The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-11-20
y GRANT OWEN.

Il don't just know how 10 explain
Il, said Margaret West.
She turned her eyes from the cool.
blue stretches OF the lake and looked
thopghtfully at Graham. who, perched
on the rail Of the boathouse. was alb
sently pulling at the fingers Of the
gauntlets In his handa
The young man stifrenad, and q slow
smile. In which there was q hint OF
grimness curved the corners Of his
mouth.
Il rather think I understand" be
said quietly. You are disappointed in
me. Isn't that lti"
She was silent for a moment
Yes, that is IT." she said at length.
and at something In her voice his face
hardened.
'Then you wanted me to enter that
road race ThursdayT' he asked.
"Yes." she said simply.
@And because | WON'T
She turned to him quickly.
1T isn't that I'm Tremendously In
tersstsd IN that race" she interrupted
him, NOR that | cara q snap WHISTLER
or not jon win It Ths point is--ths
point is''-
She paused; her brows drew together
In & little frown; her Angsra toyed
nervously with a bit Of wistsEia she
had broken from the vine that COW
cred the porch.
4 wanted you to bs In ito 90 over
the course. That would be sufficient"
she finished.
Il SEE" be said. "You wanted me to
dIsprove these stories that are going
the rounds about my lack Of nerve. Is
that itT'
Yea" she said again.
He drew himself up. His shoulders
were squared. His attitude was that
Of q man summonlng to his aid all his
moral courage.
The stories they have told you are
quite correct" be said, somewhat
huskily.
"ohF' she said, and In her voice
there was something Of pain and some
thing. too, Of weariness, as II she had
been expecting this very thing and
yet was unwilling, even in her pre-
paredness, TO hear It.
'sThey 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"
''Nothing" she questioned.
Nothing" he repeated inexorably.
II am not in the habit Of offering an
explanation nor any excuses for my
position in the matter But / would
Ike you to know the circumstances.
Would you care TO listen to themr
"If yOu choose to tell me-" she said
duly.
you remember that race three years
ago over the Meadow island courseT
said he. "Well, it was then it hap
pened. Stanley was with me. he and
| hsd 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 saw a
child Just in front Of US not twenty
feet away. 1t seemed.
How she got past the ropes that
held the crowd back l 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. only know there
was a great gasping sigh from Stanley
and groan from the crowd. / tried to
swing out for her, but there was 50
little time. Anyway, 1t was some sort
Of a special Providence that saved her.
We shot past her, 50 close that l shut
my eyes"
The girl saw a nervous tremor shake
the 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. / couldn't
stand them again. That is why am
out Of the game--a gutter, If you
choose to put II that way"
The girl said nothing. She sat look.
Ing out at the sparkling lake with trou-
bled eyes.
At length Graham arose.
II don't blame you in the least for
thinking Of me as you DO" said he,
'.nor for being disappointed. GOodby.
he slid from the rail and went down
the steps to the big road car standing
in the driveway. He had pulled on bis
gauntlets and was inst climbing tnFl
rsss