The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1909-10-29
OPEN
THROTTLE

L
Tor 2 few miles. along broad high
way, ride stoaid men on bicycles OF
one pattern. leaving houses. crcsa-
roads. and danger-triansles wen be-
hind, until
Here we are. George" says the
leader. sergeant Of police. He ttops
half way between the milestones on
clean, open stretch. with slight but
enticing slope.
They dismount. Behind q neatly ar
ranged furze bush George takes his
cycle. himself, stopwatch. and a white
scarf. He Is going to time the motors
'in."
A furlong from here the sergeant
iinds snug place In similar fas lion,
with stopwatch and signal scarf also,
while the third man tramps bg X Er
another hundred yards and hidcs tie
glory Of his uniform from the vulgar
gaze even more effectually than tie
others for they must see the o d
while he need only watch them.
Thus the trap In set.
Patiently they hide, scannir., tie
road through peepholes In the furae
then:
Pipi Pip-pip! Pip. Now, George,
steady for The first catch. The r
| geant crouches down. watches fsr
Georges signal.
Nearer, nearer; fifteen, sixteen. sew
enteen, eighteen, elk. wave-wase
again and shout. Thus the sergeant
10 the man in blue. whereat the in
congruity OF q helmeted policemen
doing semaphore drill darkens a patch
or light brown road q hundreds yards
ahead.
Driver slows up, switches Off. sod
stops, fidgets, and goes cold down ..e
back. He is trapped Nov, why u,
Silence, please! Wait for the cor-
geant. He'll be here in a minute"
The sergeant arrives. followed so -
after by George. And the game Is
played right out while the mo; or
stands like a naughty schoolgirl
License, please. Name and addr IS.
You covered measured furlong g.
is seconds. That's equal TO 25 miles
an hour. Here's your notice. Nh
say? Got a speedometer; car cant Go
1t? No good. They all say that 70
cne gets of at Kingsworth. Better Get
Your money ready. Pass aiolg!"
Now, George. back to your fu~-e
bush, and you, too" says the sergeAt
Well soon get another"
Pip! Flutter, futter, pip; and the
noise of straiping engine. .I cay,
hurry, hurry: Another car
But not a victim yet, for this ore
tolls up the slope, entering the trap
at the wrong end. Nothing for timers
q 90 but hide
Ge1rga peeps recognizes the driver
Hnd ools wOr~.ed
Thought ( auew tt beat c5 mar
engine d. blake our Goy -or max
IaE his reN twelve sweat too md
GEMS upset Wouoor where he's 20
ing. Not to our village. thank good
ness, but Hilford way. Wonder how
little Jenny's throat is? Wonder if
"Oh, my God!'
Poor Genrge has hit II Poor Can-ee
! is only policeman, with neither time
l nor power to study telepathy-with a
L whole heart full of love for wife and
tiny daughter. Ether-waves as yet un-
l harnessed by Marconi are driving 1t
in upon his clouded brain that the doc
| tors flight is somewhat connected
with him and his.
No time, down again. A distant
murmur. Flut-fut-fi -fiutter-dutter-
1 Why, that sounds like 1t is the
| doctors car returning, and pelting
| along "all out" "Now,if only George
Is smart we'll have Mr.. Doctor on
| toast. If only George is smart"
| There is a new song in those two
| cylinders, going for all they are worth.
| Only George can understand 1t, and
the song is, "Jenny-poor wee Jenny.
Don't stop us; we're racing to your
kiddy!"
| Doctor in sight, with a passenger;
sharp, closely shaven face, and steady,
competent eyes. Now, George" NUT
ters the sergeant, to space in general
signal! signal! Why don't you signaly
Thunder! It's too late. They're
through.
The tarnation fool What the"
The sergeant, awful in his wrath,
stumbles cursing through the furze.
inventing fresh epithets for George at
every step. ''You-you silly darne1
- -" Then stops in sheer aston
ishment for George is still staring
stCnily through his gap, crushing his
signal-scarf into ball as though il
might futter in spite of him, and tor
turing the spring of his stop watch
beyond all practical use.
Couldn't help it, sergeant. Took bad
all OF sudden-mortsl bad"
Evening in summer, and in Surrey.
The village is quiet, though populous
People stand looking curiously at one
door in particular, painted white. and
with small sign, County Police"
Outside 1t the two cylinders of the
doctors car whisper to each other.
while the owner talks cherily to q
wet-eyed woman.
She'll do famously now, and you'll