he stepped right on the running-board and told
us to give him our money."

"Yes, ma'am. If you can start her up, I'll get my rope on the axle and
help."

"But the man might get up!" said the girl.

Lorry grinned. A minute or two ago she had been afraid that the man
wouldn't get up. Lorry slipped the rope from the man's ankles and tied
it to the front axle. The girl got in the car. The pony buckled to his
work. The machine stuttered and purred. With a lurch it swung back into
the road. The girl's mother rose, brushed her skirt, and stepped to the
car. Lorry unfastened the rope and reined to one side.

The car steered badly. The girl stopped it and beckoned to Lorry.

"There's something wrong with the steering-gear. Are the roads good from
here to the next town?"

"Not too good. There's some heavy sand about a mile west."

She bit her lip. "Well, I suppose we'll have to turn back."

"You could get to Stacey, ma'am. You could get your car fixed, and my
mother runs the hotel there. It's a good place to stop."

"How far?"

"About eight miles. Three miles back the road forks and the left-hand
road goes to town. The regular automobile road don't go to Stacey."

"Well, I suppose there is nothing else to do. I'll try and turn
around." And the girl backed the ca