The road between Carmody and Polk is long and empty. The hills on either side are yellow and dry. A few years ago, the highway department2 planted some bushes3 along the sides of the road. But it didn't help much. Beginning a mile or so out for town, the bushes had died. Nobody came out to water them.
　　Paula hated the drive. It made her feel lonely. But it was the weekend. On weekends she visited her mother, who had been very sick. Paula was afraid she wasn't taking her medicine. So, every Saturday Paula got up early and drove the 50 miles to Polk. Since her father had died last year, her mother was all she had.
　　Paula thought about her father. He'd always been so rotective4 of her. She thought about the day he took her to get her driver's license5. He'd given her a long talk about safety. “Never give a ride to a stranger,” he said. “Never. There are a lot of bad people in this world. And you can't always tell6 who they are. You start out doing something nice for someone and before you know it you've got yourself in big trouble.”
　　Paula didn't listen very closely. Her father was always warning her about one thing or another. Sometimes she teased7 him about making mountains out of molehills8. Still, his words often stayed in her head. And she had never picked up a hitchhiker.
　　Maybe that's why Paula almost drove by the hitchhiker standing by the roadside. She remembered what her father had said. But there was something different about this hitchhiker. It was a woman, for one thing. Paula had never seen a woman hitchhiking before. Curiosity9 made her stop the car.
　　“Going to Polk this morning?” the woman asked, opening the door.
　　“Yes,” answered Paula. “I drive over every weekend. I go to see my mother. She's been feeling under the weather.”10
　　The woman got in the car and buckled her seat belt11. For a moment, Paula felt a little nervous. But the woman didn't look dangerous. She had short blond12 hair, like Paula's. She was wearing a blue denim13 jacket and pants14. Paula guessed she was in her late twenties.
　　“Thanks for stopping,” the woman said. “I didn't think I'd get a ride. Most people don't want to pick up a hitchhiker.” She looked sideways at Paula across the seat.
　　Paula laughed a little nervously. “To tell you the truth,” she said, “this is the first time I've ever given a ride to a stranger. Guess I was just curious15 about you.”
　　Paula pulled out16 onto the empty road. The woman was very quiet. Paula wanted to ask her why she was on the road alone. She wanted to ask how she'd gotten there. There were no other cars on the road, not one.
　　Paula looked over at the woman and saw that her eyes ere closed. She looked as if she'd fallen asleep. If she were dangerous, she probably wouldn't be sleeping so peacefully17. Paula turned the radio on low.
　　Suddenly an announcer's voice interrupted18 the soft music on the radio:
　　“...This is your KXYZ reporter, AL Nelson, with a special news report. There was a murder last night in Carmody. Two robbers, a man and a woman, blasted19 their way into the Carmody National Bank. They took ten thousand dollars and shot the security guard20. Police officers arrested the man, but the woman is still at large21. Police are warning everyone in the area to be on the lookout for a blond woman in her twenties. The suspect22 is wearing a denim jacket and pants. She is armed and dangerous. We will have more details on the hour.”
　　The station went back to playing music again. Paula looked at the woman next to her. She looked at her short blond hair. She looked at her blue denim jacket and pants. Paula's heart pounded23. This woman was a murderer!
　　“What am I going to do?” Paula thought. Then she remembered the gun in the glove compartment24. Her father had made her take it when she moved away from home. “Keep it in your car,” he said. “You might need it someday.”
Paula reached across the woman. Slowly, she opened the gloved compartment. Her fingers touched the gun. She pulled it out carefully.
　　Holding the gun in her lap25, Paula thought of all the things she still had to do in life. She thought about her mother. Who would watch out for her if Paula weren't around26?
　　Her father had been right. She should have listened to him. Paula slowed the car a little. Her finger tightened on the grigger27. She knew now what she had to do. It was a matter of life and death—her life, or the murderer's.
　　“...We have a bulletin28, ladies and gentlemen!” The announcer's voice cut in on the music. “Police report that they have now caught both robbers involved in29 the Carmody Bank holdup30. The man was arrested last night. The woman was captured31 a few minutes ago. Stand by for an interview with Chief Brinkley32.”
　　Paula's eyes filled with tears. She moved her hand behind the woman's seat and slipped the gun down on the floor. All of a sudden she felt tired, very tired.
　　Suddenly the hitchhiker woke with a start. “What happened?” she asked. “What's wrong?”
　　Paula didn't answer. The woman turned to face her.
　　“Say, are you all right? you're white as a sheet33! Are you upset34 about your mother? If it's something you want to talk about, I'm a pretty good listener.”
　　“No,” said Paula. “it's not my mother.” Her voice choked35 a little. “I was thinking about my father...about some advice he gave me a long time ago. I used to think he was making mountains out of molehills, but now I know he was right. I just wish I could thank him!”

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1. hitchhiker n．免费搭车人
2． highway department 公路局
3． bush   n． 灌木
4． protective   adj．保护的
5． license n．执照
6． tell v．分辨
7． tease   v．取笑
8． make mountains out of molehills 小题大做
9． curiosity   n．好奇
10． feel under the weather 生病
11． buckle   one＇s seat belt 扣上某人座位上的安全带
12． blond  adj．浅黄色的
13． denim  n．劳动布
14． pants   n．裤子
15． curious  adj．好奇的
16． pull out 开车
17． peacefully adv．安静地
18． interrupt  v．打断
19． blast  v．炸
20． security guard 保安
21． be at large 未被捕获的
22． suspect   n．嫌疑犯
23． pound [paund] v．剧跳
24． glove compartment 贮物箱
25． lap   n．（人坐着时）腰以下到膝为止的大腿部
26． be around 在身边
27． tighten on the trigger [trig?藜] 紧扣扳机
28． bulletin n．（电台的）最新消息
29． involve in 牵涉到
30． holdup   n．抢劫
31． capture   v．捕获
32． stand by for an interview with sb． 等待收听和某人的谈话
33． sheet n．纸
34． upset adj．不安的
35． choke   v．噎塞