The Democratic advocate., 1909-06-25
THE GIRL WHO DARED
A Wild Ride and What Happened
to the cuIprit.
By AMELlE Delaney.

country residence. but absence and
rush Of orders had prevented her
nephew. Gordon Gordon, from running
down and taking the work in hand.
Finally he appeared In his auto.
driven by himself, and the machine
was left at the gate. 1t had rested
there less than half an hour when.
along came three young ladies with
fish poles on their shoulders and one
poor little fish to show that they had
not visited the lake in vain that fore
noon.
The sight Of an auto was more
familiar to them than that Of car
riage. They were residents OF the city
and friends at home and were sum-
mering at good Aunt Mary's boarding
house. a quarter of a mile away.
IAN autor' they cried In chorus as
they came to halt
"And the owner is La the housep
"And we can take ride without his
knowing itT'
Eyes, but none Of US can run It."
"Girls," said Miss Dorothy Flint,
with whom this story has mostly to
do, Il have ridden In autos so many
times that l believe / could run one.
Yes, know could. It's just like
steering a boat after you get started.
believe you turn the crank In front
first. That ignites the spark or some
thing. Then. after you get in, you pull
this lever back. and away she goes. I
think the auto belongs to a doctor.
Doctors are always good hearted men.
and I'm sure this one won't begrudge
us little spin. Get in"
But the command was in vain. They
hadn't confidence In her experience
and skill as a chauffeur. II she could
run an auto. why not drive the ma
chine to the lake and back? She hesi.
tated and was jeered at. She made as
IL to turn away and was dared"
Perhaps Miss Dorothy's grandfather
was one Of those who fell at Lexington
or lay wounded on the field OF Bunker
Hill. At any rate. the dare" had
hardly been dared when she was at
the crank, and as soon as the whizzing
noise came 10 prove that the dead ma.
chine had come 10 life she climbed in
and gave IL stnrt
She went or with a whew and had
not covered n hundred feet when she
wished she bad not gone at all But 81
was too late. There were a dozen "Ob.
mysw behind her, and she forgot ev-
erything but holding the wheel with n
grip of death.
II she had ever heard that an auto
could be stopped she forgot il now. II
YVES hard. wide road, and she was
out of sight In three minutes.
The other two girls stood there with
mouths and eyes wide open and feel.
ing helpless even to scream out when
young man came down from tho
house. raised his hat, looked around
and inquired somewhat anxiously:
Have you seen stray auto round
hereY
ITS run away" answered one after
a moment
with a g-gurl," added the other az
the tears came TO her eyes.
What. Do you mean that some glrl
is driving my auto up or down tha
highway without my permission?"
'Y-yesr'
And who is she. may inquirer
"a Miss Flint"
"Well. Miss Flint has nerve. Is she
used to driving autosr'
We've guess so. but she seemed
scared when she started or. won'i
you run after her. sirp You see, we
dared her to-"
"And she wouldn't take a dare
Well, there's $4,000 auto gone tc
wreck and girl lying somewhere be
side the road with a broken neck
Run after her! Why. she may be az
teen miles away by this timel How
could she be so foolishr'
"But II she is d-dead, sir, some one
must bring home her--her mangied no
mainsF' said one of the girls as both
broke down and wept.
"Weil, believe there's a saddl,
horse In the stable, and I'll set out IL
pursuit Young ladies, let this be {
solemn warning to yon-very solemn
He was i young man of two ol
three and twenty and did not look {
bit like doctor Besides, he was moi
n stranger to the house from which hs
had emerged. He tried to look very
dignifed and serious as he uttered his
warning, but it was failure. Any
young man of that age would have
made failure of It.
Even though the girls were tearfu
and anxious as they walked along
home they agreed titteringiy that hC
didn't look bit solemn.
He brought out the horse as soon al
possible and galloped away. but at the
lake the highway forked, There wer,
three diyergIng roads. and he mus
and did take his chance Of hitting tn,
right one. He had galloped down the
a left hand one for three miles before {
farmer replied to his hail:
"No; haven't seen no gal scootin
by here in an auto at fifty miles an
hour IL had / should have flung /,
rock after her. Beats all how differen
the gals OF this age are from those o.
forty years ago. Why. when my wifi
was d gal"-
But the pursuer waited to hear NJ
more. He returned to the lake and
finding the right hand road littl'
better than the middle one, took l
and galloped ahead. When he had gon'
a distance Of two miles he drew re!I
to speak to farmers wife weedini
a flower bed in the front yard.
"A gal and an auto. eh?" she cue
ried. mo; don't think Tvs seen 'em
Might have seen 'em, but IL so II hal
slipped my mind. What was the colol
of the gals hairw