The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-10
THE GIRL Who DARED
A Wild Ride and What Happened
to the CuIprit.
BY AMELlE DELANCEY.

|
For six months the Widow Penrose
had been planning an addition TO her
country residence, but absence aud a
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 mile away.
"An auto" they cried in chorus as
they came to halt.
| f1llll llle "" III IbS iSu7S"
"And we can take ride without his
knowing it"'
Eyes. but none Of us can run it."
"Girls," said Miss Dorothy Flint
with whom this story has mostly to
| do, 81 have ridden in autos so many
times that | believe l coulG run one.
Yes, l know | could. It's just like
steering q 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.
think the auto belongs to 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 chauffeur. If she could
run an auto, why not drive the ma
chine 10 the lake and back? She hesl-
tatcd and was jcered at. She made az
II 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 to prove that the dead ma
! chine had come to life she climbed In
| and gave it start.
She went off with q whew and had
not covered 4 hundred feet when she
wished she had not gone at all. But II
was too late There were a dozen "Oh.
mys!" behind her, and she forgot ev-
erything but holding the wheel with a
grip Of death.
If she had ever heard that an auto
could be stopped she forgot it now. It
was 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
a young man came down from the
house, raised his hat, looked around
and inquired somewhat anXiously:
Have you seen a stray auto round
here?'
ITS run away" answered one after
a moment.
with a g-gurl,' added the other as
the tears came to her eyes.
What! Do you mean that some girl
is driving my auto up or down the
highway without my permlssion:"
Yves"
"And who Is she. may inquirer
"a Miss Flint"
"Wel. Miss Flint has nerve. Is she
used to driving autos?"
We've guess so. but she seemed
scared when she started off. Won't
you run after her, sir? You see, we
dared her to-"
And she wouldn't take dare
Well, there's a $4,000 auto gone to
wreck and a girl lying somewhere be-
side the road with broken neck.
Run after her! Why, she may be IF
teen miles away by this time! How
could she be SO foolish"
But If she is d-dead. sir. some one
must bring home her-her mangled re-
mainsr said one Of the girls as both
broke down and wept.
"Well. | believe there's saddle
horse in the stable, and I'll set out in
pursuit. Young ladies', let this be q
solemn warning TO you-very solemn
Ho was young man of two or
three and twenty and did not look q
bit like a DOCTOR Besides. lie was not
a stranger TO the house from which he
| had emerged. he tried to look very
dignified and serious as he uttered his
warning, but 1t was u failure. ANY
young man Of that age would have
made failure Of 1t.
Even though the girls were fearful
and anxious as they walked along
home they agreed titteringly that he
didn't look d bit solemn.
lie brought out the horse as soon as
| possible and gallopcd away, but at the
lake the highway forked. There were
three diverging roads. and he must
and did take his chance OF hitting the
right one He had gallopcd down the
| left hand one for three miles before Il
GARNER replied to his hail:
NO haven't seen no gal srootln'
by here in an auto at fifty miles an
| hour. If had | should have flung Il
rock after her Beats ell how different
the gals OF this age are from those of
forty veora uro N'hy when NV wife