'The Mesa Trail' is a novel written by H. Bedford-Jones. The story begins as a flivver drives down a dusty road in New Mexico with a large woman behind the wheel. The car is loaded with boxes and luggage, including a burlap sack marked "Explosives—Handle with Care!". The woman is dressed in ragged but clean khaki and is smoking a pipe. She is not happy with the car and is planning to sell it. As she continues her drive, she suddenly spots a man lying motionless in the middle of the road and just barely avoids hitting him. She stops the car and gets out to investigate.