Chapter 21—Death Valley
On the 1st of June, in the morning, coming out of a little Californian town situated in the ancient lacustrine basin of the San Joaquin, a train was running at high speed towards the south-west.
The train, which consisted only of an engine, a car and a van, was not mentioned in the time-table, and had started three good hours before that which traverses the southern regions of California from Sacramento to the frontier of Arizona.
The country through which the special train was running did not seem to attract the notice of the passengers. But were there any? Yes, assuredly, for from time to time two heads would appear at the windows and then disappear immediately, two bearded faces, which might almost be called ferocious. Several times the window was lowered, and
