The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-16
THE EVENING STORY
The Proving.
lBy Grant Owen.1

oonc Just know. how to exnlain n ;,
said Margaret West.
Sne turned her eyes from +he 600,
Diue stretches of the lake and loolad
t"ouehtrully at Graham, who. percbad
On the rail OF the boathouse was a.
sentIy pulling at the fingers OF tho
gauntlets in his hands.
? Inc young man stiffened. and a s,ow
smile In which there was n hin, of
grimness, curved the corners OF hi.
mouth Ok MS
rather think understand /" he sa;a
Isn't that it?'' poiheeo IN me.
She was silent for a monen,
es. that is it, she said at Length
hardened Ais lace
Then you wanted me 10 en,ar th.,
roa1 race Thursday?" he asked.
YES" she said simply.
And because I WON'T"
Sne turned to him quickly.
ISM tnat I'm tremendously in
.eEesteo IN that race" she interrupted
MIN, nor that care a snaD whether
or not you win it. The point is-the
She paused: her brows drew together
IN little frown; her fingers toyed ner-
vous!y with 4 bit of wistaria She had
broken from the vine that covered the
porch. Gu the
Il wanted you to be in ito go over
she finished
II See" he said. You wanted me to
olsproVe these stories, that are going
that it?' - -
Yes" she said again.
He drew himself up. His shoulders
We're squared. His attitude was that
q n CITr Nw1Hw -.
moral courage.
The stories they have told you are
quite correct" he said somewhat husk-
lily.
Oh she said. and in her voice there
was something of pain and something
TOO, or WEAKNESS, as If she had been
expecting this very thing, and yet was
unwilling, even in her preparedness, to
hear it.
They are perfectly right in what
tney 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.
Il am not in the habit of offering an
position in the matter. But 1 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
pened. Stanley was with me. He and
1 had good lead. We were tearing
past the curve at the old church-let-
ing out the car for all there was in her.
As we swung that turn I 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, 1 can't say; but
there she was right in the course and
not a ghost of a show, apparently, of
escaping US. I don't know to this day
what saved her. / only know there
was a 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 a special Providence that saved her.
We shot past her, so close that I shut
my eyes,
The girl saw a nervous tremor shake
the big shoulders. Her eyes narrowed.
But the child wasn't hurt, you
say?" she asked.
mot in the least. But those few
seconds were enough for me. couldn't
out of the game-a gutter, if you
choose to put it that way
The girl said nothing. She sat look
ing out at the sparkling lake with
troubled 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. Good
by"
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
a wild eyed diSh6Val-
ed gardener from one of the houses
down the street.
"Mr. Graham, SIR" he painted, "will
you be gettin' the doctor, quick. Tim
Conley's fell from the stagin' on the
stables where they're paintin' an he's
ten minutes if the doctors not fetched
before that. Hurry! for Gods sake
hurryi'
"I'll 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 great cloud of dust.
Margaret who had run to the edge
of the veranda saw him swing into the
roadway beyond. and drifting dust
which rose high above the poplars
told of the terrific pace he was setting.
1t was four minutes later, after ner-
vous pacing Of the veranda, that she
heard the whir of the approaching
car gain. She ran down the steps and /
hurried along the drive to the road
way. Up the hill, with honking horn,
came a dull, black streak. She could
see Graham bending low over the
steering wheel, and the doctor, hat
less and begrimmed with dust. cling
ing desperately to the seat beside him.
Then out of the cross road just be-
low where she stood, and directly in
the path of the oncoming cyclone, |
came rafting farm wagon driven Dy
old Mrs. Clark. who was as deaf as a !
post, The girl covered her eyes and !
screamed. There was wild yeli' the |
sound of splintered wood and terrific |
grinding crash.