The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-05-31
An Elopement..
IOriginal,1

IL she does not become target for
'ome person or persons desirous Of re-
lieving her Of it. Bessie Crapo had
been tenderly brought up until she was
seventeen years old. when she had the
misfortune to lose her father and
mother in rapid succession. Her moth
er's sister, Miss Barbour, spinstcr of
forty, was called in to take charge OF
the house and the young girl as well.
The estate was administered by Arnold
Atwater, an attorney, also i'm middle
life and unmarried. Mr. Crapo had
conceived high regard for Mr.. Atwa-
ter's shrewdness and had left him sole
executor of his estate.
A pretty girl and couple Of hundred
thousand dollars were too tempting q
prize for Mr.. Atwater's integrity. Win
ming the confidence of Miss Barbour,
he succeeded in keeping the heiress a
virtual prisoner with a view to prevent
her marrying-that is, unless he could
succeed in marrying her himself.
All this is an old story. The interest
in this yarn lies in an effort made by
young Bob Allison to get the maiden
out Of the hands of the designing attor-
ney. Bob and Bessie had grown up to-
gether and had plighted their childish
troth long before either knew anything
about worldly goods. But Bob was to
be the architect Of his own fortune,
and Miss Barbour, who. in her present
position, was in better circumstances
than she had ever been before and had
no wish to leave it, made the young
mans poverty convenient excuse for
opposing him. So ii was Bob and Bes.
sic versus Atwater and Barbour
1t did not take the young couple long
to discover that there. was but one
way to win. and that was to gain for
Bob the legal control of Bessie. which
would also give him the control of her
fortune. To do this marriage was nee
essary. and the only way to effect mar
riage was an elopement.
Now. in elopcments 1t is far easier
for the runaways to make a start than
to avoid capture. Teverton, where
these people lived. was n way station
on great railroad. In the event OF
the girl being missed the first place
those desiring to capture her would
look would be the Teverton station.
The eXigcncies Of the case required
that the couple should take to the
turnpike. But how? An automobile
has for enterprises requiring swiftness
taken the place Of horses. and Bob in
laying his plans gave the fact due
consideration.
One morning there was a sharp ring
at Mr.. Atwater's telephone. and the
crisp voice OF Miss Barbour informed
him that Bob Allison had come to the
house in an AUTOMOBILES; BESSIE had
evidently been expecting him. for she
was dressed for ride: she had run
out and Jumped into the automobile
before she could be prevented. and
they had sped away ut furious pace
This information was communicated
in few fragments Of sentences. At
water threw down the receiver. seized
his hat and In two minutes was In an
automobile garage offering any amount
for the use Of the fastest machine In
the place. One was Immediately plac-
ed at his disposal. and. proceeding to
pick up Miss Barbour. he sped along
in the direction she indicated.
Twice only he was obliged to slow
up before getting on to the main road
to make inquiries II an automobile had
gone that way; but. the answers being
definite and satisfactory. he was not
obliged to ask again. for there was
but one road insthe vicinity on which
an automobile could make progress,
that beside the railroad.
Sundry vehicles were passed on the
way. and all. hearing ferocious snort
ing behind. pulled out to the side Of
the road. But one old trap Of n station
hack logged along without paying any
attention to the coming clatter. Atwa-
ter was obliged to slow up, attempting
| first to get by on one side. then on the
other. the hack driver taking up most
OF the road. Atwater. who was Of a
suspicious nature. suspecting that the
man might lie in league with the fugi-
tives to delay him, threatened to run
him down II he did not get out Of the
way. This brought the driver to his
senses, and he drew up on one side
while the automobile whizZed by like
| cannon ball.
The delay was but slight, and, the
power of the automobile being tremen-
dous. the pursuers forged ahead at the
rate Of forty miles an hour. Since
there was no machine to be had at
Teverton that could do better than
thirty Atwater felt confident of sue
cess. Indeed. in turning the next bend
I'm the road he saw ahead cloud Of
dust that he knew concealed an auto
mobile.
1t was mad chase. a dangerous
chase, but from the first it was evident
that the automobile ahead was no
match for the one behind. Every mile
passed by the former resulted in half
a mile gain by the latter. The dust
concealed the fugitives, but Atwater