The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-08-23


Henderson to young Weaver and
Knowlton of Columbia college, 'hire
an auto some Saturday and come down
here TO see me? The old folks will
make you welcome, and my sister An
nette, of whom you have heard me
speak, is home now. Arrange to stay
over Sunday with us. Well have a
bully time"
Young Henderson was still living
with his parents at their country house
on Long Island and had been chummy
with the two men during his days in
college. The invitation was alluring.
Each of the sophs had taken lessons in
running an auto, the Long Island roads
were known to be good, and at the end
of the run was a handsome girl. as
they knew by photograph they had
seen.
1t was a rare chance to get out of
town and do lot of other things be
sides, and on a certain Saturday morn
ing of a certain June an auto might
have been seen speeding two rather
hilarious young men up the island
roads. The garage man had been par
ticular when they went to hire the ma
chine. They confessed to being timid
about speed, but felt perfectly conf
dent on all other points. and after dis
playing their knowledge in a practical
way he had placed them in charge.
The destination was thirty miles
from Brooklyn, but at a steady jog this
might have been covered by noon had
not something happened to prevent
As they were passing through ia
maica, the journey only just begun, a
handsome young lady emerged from u
house, stepped into a steam runabout
and acting as her own chauffeur,
started off at fast clip.
by George, but did you ever see
anything to compare with her?" gasped
young Weaver, who was noted as i'm
questionable.
"Handsomest girl l ever saw" was
the reply
Did you notice that look she threw
at mef"
ut was meant for me-"
you 90 ON! Say, I'd give all | ex-
pect to get from my grandmothers es-
tate to know that girl. What eyes,
What hair! AS her eyes looked into
mine for an instant u
"She was looking into mine, and there
was a roguish, defiant look in them as
If she dared us to follow her."
by George, but come to think of 1t,
we ought to follow her anyhow. No
woman has any business driving ma
chine. Suppose a tire comes off or
anything breaks. She may meet a
train at a crossing, run into a ditch or
have something else happen. If we
are on hand we can assist
More speed was put on to decrease
the distance and the young lady looked
back as she heard the chugging of the
big machine.
She's surely flirting with mer CUR
gled young Weaver as he clasped his
hands.
You dolt!p replied young Knowlton
"She doesn't know that you are on
earth. Isn't she Swimming along pretty
fast?"
Seems to me she's let out a link
This is faster than we ever drove be
fore, but we've got to take chances or
lose that girl
The girl in the runabout had several
ideas on the subject in hand One was
that the two young men behind her
were new to the sport. Another was
that they had left the direct road in
| order to follow her The third was that
she would be revenged on them. She
ratified along at Il high speed for
mile and could see without turning her
head too much that the big machine
was wabblng badly and being driven
by n trembling hand. On coming to
where the highway separated to unite
a quarter of a mile farther on. she
chose the toughest way The light
| weight runabout seemed to sail over
the humps and ruts and washouts,
while the larger machine had to slow
down and bump its way along.
IF we lose her I'll commit suicide"
said young Weaver as he hung on for
dear life and grew paler every minute.
Don't you fear that l will lose her"
grimly replied Knowlton This is
rather bumpy, but I'll stand ten miles
of it for another look from those blue
eyes"
Her black eyes you mean"
Il mean blue. If ever take You ont
into the country again may | be hang
ed.
Ditto. Because a handsome girl
takes 1t into her head to flirt with me IA
| Bit
But the rest was lost in the humping
The girl could have dropped them on
that bit Of road, but she made no eff
! fort. When they debouched into the
main road she was in sight and Jogging
along at an easy pace. She had led
them seven or eight miles out Of their
road before they realized it. Each was
wishing the other would throw out a
hint about abandoning the chase when
the runabout turned into a highway
that was not macadamized. 1t was
heavy with sand, and the auto groaned
and complained as it made the steep
hills.
III she wasn't the best looking girl
| ever saw began Knowlton.
IF she hadn't dared US to follow
| her replied Weaver
Then there was scream ahead Of
them, and tire was seen to leave one
of the wheels of the ruuabollt and the