
E-text prepared by Al Haines
It was easier to accept the more precipitous journey, straight downward.
BY - COURTNEY RYLEY COOPER
AUTHOR OF THE CROSS-CUT, ETC.
FRONTISPIECE BY ANTON OTTO FISCHER
To a Certain Little Gray Lady who seems to like everything I write, the main reason being the fact that she is MY MOTHER
A quiet mountain town clings to the edge of a stark, snow‑capped range, where spring’s green hills give way to a bleak white desert of lingering ice. The air hums with the lazy warmth of May, the occasional burst of a jay’s call, and the low‑rumble of an engine threading narrow canyon bridges. At a modest gas‑pump beside a ramshackle shop, a lone traveler arrives in a sleek yellow racer, his presence a sharp contrast to the sleepy settlement.
The young driver, almost boyish in appearance yet carrying a weight of unspoken sorrow, steps out to fill his tank and chat with the local attendant. His dark eyes flicker between the rugged peaks and the road ahead, hinting at a purpose that goes beyond a simple refuel. As he prepares to press on into the unforgiving white desert, the landscape itself seems to challenge his resolve, promising a journey as harsh and beautiful as the mountains that surround him.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (386K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2006-12-21
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1886–1940
A writer with a real taste for danger and spectacle, he turned life in the circus and the world of crime into vivid, fast-moving books. His work blends reporter's curiosity with showman's flair.
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