the mad king-第35部分

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〃Halt！〃　cried　the　officer。

Barney　pointed　down　the　road　in　the　direction　in　which　he　was　headed。

〃Halt！〃　repeated　the　officer；　running　to　the　car。

Barney　glanced　ahead。　　Two　hundred　yards　farther　on　was　another　postbeyond　that　he　saw　no　soldiers。　　He　turned　and　shouted　a　volley　of　intentionally　unintelligible　jargon　at　the　officer；　continuing　to　point　ahead　of　him。

He　hoped　to　confuse　the　man　for　the　few　seconds　neces…　sary　for　him　to　reach　the　last　post。　　If　the　soldiers　there　saw　that　he　had　been　permitted　to　pass　through　the　first　they　doubtless　would　not　hinder　his　further　passage。　　That　they　were　watching　him　Barney　could　see。

He　had　passed　the　officer　now。　　There　was　no　necessity　for　dalliance。　　He　pressed　the　accelerator　down　a　trifle。　　The　car　moved　forward　at　increased　speed。　　a　final　angry　shout　broke　from　the　officer　behind　him；　followed　by　a　quick　command。　　Barney　did　not　have　to　wait　long　to　learn　the　tenor　of　the　order；　for　almost　immediately　a　shot　sounded　from　behind　and　a　bullet　whirred　above　his　head。　　Another　shot　and　another　followed。

Barney　was　pressing　the　accelerator　downward　to　the　limit。　　The　car　responded　noblythere　was　no　sputtering；　no　choking。　　Just　a　rapid　rush　of　increasing　momentum　as　the　machine　gained　headway　by　leaps　and　bounds。

The　bullets　were　ripping　the　air　all　about　him。　　Just　ahead　the　second　outpost　stood　directly　in　the　center　of　the　road。　There　were　three　soldiers　and　they　were　taking　deliberate　aim；　as　carefully　as　though　upon　the　rifle　range。　　It　seemed　to　Barney　that　they　couldn't　miss　him。　　He　swerved　the　car　suddenly　from　one　side　of　the　road　to　the　other。　　At　the　rate　that　it　was　going　the　move　was　fraught　with　but　little　less　danger　than　the　supine　facing　of　the　leveled　guns　ahead。

The　three　rifles　spoke　almost　simultaneously。　　The　glass　of　the　windshield　shattered　in　Barney's　face。　　There　was　a　hole　in　the　left…hand　front　fender　that　had　not　been　there　before。

〃Rotten　shooting；〃　commented　Barney　Custer；　of　Beatrice。

The　soldiers　still　stood　in　the　center　of　the　road　firing　at　the　swaying　car　as；　lurching　from　side　to　side；　it　bore　down　upon　them。　　Barney　sounded　the　raucous　military　horn；　but　the　soldiers　seemed　unconscious　of　their　dangerthey　still　stood　there　pumping　lead　toward　the　onrushing　Juggernaut。　At　the　last　instant　they　attempted　to　rush　from　its　path；　but　they　were　too　late。

At　over　sixty　miles　an　hour　the　huge；　gray　monster　bore　down　upon　them。　　One　of　them　fell　beneath　the　wheelsthe　two　others　were　thrown　high　in　air　as　the　bumper　struck　them。　　The　body　of　the　man　who　had　fallen　beneath　the　wheels　threw　the　car　half　way　across　the　roadonly　iron　nerve　and　strong　arms　held　it　from　the　ditch　upon　the　op…　posite　side。

Barney　Custer　had　never　been　nearer　death　than　at　that　momentnot　even　when　he　faced　the　firing　squad　before　the　factory　wall　in　Burgova。　　He　had　done　that　without　a　tremorhe　had　heard　the　bullets　of　the　outpost　whistling　about　his　head　a　moment　before；　with　a　smile　upon　his　lips　he　had　faced　the　leveled　rifles　of　the　three　he　had　ridden　down　and　he　had　not　quailed。　　But　now；　his　machine　in　the　center　of　the　road　again；　he　shook　like　a　leaf；　still　in　the　grip　of　the　sickening　nausea　of　that　awful　moment　when　the　mighty；　insensate　monster　beneath　him　had　reeled　drunkenly　in　its　mad　flight；　swerving　toward　the　ditch　and　destruction。

For　a　few　minutes　he　held　to　his　rapid　pace　before　he　looked　around；　and　then　it　was　to　see　two　cars　climbing　into　the　road　from　the　encampment　in　the　field　and　heading　to…　ward　him　in　pursuit。　　Barney　grinned。　　Once　more　he　was　master　of　his　nerves。　　They'd　have　a　merry　chase；　he　thought；　and　again　he　accelerated　the　speed　of　the　car。　　Once　before　he　had　had　it　up　to　seventy…five　miles；　and　for　a　moment；　when　he　had　had　no　opportunity　to　even　glance　at　the　speedometer；　much　higher。　　Now　he　was　to　find　the　maxi…　mum　limit　of　the　possibilities　of　the　brave　car　he　had　come　to　look　upon　with　real　affection。

The　road　ahead　was　comparatively　straight　and　level。　　Be…　hind　him　came　the　enemy。　　Barney　watched　the　road　rushing　rapidly　out　of　sight　beneath　the　gray　fenders。　　He　glanced　occasionally　at　the　speedometer。　　Seventy…five　miles　an　hour。　Seventy…seven！　　〃Going　some；〃　murmured　Barney　as　he　saw　the　needle　vibrate　up　to　eighty。　　Gradually　he　nursed　her　up　and　up　to　greater　speed。

Eighty…five！　　The　trees　were　racing　by　him　in　an　indis…　tinct　blur　of　green。　　The　fences　were　thin；　wavering　lines　the　road　a　white…gray　ribbon；　ironed　by　the　terrific　speed　to　smooth　unwrinkledness。　　He　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　the　business　of　steering　to　glance　behind；　but　presently　there　broke　faintly　through　the　whir　of　the　wind　beating　against　his　ears　the　faint　report　of　a　gun。　　He　was　being　fired　upon　again。　　He　pressed　down　still　further　upon　the　accelerator。　The　car　answered　to　the　pressure。　　The　needle　rose　steadily　until　it　reached　ninety　miles　an　hourand　topped　it。

Then　from　somewhere　in　the　radiator　hose　a　hissing　and　a　spurt　of　steam。　　Barney　was　dumbfounded。　　He　had　filled　the　cooling　system　at　the　inn　where　he　had　eaten。　　It　had　been　working　perfectly　before　and　since。　　What　could　have　hap…　pened？　　There　could　be　but　a　single　explanation。　　A　bullet　from　the　gun　of　one　of　the　three　men　who　had　attempted　to　stop　him　at　the　second　outpost　had　penetrated　the　radia…　tor；　and　had　slowly　drained　it。

Barney　knew　that　the　end　was　near；　since　the　usefulness　of　the　car　in　furthering　his　escape　was　over。　　At　the　speed　he　was　going　it　would　be　but　a　short　time　before　the　super…　heated　pistons　expanding　in　their　cylinders　would　tear　the　motor　to　pieces。　　Barney　felt　that　he　would　be　lucky　if　he　himself　were　not　killed　when　it　happened。

He　reduced　his　speed　and　glanced　behind。　　His　pursuers　had　not　gained　upon　him；　but　they　still　were　coming。　　A　bend　in　the　road　shut　them　from　his　view。　　A　little　way　ahead　the　road　crossed　over　a　river　upon　a　wooden　bridge。　On　the　opposite　side　and　to　the　right　of　the　road　was　a　wood。　　It　seemed　to　offer　the　most　likely　possibilities　of　con…　cealment　in　the　vicinity。　　If　he　could　but　throw　his　pursuers　off　the　trail　for　a　while　he　might　succeed　in　escaping　through　the　wood；　eventually　reaching　Tann　on　foot。　　He　had　a　rather　hazy　idea　of　the　exact　direction　of　the　town　and　castle；　but　that　he　could　find　them　eventually　he　was　sure。

The　sight　of　the　river　and　the　bridge　he　was　nearing　sug…　gested　a　plan；　and　the　ominous　grating　of　the　overheated　motor　warned　him　that　whatever　he　was　to　do　he　must　do　at　once。　　As　he　neared　the　bridge　he　reduced　the　speed　of　the　car　to　fifteen　miles　an　hour；　and　set　the　hand　throttle　to　hold　it　there。　　Still　gripping　the　steering　wheel　with　one　hand；　he　climbed　over　the　left…hand　door　to　the　running　board。　　As　the　front　wheels　of　the　car　ran　up　onto　the　bridge　Barney　gave　the　steering　wheel　a　sudden　turn　to　the　right；　and　jumped。

The　car　veered　toward　the　wooden　handrail；　there　was　a　splintering　of　stanchions；　as；　with　a　crash；　the　big　machine　plunged　through　them　headforemost　into　the　river。　　Without　waiting　to　give　even　a　glance　at　his　handiwork　Barney　Cus…　ter　ran　across　the　bridge；　leaped　the　fence　upon　the　right…　hand　side　and　plunged　into　the　shelter　of　the　wood。

Then　he　turned　to　look　back　up　the　road　in　the　direction　from　which　his　pursuers　were　coming。　　They　were　not　in　sightthey　had　not　seen　his　ruse。　　The　water　in　the　river　was　of　sufficient　depth　to　completely　cover　the　carno　sign　of　it　appeared　above　the　surface。

Barney　turned　into　the　wood　smiling。　　His　scheme　had　worked　well。　　The　occupants　of　the　two　cars　following　him　might　not　note　the　broken　handrail；　or；　if　they　did；　might　not　connect　it　with　Barney　in　any　way。　　In　this　event　they　would　continue　in　the　direction　of　Lustadt；　wondering　what　in　the　world　had　become　of　their　quarry。　　Or；　if　they　guessed　that　his　car　had　gone　over　into　the　river；　they　would　doubt…　less　believe　that　its　driver　had　gone　with　it。　　In　either　event　Barney　would　be　given　ample　time　to　find　his　way　to　Tann。

He　wished　that　he　might　find　other　clothes；　since　if　he　were　dressed　otherwise　there　would　be　no　reason　to　imagine　that　his　pursuers　would　recognize　him　should　they　come　upon　him。　　None　of　them　could　possibly　have　gained　a　suf…　ficiently　good　look　at　his　features　to　recognize　them　again。

The　Austrian　uniform；　however；　would　convict　him；　or　at　least　lay　him　under　suspicion；　and　in　Barney's　present　case；　suspicion　was　as　good　as　conviction　were　he　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Austrians。　　The　garb　had　served　its　purpose　well　in　aiding　in　his　escape　from　Austria；　but　now　it　was　more　of　a　menace　than　an　asset。

For　a　week　Barney　Custer　wandered　through　the　woods　and　mountains　of　Lutha。　　He　did　not　dare　approach　or　question　any　human　being。　　Several　times　he　had　seen　Aus…　trian　cavalry　that　seemed　to　be　scouring　the　country　for　some　purpose　that　the　American　could　easily　believe　was　closely　connected　with　himself。　　At　least　he　did　not　feel　dis…　posed　to　stop　them；　as　they　cantered　past　his　hiding　place；　to　inquire　the　nature　of　their　business。

Such　farmhouses　as　he　came　upon　he　gave　a　wide　berth　except　at　night；　and　then　he　only　approached　them　stealthily　for　such　provender　as　he　might　filch。　　Before　the　week　was　up　he　had　become　an　expert　chicken　thief；　being　able　to　rob　a　roost　as　quietly　as　the　most　finished　carpetbagger　on　the　sunny　side　of　Mason　and　Dixon's　line。

A　careless　housewife；　leaving　her　lord　and　master's　rough　shirt　and　trousers　hanging　upon　the　line　overnight；　had　made　possible　for　Barney　the　coveted　change　in　raiment。　Now　he　was　barged　as　a　Luthanian　peasant。　　He　was　hat…　less；　since　the　lady　had　failed　to　hang　out　her　mate's　woolen　cap；　and　Barney　had　not　dared　retain　a　single　ves…　tige　of　the　damning　Austrian　uniform。

What　the　peasant　woman　thought　when　she　discovered　the　empty　line　the　following　morning　Barney　could　only　guess；　but　he　was　morally　certain　that　her　grief　was　more　than　tempered　by　the　gold　piece　he　had　wrapped　in　a　bit　of　cloth　torn　from　the　soldier's　coat　he　had　worn；　which　he　pinned　on　the　line　where　the　shirt　and　pants　had　been。

It　was　somewhere　near　noon　upon　the　seventh　day　that　Barney　skirting　a　little　stream；　followed　through　the　con…　ce