The car topped the heights of the ridge of hills that lay between
Adminster and Freeling. On the Freeling side of the ridge the slope
to the valley was almost continuous. But near the bottom was a
sharp curve. Here was a low stone wall along the edge of the road,
beyond which was a sheer drop of thirty or more feet into a rocky
gorge. It was a perilous spot. More than one accident had happened
there; but never an electric car accident.

The rapidity with which the motorman ran the car, and the jerky way
in which he stopped and started it, did not bother Nan Sherwood
much, for she was not nervous. Miss March, however, began to stare
ahead apprehensively, and the way in which she twisted her
pocket-handkerchief in her hands as the car started down the long
slope betrayed her feelings. Nan was really sorry for Miss March.

The wheels pounded over the rail-joints and the car began to rock
threateningly. A small obstruction on the track would very likely
have thrown the car off the rails.

"I do wish that man would have a care," sighed Miss March.

Nan jumped up. She feared that the teacher would soon become
hysterical. Also, Grace and Lillie began to betray fear and more of
the girls were anxious. Nan stumbled forward to the end of the car.
Rhoda sat there, looking ahead, and betraying no emotion at all.

Nan could see the shoulders of the motorman, who was sitting on the
one-legged stool on which he had a right to rest when the car was
out of town. The rules of the company did not force him to stand
all the time. His head seemed to sag forward on his breast. The car