Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-12-12
The Proving.
By GRANT OWEN.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.
By GRANT OWEN.

Copyrighted, 1905. by Associated
Literary Press.
Il don't just know how to explain
It," said Margaret West.
She turned her eyes from the cool,
blue stretches of the lake and looked
thoughtfully at Graham who, perchcd
scntly pulling at the fingers of the
gauntlcts in his hands.
The young man stffened and a slow
smile, in which there was a hint of
grimness, curved the corners of his
mouth.
Il rather think | understand" he
said quietly. You are disappointed in
me Isn't that it,"
She was silent for a moment.
"Ycs, that is it, she said at length
anl at something in her voice his face
hardened.
Then you wanted me to enter that
road race Thursday?" he asked
Yes" she said simply.
"And because | WON'T
She turned to him quickly.
at isn't that I'm tremendously In
tereStel in that race" she Interrupted
him, nor that | care Il snap whether
or not YOU win it, The point ls-the
point is
She paused; her brows drew together
in a little froWn; her fingers toyed
nervously with a bit of wisteria she
had broken from the vine that cov
cred the porch.
Il wanted you to be in ito go over
the course. That would be sufficient"
she finished.
II see" he said. "You wanted me to
disproye these stories that are going
the rounds about my lack Of nerve. Is
that it,"
Yes" she said again.
He drew himself up. His shoulders
were squared. His attitude was that
Of Il man summoninG to his aid all his
moral courage.
The stories they have told you are
quite correct" he said, somewhat
huskily.
"Oh." she said and in her voice
there was something of pain and some
thing, too, of wearness, as if she had
been expecting this very thing and
yet was unwilling, even In her pre-
parcdncss, to hear it.
"They are perfectly right in what
they say of me-" he went on calmly.
Il have lost my nerve. There's moth
ing would tempt me to take up road
racing again
"NothingE" she questioned.
Nothing" he repeated incXorably.
Il am not in the habit of offering an
explanation nor any excuses for my
position in the matter. But | would
like You to know the circumstances.
Would YOU care to listen to them?"
"If you choose to tell me-" she said
duly.
You remember that race three years
ago over the Meadow island courseF'
said he "Wcl, it was then 1t hap
pencd. Stanley was with me. He and
| h%d a good lead. We We're tearing
past the curve at the old church, let
ting out the car for all there was in
her As we swung that turn l saw q
child Just in front of us not twenty
feet away, it seemed.
"IIow she got past the ropes that
held the crowd back | can't say, but
there she was right in the course and
l.ot a ghost of a show apparently of
escaping us. | don't know to this day
what saved her. | only know there
was n great gaSping sigh from Stanley
and a groan from the crowd. l tried to
swing out for her, but there was so
little time. Anyway, it was some sort
of Il special Providence that saved her.
We shot past her, so close that | shut
my eyes"
The girl saw a nervous trcmor shake
the big shoulders. Her eyes narrowed.
"But the child wasn't hurt, you say"
she asked.
Not in the least. But those few sec
onds were enough for me. | couldn't
stand them again. That is why l am
out of the gamc-a quitter, if you
choose to put it that way"
The girl said nothing. She sat look
ing out at the sparkling lake with trou-
blcd eyes.
At length Graham arose.
Il don't blame you In the least for
thinking of me as you do" said he,
nor for being disappointed. Goodhy."
He Slid from the rail and went down
/ the steps to the big road car standing
In the driveway. He had pulled on his
gauntlets and was just climbing into
the car when around the corner of the
| boathouse came a wild eyed, DISNEY
cled gardener from one of the houses
down the street.
"NIr Graham, sir" he painted, "will
you lie Gottin' the doctor, quick. Tim
Comlcys fell from the stagin on the
stables where they're paintin' an he's
| hurted bad, sir 'Tis dead he'll be in
ten minutes if the doctors not fetched
before that Hurry For Gods sake,
| hurry
IN have him here in five" Graham
called and opened up the big car.
1t sprang forward like a thing alive
and went tearing down the driveway
| IN a great cloud of dust.
Margaret, who had run to the edge
Of the vcranda, saw him swing into
the roadway beyond and the drifting
dust which rose high above the poplars
told of the terrific pace he was setting.
1t was four minutes later, after a
nervous pacing of the veranda, that