The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-01-21
An Ill
q, Wind


caped taking off the wheel of a very
smartly rigged Stanhope, and the
pretty women in it had sent look
Of resentment and disgust deep into
poor Billy's susceptible eyes, he
spoke irritably as they sped past.
II wish to heaven, Julia, you
would be more careful. That's the
seventh time this afternoon we've es-
capped a mix-up. Let me run her
now, that's a good girl"
His cousin shut her lips firmly.
''If you are going to develop nerves,
Billy, you can get out, you know. l
may be n greenhorn, but I'm game
for any amount of this business. Do
we turn Just ahead? l don't seem
to remember this road"
"Yes, we turn-on one wheel,
probably" retorted the perturbed
Billy, savagely. mo stunts now.
Shut her down, l sayl There's the
deuce Of hill, Julia"
Soon afterward he sat up In the
dusty grass of the roadside and gazed
vaguely about him. Presently he
became conscious OF q peculiar OBJ
ject on which his hand rested. He
looked down. A roasted chicken,
plump, Drowned to turn, mo' his
astonished gaze. A bottle OF cham
payne, broken. alas! lay near, its
golden nectar wasted on insensate
I,
to his feet, and then he sat down
again suddenly. A big red car stood
In the otherwise deserted road. Red,
Poor Billy pressed his hands over
his traitor eyes. Red! The Meteor
was yellow--he could swear to It,
Yellow was Julia's color, Julia?
When-where-
He got up quickly. anxiously.
That reckless girl All. there she
wasn't!
A young woman IN a torn coat Of
pongee sat calmly on the wall be-
hind him, arranging her sunny hair
in the indescribable fashion peculiar
to all pretty women. She met his
Come around, haven't your" she
said with a nod of her charming
nead. Il thought you would. You
began to groan when I poured the
champagne over you, but really there
wasn't anything else could do for
you. On the whole I think we've
como of rather luckily. don't your"
Biliy's head whirled. Who was
his nochalant young person who
safd I'VE" SO calmly to an utter
,tranger, and who seemed oblivious
o the existence Of Julia?
Would you mind telling me what
aas become Of Julia {. he faltered,
lold his acheing head. Something
aas happened l think. Is she-bad-
= hurt?"
II was the young woman's turn to
tart. and she did SO, thoroughly.
Julia? What do you mean? I
'on't remember a thing after I
'creamed, when l saw that big yell
ow streak bearing down upon u.s.
'ntil found myself in these bushes
nd you unconscious on the grass.
Yho is JuAa?"
Mr.. Billy Brooks staggered to a
e eat on the wall. The girl was
rowning at the rents In her long
oat.
Look at EN-" she mourned.
Even If our car isn't past patching
p, I'm wreck. l can't possobly
ace Mrs. Elliott and the rest in
his state. You see, lit right in
nose blackberry bushes. It was
wfully good Of you to offer to get
re there quickly, but, really, the
'7ain would have been less hard on
ay gown"
Mr.. Brooks murmured an apology
bsently, staring straight before
i'm! Mrs. Elliott! An addition to
Is circle OF acquaintances. Perhaps
.,ulia-Oar car! Our car!
your eyes aren't gray, and your
afr isn't curly-why I don't know
ou. don't" she said pitifully. Il
ever saw you in my life before
'hat-what has happened to us?
ou talk of Julia and-and"-
Why, cousin Julia and I we're
living half an hour ago in a yellow
sr-the Meteor. Julia and the car
EN- to have been translated and
,u're Mr.. Stewart. / am here, and
III are here, and a red car is here,
td-er-the remains of good
nch-not mine. My name is Will
IN Brooks. Can you throw any
;ht on this Chinese puzzle2"
II don't quite understand. ]
ought you were Mr.. Stewart or !
Why, this is Mr.. Stewards car! He
8 taking me over to Mrs. Elliott
rden party. And that big yellow
came roaring at us!
"When-when / crawled out OF
bushes and tried to pour the
ampagne down your throat.
ought what pigs these people were
keep right on and never stop to
III we were killed. And you are