The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-10-02
The Proving.
By GRANT OWEN
.,od 1905. by Associated
COpyfs literary Press.

,sptIy pulling at the nnsef' "
' spDt in his hands: ..,,-.
sI sDs Young man stiffened, and a slow
"a. ill., in which there was hint Of
sni'' .s curved the corners Of his
mouth rndorS+andn be
.nietlv, You are disappointed In
Mo Isn't that it,!
D Oh. was silent for a moment
S Tss that is it," she said at length,
md at something in her voice his race
hardened. 49,.
.,,d race Thursday?' he asked.
NY IVES" she said simply.
a,nd because l WON'T
Che turned to him quickly.
~ isn't that I'm tremendously In
astod in that race" she interrupted
w., NOR that / care snap whether
D. MT YOU win it. The point is-the
point is .ox.+sor
:. little frown; her fingers toyed
=, ns,vously with a bit of wisteria she
md broken from the vine that COW
cred the porch
a. wanted you to be in ito so over
.to course. That would be sufficient"
she finished.
AZ see," he said "You wanted me to
diSrrove these stories that are going
tbo rounds about my lack Of nerve. Is
that it,"
yves" she said again.
He drew himself up. His shoulders
wore squared His attitude was that
If man summoning to his aid all his
moral courage.
"Tbe stories they have told you are
mire correct" he said, somewhat
huskily.
ooh" she said, and in her voice
there was something of pain and some
thing TOO. of WEAKNESS, as if she had
been expecting this very thing and
vel was unwilling, even in her pre-
paredness, to hear it.
"They are perfectly right in what
they say of me-" he went on calmly.
a have lost my nerve. There's moth
Inc would tempt me to take UP road
racing again"
"Nothing?" she questioned.
Nothing" he repeated inexorably.
a 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 course?'
said he well, it was then it hap
Iened. Stanley was with me. He and
hNl a good lead. We were tearing
past the curve at the old church, let.
ting out the car for all there was in
her. As We swung that turn 1 saw a
child just in front Of us not twenty
feet away it seemed.
How she got past the ropes that
held the crowd back I can't say, but
there she was right in the course and
not ghost Of show apparently of
escaping US. don't know to this day
what saved her l only know there
was great gasping sigh from Stanley
and groan from the crowd. 1 tried to
swing out for her, but there was so
little time, Anyway, it was some sort
Of special Providence that saved her.
We shot past her, so close that I shut
my eyes"
Ihe girl saw nervous tremor shake
lne big shoulders. Her eyes narrowed.
But the child wasn't hurt, you sayY'
she asked.
Not in the least But those few Sec
Onds were enough for ME. I couldn't
sand them again. That is why 1 am
out OF the game-a gutter, If you
moose to put it that way"
The girl said nothing. She sat look
ing out at the sparkling lake with trou-
bed eyes.
At length Graham arose.
i don't blame you in the least for
mlnklng Of me as you do" said he,
moi Tor being disappointed. Goodby."
lie Slid from the rail and went down
Ae steps to the big road car standing
u lhe driveway. He had pulled on his
sauhtlets and was just climbing into
,le car when around the corner Of the
%a!nouse came wild eyed, DISNEY
sieo gardener from one Of the houses
Gown the street.
MI Graham, sir" he painted, Twill
WV DC getdn' the doctor, quick! Tim
.OMleys fell from the stagin' on the
s' aoes where they're paintin' an he's
.ut'ed bad, sir. IT'S dead he'll be in
@a minutes If the doctors not fetched
hurry
o.u Il nave him here in five," Graham
'Iueu' and opened up the big car.
-, ~ spfang forward like a thing alive
W. h1u went tearing down the driveway
ua great cloud Of dust.
=. margaret, who had run to the edge
~ Tue veranda, saw him swing into
DIV. tOaaway beyond, and the drifting
t0 Is' winch rose high above the poplars
~ VI the terrific pace he was setting.
NM. was four minutes later. after a
pb m'UuS pacing Of the veranda, that
o.. neard the whir of the approaching
.na again. She ran down the steps
ra u hurried along the drive to the
bor u"ay. Up the hill, with honkins
con,s came a dull, black streak. She
WIZ see Graham bending low over
I've o steering wheel and the doctor, hat
DIS L.s ana begrimed with dust, clingine