The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-02-01
The Woman
Or the Car
BY Elliot Walker
Copyright, 1906, by Homer Sprague
BY Elliot Wake,

Ladd, the proprietor Of the Tama-
racks, shook his head with discourag-
ing firmness.
NO" he declared decidedly; Il &C.
commodate people here, not automo-
biles. First, no shelter for the ma
chine; second, won't have one round
since my dog was run over; third,
there's no use Of talking. Better go
along"
In the sudden darkness of the sum-
disclosing more clearly the occupants
of the big touring car-the chauffeur,
gesticulating angrily; two other scowl
ing men, Il woman and child.
With a rush of wind the storm broke.
\ deafening thunderclap shook the
earth. The rain, almost horizontal in
the flying air, drove deluge of great
drops under the hastily arranged coy
crS.
I'm going to get outp' shrilled a
small scared voice. Il want to be in
Il house! Mamma, Gomez
\ tall figure Ieaped from the piazza
OF the little hotel, showed Ladd aside
and held out a pair Of shirt sleeved
arms.
you shall. babyw he shouted. Its
q COMPOUNDED shame! You, too, mad.
am. Let the men take care Of them
selves. Hurry, or you'll be drenchedw
Look outr' cried the mother sharply,
for the child had jumped recklessly.
Thank you, sir. l feared she would
fall. Yes. l think it is best.
She fuiNblcd for a bag. spoke rapid.
ly to one oil her companions and spran2
from the step unassisted to run up the
short path after the uncoated figure,
striding swiftly, with the little girl
clinging to his neck.
Ladd's loud voice came to her ears
above the din.
you're all welcome, 1 say. I'll bed
and feed the crowd, but that pesky ma.
chine can't lodge at my place. No,
gents Sorry, but I've sworn to pass
'em along"
"a fine specimen you are to run q
hotel" scolded the man by the driver.
Its my house." retorted Ladd.
"Well, keep it and be hanged! l
wouldn't put my head under such
roof. Wen be here in the morning, old
curmudgeon. Take care of Mrs. Dix
on. Push her along. Henri. Never
mind speed limits"
A few rattles, a dozen snorting gasps
and the car dashed away through the
mud.
Mr. Ladd, bareheaded and dripping,
gazed after it with satisfied grin.
''Too bad to break up a party" he
grunted This storm will last a good
hour. They'll get a nice twenty mile
trip to Jepworth, splashing soft dirt.
Well. I've got two guests, anyhow, and
tomorrow l make my third nick on old
Hanks tombstone"
He chuckled his way into the barn.
Lois Dixon sat in the dining room,
small apartment largely given over
to social usage other than the delights
of the table. \ high chair had been
found for Dot, who was assaulting
bread and milk. Seraph Ladd, corpu-
lent and apologize, talked from the ad-
jacent kitchen.
ooh, no, my dear" she was saying.
1.-THE Tamaracks isn't much of hotel.
Folks stay here for meals, and we take
in few transients and occasionally q
regular. The regulars are mostly mel
who come to fish and kill time There
are good trout in the tamarack swamp
brook, but it's a pesky hole. That man
you saw is a regular. He has been
here u week."
81 can hardly say saw him. Every
thing was done so quickly. I'm quite
dry now, and SO is Dot. Your husband
doesn't appear to approve Of automo-
biles," this last sentence with an ag-
grieved intonation.
He doesn'tr' exclaimed Mrs. Ladd
rather warmly. Jason is good natur-
ed about most other things, but after
poor old thing; he was only gnawing
a bone in the road Jason swore an
oath never to let a car stop overnight
again. SO he boarded up the shed.
My, the way some of these people
whiz along Il country road is fearful!
Your supper is most ready, Mrs. Dix
on. take it you are a widow woman,
because
YES, I've been widowed for five
years" Lois interrupted. I'VE were
simply taking short pleasure drive.
A slight accident delayed us for an
hour. else we should be at home by
this time. We We're making for Jep-
worth, where l have sister,"
81 see" Mrs. Ladd began to place
dishes. Il sort of wondered"
"A friend of mine and his brother,
besides the chauffeur" explained Lois,
a trife. at did seem queer
that l was left so uaceremoniously to
the care of strangers, but I can look
out for myself, and l always go pre-
pared for emergencies. Still l should
have thought
ooh, it's the machine every time"
laughed the old woman. "M1en seem to
forget. What with their v-Tangling and
hurry for cover, you and Dotty were
better out of it."
Apparently" Mrs Dixons tone was