The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-01-12
Racing the
Wildcat =
BY CLAUDINE SISSON
BY CLAUDINE SISSON
Copyright, 1905, by E. C. PARCELS

Arverne trolley line was little more
than n nine days wonder in V9udon,
where the Keswicks had lived for half
6 century.
Great promises had been made on
Renton Keswick's behalf when he de-
cided to take q portion Of his fathers
insurance money and complete his col
lege course, and it was confidently pre-
dicted that he would make a name for
himself in the city beyond when his
four years should be up. Instead he
had quietly returned to his old home
and had applied for and obtained n
place as m0torman on the new line just
completed to Arverne.
Even Horace Gusts had been some
what surprised at Ren's request to be
put on n car. 1--WE could use you here
in the office, Rem" he suggested as he
swung around in his Office chair.
mo, thank you," was Renton's quiet
rejoinder. 81 want to know something
about trolleying before sit in front of
q roll top desk, and l guess the front
platform of car is as good place as
any from which to study"
So GUSTS had let him go, and that
evening when Dorothy GUSTS remon-
strated with him for not doing better
by the son Of his old friend he laid
hand on her shoulder.
dot" he said kindly, 'for your sake
as we'll as for the sake Of poor Tom
Keswick l would have been glad to put
the boy to work in the Office, but Il col
lege education has not spoiled him, and
l gave him the place for which he
asked"
Dorothy, blushing to find that her
secret was known to her father, fled
to her room, and after that the subject
was dropped so far as the GUSTS
household was concerned.
Vaudon was more interested, how
ever and there were many who freely
remarked that il Rem Keswick could
not do better than q motorman's job
after all that schooling it would have
been better had he lost himself in the
city.
Meanwhile Rem stuck to the motor
mans box, and in a short time he was
road. He knew every curve and grade
on the eighteen miles of track, and his
car was never late, because no matter
what the delay he knew how to favor
the work and come up to the Vaudon
station on time.
Once when there had been a break
at the power house which shut off the
fI,O f1,
utes he had raced the accommodation
from the brook crossing to the station
and had beaten it by three minutes. 1t
was an eight mile run from the cross
ing to the station by trolley, but the
railroad took curve to avoid cross
ing Arverne creek twice and had four
miles farther to go.
Dorothy was frequent passenger on
the car, and it was natural that she
should avail herself Of her privilege as
daughter of the president of the road
to ride on the front seat with the mo-
torman. If she happened to take the
car on which Rem was the motorman it
cident, and not even Vaudon talked
about it-which was surprising
Those rides were precious times to
Renton as he stood at the controller
and nupsed the heavy car over the
tracks. Once when he had been late
and was hurrying to make up his time
she had looked up with glowing eyes
as he helped her down the step.
I'D just love to be with you some
time when you are making real fast
rum" she smiled, and he, smiling back
into the eager eyes, had replied
eff 1 ever have to make a real fast
run Ill let you know"
She was talking of his promise as
they sped toward the town one evening
in August. There had been dance out
at Arverne lake, and Dorothy had left
early TO meet her father. A celebration
was being held some thirty miles up
the road, and her father was among
the invited guests. They were coming
home on special train, the governor
and his staff and half a hundred 9TH
ers. The train was due at Vaudon at
about the same time as the special,
and Dorothy had left the party early in
order to be home to meet her father.
Once or twice Rem had let out the car
on level stretches to see her eyes fash
with excitement and had crept along
the harder parts to keep his schedule
even.
They were taking it easy along the
stretch by the creek when, as they APP
preached the railroad, they spied
headlight up the track.
There was plenty of time, and rather
than take chances Rem stopped ON the
near side Of the crossing and rested ON
the seat moment as the light drew
nearer.
AS 1t flashed past there was cry
from Dorothy. In the moonlight she
saw that there was no one In the cab.
did you seeY' she demanded excit-
edly as she grasped Ren's arm.
Runaway" he assented.
THE trainv she gasped Rene face
grew hard.
There was a construction camp up
the road, and he recognized this as the
engine of the work train. There had
been threats made against the governor
by some of the foreign laborers, and
they had probably sent the engine
a6riff I'm tho hopo Of nhctr,,atipev tl,o