I ain't
aimin' to lose my slice of that two thousand; without hittin' a
single lick to get it. If he--SUFFERIN' PINK SNAKES!"
In his sudden dismay, he drove down both feet on the pedals. The
indignant car stalled. Through the blackness ahead, the white ray
from the lamps had picked up a weird object. And the two brethren
stared at it, slack-jawed.
Walking sedately on, in front of the stalled runabout, and in the
exact centre of the dusty road, moved an animal. Huge and
formless it bulked, as it receded into the fainter glow of light.
It might have been anything from a lion to a bear; in that
uncertain glimmer. But, the lamps' rays played strongly enough on
one detail of the apparition to identify it, past doubt, to both
the dumfounded onlookers. They saw, clearly enough, a white
bundle suspended from the monster's jaws;--unquestionably the
bundle which had been laid behind the alder.
For perhaps ten seconds the men sat moveless, gaping goggle-eyed.
Then, the driver murmured in a faraway voice:
"Did you--did you--was you fool enough to think you seen
anything? Was you, Eitel?"
"I-I sure seen SUTHIN', Roodie," quavered Eitel.
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