Arizona republican., 1906-12-16
Gods from the Machine
(Copyrighted.)

(COpyrighted)
 Snatch her open. Jack I said, as the car swung out on a straight stretch of clean. red gravel road. Behind us lay a cool little village set in naples; be- fore us lay the world and the fulness thereof.
 Not in days of paladin, dragon and fayre ladye did knights ride forth with less definite objective or more definite object than we of the lemon-tinted, 20- horse power four-cylinder Dyckmere touring car the Cough Drop. We were lords of two weeks holiday, the month was September. the Cough Drop was what Carpenter called a sweet little cruiser" and who cared whether busi- ness went to the devil and back or not ?
 A hedge. man high. h.shut off the imme- diate view on the right, but half a mile away rose a hill crowned with a coun- try house of suggestive proportions.
 General Cartons place" said Car penter. ''Beastly old land pirate. Loves horses. Hates machines. Had me fined for speeding only last week. Going to get even if it takes a hundred years"
 The burr and hum of the driving car drowned all other sounds; the wind or the open road roared in our ears, and through the interlacing of the hedge seemed to glimpse the coming of an other vehicle.
 Ware carriage," l yelled in Car penter's ear. but I yelled too late. A buggy driven at a furious pace sho. down a driveway through a gap in the hedge, turned on two wheels and swung in in front of us. Then We came from behind like a devouring demon, slipped under the rear axel. lifted that buggy like a mavvy pitching coal and turned it neatly over on top of the horse.
 Shut off, reversed and snarling in- dignant protest. the Cough Drop stop ped within her length. Our forward deck. so to speak, was buried under conglomeratiOn Of wheels, harness. bug Ey top and so forth. whence issued shrieks in a lofty treble and oaths in d handsome bass.
 My GOd," groaned Carpenter. there is a woman in it. and leaped out
 The horse recovered his feet ana passed away before us to the accom- paniment of rending wood. Most of the buggy went with him, and red gravel man. still clinging to the reins. upros from the remainder and was drawn protesting after.
 Carpenter regained his composurc and began shouting orders.
 Grab that top" he called to me "she's under here" (
 Together we raised the yrssSzf and ( red gravel lady came forth on my side She looked wildly around
 Where's EdwardF2" she cried. "Wher' Is he? Is he kiIEed?'
 Madam" ff began soothingly. "thi. is very unl<ortunate-''
 So farS7I got when the lady sat timpl, down aJn the eddge of the ditch a, thou gh she were faint. Carpenter tor, ro' Ind to our side of the wreck witt Contempt in his eye. Fool" he growled. and I felt h' meant me and not the lady.
 Well. you try said gladly
 Hes all right. said Carpenter He. gone after the horse. Now, don't be alarmed"
 oh" said the girl. breathing deep Truly? You wouldn't deceive me? He isn't hurt
 The girl arranged her hair, produced a handkerchief and began searching fo. her features in the dust and gravel AS they emerged, my original estimate was amply confirmed She surveyed the wreck with look of anguish.
 "Oh, how could you" she cried "Whei we needed 1t so badly"
 Did you?" said Carpenter. Tn awfully sorry. Accidents, you know will"
 They're sure to overtake us now.