The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-11-22

Olivia Forester descended from her
| auto and looked about her helpessly.
| As far as she could see the road
stretched away dusty and desolate. II
was the haylng season. Farmers were
busy with their crops and passersby
were few. Olivla's car stood half In
and half out Of the wayside ditch, and
1t was beyond her power TO move 1t.
| There was nothing to be done but wait.
II dellverance In any gulse approached
abe could readily signal ii, for she
stood on the crest Of hill
Below her the countryside lay like n
green map. The clear air Knocked dis
tance and brought things wonderfully
near--the cluster of houses that formed
Oakdale village, beyond these the gray
gables of her own home and still far
ther away the shining roof Of VIII
loughby manor.
1t was at the latter that she looked
with the most interest, for the For
ster-Willoughby feud, beginning about
a land line, had continued for two gen
erations. The elder Wllloughby had
died, but Broughton Willoughby had
returned from college and the manor
| was reopened.
The villagers, who took lively in
terest In the two families, declared him
to be fine, sensible young man, nor
was Olivia whit less popular. Peo-
pie liked to wait for her smile and
nod as she galloped past. Recently
her motor had taken the place of her
horse, u course of which her father
heartily disapproved, for he hated mod
ern innovations.
His role of hostile neighbor was only
one of many idiosynorasles. Trains
filed him with horror unspeakable
1t was his boast that he had never rid
den in a sleeper. He loathed the bus
tie of city life and clung tenaciously
to his New England homestead, whose
inaccessibility rendered it doubly dear
to him. Olivia often teased him by
saying she was sure he would like to
keep her at home beside spinning
wheel.
Anything" he cried, "would be bet
ter than what you have chosen! With
such hideous, snorting thing as that
how can you expect to come to any
thing but grief? And, though Murray,
the groom, Is an excellent-what do
you call it?-chauffeur, you insist in
going about the country alone. You
are modern, Olivia, and 1 wash my
hands of you"
Yet now, as Olivia was experiencing
her first breakdown, she recalled her
fathers words with a twinge of APP
prehension, and it was a relief to hear
another machine approaching, relief
which turned to CONSERVATION when
she saw its occupant. Young Will
loughby coolly ignored the embarrass-
ment of the situation.
81 beg your pardon" he said pleas
antly, "but can I be of some assist
anceF
'Thank you," answered olivia con-
fusedly. at won't move either way,
and can't find out what's the matter
with it." Nor could Wiloughby when.
after twenty minutes work, he man
aged to get it from the ditch.
''There doesn't seem to be any help
In sight" he observed cheerfully after
looking UP and down the road. "Will
you let me take your motor in tow"
Olivia hesitated. But what had q
family feud to do with breakdown?
'Tf you will be so good" she MUIR
INJURED, and, gathering her dress about
her, she stepped into her own car.
She leaned back with sign Of relief.
At least she would not have to talk to
him. Then the absurdlty of the affair
struck her. She realized how she
would look whirling through the vii
lage streets as If taken captive by Will
loughby. Instantly her pride was up
in arms. AT the edge of the village
she called to him. and he slowed down
Immediately.
81 think" said olivia, "I would rath-
er you left me here. I'm sure some
farmers team will be passing and take
me the rest of the way. and am most
grateful to you for the assistance you
have given me-"
at was the greatest pleasure" said
Willoughby and, raising his cap, was
gone.
But Olivia was sure that the farmers
team which came TO her aid few mo-
ments afterward was of his sending,
and, though she told herself it was the
uneventfulness Of her life that made
the afternoons occurrence seem of so
much Importance, yet she took pleasure
In mentally recalling each incident. In
deed, so much did Willoughby occupy
her thoughts that she was scarcely sur.
prised when few days later, scudding
home against wind that presaged
storm, turn in the road brought Will
loughby into view He was on his
knees In the middle of the road, appar-
emily investigating his gasoline tank.
'rhe sparker doesn't connect" he
said In answer to her question and
quickly accepted her offer of assist
ance. They started homeward In COM
plste reversal of the parts they had
played before. Now 1t WAS Ollyla's
motor that went CALAMITY ahead, while
Willoughby and his car tralled In the
rear. They were still some twenty
miles from Oakdale, the wind was
steadily rising. and few great drops
of rain began to fall.
SNOW" thought Olivia as they sped
forward, II have Cancelled the debt.
We are square. There need be no fur,
ther exchange OF courtesIes." Yet even
as this crossed her mind her motor
came to a sudden jarrlng stop Both