almost killed outright by the accident? All! when we've been rattled
about like dry peas in a pod, until there's hardly a square inch of me
that doesn't ache. I'll tell you, monsieur, what you are to do, and in
a dused hurry, too. Order out another stage and fly to the scene of the
wreck without delay."

"Begar! if I only had a vehicle," he groans.

"You shall find one of some sort inside of five minutes and go with me
to the scene to rescue my friends, and take them to safety, or you must
take the consequences," and in his excitement John glowers upon the
dapper Gaul until the latter actually trembles with trepidation.

"Stop! I have zink of something. Zere is one old vehicle in ze shed,
laid by for repairs. By careful handling it would do."

"Good! Get horses hitched to it; we must lose no time. To the rescue,
Monsieur Constans. Ladies have been hurt; they must be taken to the city
as speedily as possible."

The Gaul is excitable by nature, and he catches some of John's surplus
enthusiasm, springs to his feet, and is out of the office door like a
shot, shouting almost unintelligible orders to the gang of dirty Arabs
who have rushed to the scene upon the advent of a Frank entering the
village like a young cyclone and riding a horse that from its harness
they recognize as belonging to the stage line.

John, finding they make such poor headway, proceeds to lend his
assistance, and under his directions the job is finally completed.