"Make him quit talking to me!" cried Skinner.
Gallagher uttered an imprecation and strode forward, only to have
his way once more barred by Still Bill Stover. "He can talk if he
wants to."
"There is nothing," Speed pointed out with dignity, "in the
articles to forbid talking. If I wished to, I could sing. Yes, or
whistle, if I felt like it."
"_On your marks!"_ came the rasping voice of Willie as Wally
murmured to Skinner:
"Remember, I trust you."
Skinner ground his teeth; the tendons in his calves stood out
rigidly.
"Get set!"
Once more the silence of death wrapped the beholders, and Willie
raised his arm. Speed cast one lingering farewell glance to the
skies, and said, devoutly: "What a beautiful, beautiful day!"
Now the starter was shaking in an ague of fury.
"Listen, you!" he chattered, shrilly. "I'm goin' to shoot twice
this time--once in the air, and the next time at the nearest
foot-runner. Now, _get set_!" and the speaker pulled
trigger, whereupon Speed leaped as if the bullet had been aimed
at him.
Instantly a full-lunged roar went up that rolled away to the
foot-hills, and the runners sped out of the pandemonium, their
legs twinkling against the dust-colored prairie.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237