k
had been a hard-riding, hard-driving cowboy, and that winter he had
sustained an injury to his leg, caused by a bad fall, and was unable to
sit his horse. This had been gall and wormwood to him. But when the big
white automobile came and he was elected to drive it, life was once more
worth living for him. But all the other cowboys regarded Link and his
machine as some correlated species of demon. They were deathly afraid of
both.

It was for this reason that Nels, when Madeline asked him to accompany
her to Chiricahua, replied, reluctantly, that he would rather follow on
his horse. However, she prevailed over his hesitancy, and with Florence
also in the car they set out. For miles and miles the valley road
was smooth, hard-packed, and slightly downhill. And when speeding was
perfectly safe, Madeline was not averse to it. The grassy plain sailed
backward in gray sheets, and the little dot in the valley grew larger
and larger. From time to time Link glanced round at unhappy Nels, whose
eyes were wild and whose hands clutched his seat. While the car was
crossing the sandy and rocky places, going slowly, Nels appeared
to breathe easier. And when it stopped in the wide, dusty street of
Chiricahua Nels gladly tumbled out.

"Nels, we shall wait here in the car while you find Stewart," said
Madeline.

"Miss Hammond, I reckon Gene'll run when he sees us, if he's able to
run," replied Nels. "Wal, I'll go find him an' make up my mind then what
we'd better do."

Nels crossed the railroad track and disappeared behind the low, flat
houses. After a little time he reappeared and hurried up to the car.
Madeline felt his gray gaze searching her face.

"Miss Hammond, I found him," said Nels. "He was sleepin'. I woke him.
He's sober an' not bad hurt; but I don't believe you ought to see him.
Mebbe Florence--"

"Nels, I want to see him myself. Why not? What did he say when you told
him I was here?"

"Shore I didn't tell him that. I jest says, 'Hullo, Gene!' an' he says,
'My Gawd! Nels! mebbe I ain't glad to see a human bein'.' He asked me
who was with me, an' I told him Link an' some friends. I said I'd fetch
them in. He hollered at thet. But I went, anyway. Now, if you really
will see him, Miss Hammond, it's a good chance. But shore it's a touchy
matter, an' you'll be some sick at sight of him. He's layin' in a
Greaser hole over here. Likely the Greasers hev been kind to him. But
they're shore a poor lot."

Madeline did not h