Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-29
or excla,ned the young man petu-

they did II they didn't take to the
fields. Think it's goin' to rain this
weekT
BY the time young Gordon had re-
turned to the lake his horse was in a |
lather. and he decided to go back to
his aunt's in the hope that the auto
might also have returned. His hope !
was vain. The horse was leg weary. /,
and the rider entered the house and |
called up farmer ON the middle road |
four miles away.
"a gal and an auto?" repeated the |
man at the other end of the line. You
bet your boots I've seen 'em! Went by |
here three hours ago like a whirlwind. |
Struck one of my hogs lynn in the
road and knocked him hundred feet.
Whew. but that old machine was Gid
in somer'
"And. the girl herself-did she seem
frightened|
scared most to death. guess. Her
eyes seemed to be hangin' out, and
maybe she was prayin'. She was hold
in the machine in the middle Of the
road, however. If she lives to get to
the Red bridge she'll be stopped there
by the constable He's stationed there
to look for speeders."
The girl who dared" lived to reach
the bridge. 1t was an act Of Provi-
dence. From the moment the auto got
its speed. which was thirty miles an
hour, she was dumb. frozen and help
less to do anything but hold the wheel.
She saw nothing but the white road
ahead of her. She passed vehicles and
overhauled others. but she was scarce
lys conscious of it. AS she approached
the bridge the strain was too much.
and her fingers unclutched from the
wheel. and the auto dashed it's way
through the roadside fence and came
to q standstill in a field. Then Miss
Flint tainted away.
When she came to her senses the
constable was sprinkling water in her
face and saying:
Come. now. none of your tricks with
me. You are just playing possum be-
cause I have caught you. It's case
for Squire Johnson. and shouldn't
wonder If you got jail for IT,"
"What-what are you going to do?"
asked the girl as she staggered to her
feet
"Put you in the village lookup and
notify the squire. of course. Take my
arm and come along The machine is
pretty we'll busted. and we can't use
it. Wonder it didn't blow up and
send you sky high Were you clipping
or something of that kind?''
IL was just taking a ride" was
The humble answer.
Just making the dirt fly thirty feet
/ high and soaring folks and horses half
to death. Well. the squire will be
tickled to see you. = He's been aching
for the last week to get hold of a
speeder and give him good dose of
county Jail. How dare you take the
chances how dare your!
Would you take dare from two
| girls?" asked the prisoner as she re-
leased her arm and faced him.
"No-o-o. l guess not"
well. l wouldn't. and so there! If
| they want to send me to Jail let 'em
| do it-'
She was taken to the office of the
| village justice of the peace and ar
raigned. On the way there the con-
stables heart melted. He saw that
| she had had bad scare. and he liked
her defiant spirit. Therefore. while he
had to make complaint against her.
he did not put the speed at thirty
miles an hour To this he added the
| statement that if the auto hadn't
struck stone in the road it would
| not have struck the fence.
| Then he turned and winked at the
| wondering, shivering girl to put, heart
In her.
| 1t may have been one Of his honor's
soft days. He delivered a lecture on
the rise and fall of the Roman empire
| or some other equally interesting sub
ject and concluded by suspending SEN
tence. Then the constable invited the
eX-prisoner home with him to dinner
and set about arranging to send her
back to her friends.
Evening had come. and she was
about ready to start when Gordon
came galfoping up. When he had in
troduced himself as the owner Of the
smashed auto he asked grimly:
"And who is to pay the $500 DAM
ages? And who is to pay for my trou.
BILE? Why. If the justice had known
all the circumstances he'd have sent
| you to jail for year,
"But the other girls dared me to do
itr protested the culprit. with trem-
bling lip.
SAY. young man." said the consta-
BILE as he drew Gordon aside. you just
get even by daring the gal to marry
| you. She amt the kind that takes a
dare. See? You can drive her back in
the buggy. and you just keep daring
her all the way. Lord. but I wish
was in your shoes.'
/ 1t was fine moonlight ride. 1t was
not too fast. The situation was a little
| strained ut first. but after awhile the
farmers heard laughter as the buggy
passed.
Perhaps there was one dare. perhaps
dozen. The society paper which an
nounced the engagement few months
l I-sx