The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-07-08
THE GIRL WHO DARED
A Wild Ride and What Happened
to the Culprit.
ey AMELIE Delaney.


copyright, 1909, by Associated Literary
Press
For six months the Widow Penrose
had been planning an addition to her
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
Door 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 a car
rage. 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.
IAN autor' they cried in chorus as
they came to a halt.
"And the owner is in the house"
"And we can take ride without his
knowing itp'
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 l believe l could run one.
Yes, l know i 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.
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. If she could
run an auto, why not drive the ma
chine to the lake and back?~ She hest
tated and was jeered at. She made as
if 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 a start.
She went off with a whew and had
not covered hundred feet when she
wished she had not gone at all. But it
was too late. There were a dozen ooh
mysv' 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. 1t
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
q young man came down from the
house, raised his hat, looked around
and inquired somewhat anxiously:
Have you seen a stray auto round
here"
tits 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 permission"
"Y-yesW
"And who is she. may / inquirer"
"a Miss Flint
"Well, Miss Flint has nerve. Is she
used to driving autos?
We've guess so, but she seemed
scared whe:l she started off, Won't
you run after her, sir? You see, we
dared her to-"
"And she wouldn't take a darei
Well, there's $4,000 auto gone te
wreck and girl lying somewhere be.
side the road with a broken neck
Run after her! Why, she may be ff
teen miles away by this time! How
could she be so foolishw
"But If she is d-dead, sir, some one
must bring home her-her mangled re.
mainsv' said one Of the girls as both
broke down and Wept.
"Well, I believe there's a saddle
horse In the stable, and I'll set out in
pursuit Young ladies, let this be a
solemn warning to you-very solemn"
He was a young man Of two or
three and twenty and did not look a
bit like a doctor. Besides, he was not
a stranger to the house from which he
had emerged. He tried to look very
warning, but it was failure. Any
young man Of that age would have
made failure of it.
Even though the girls were fearful
and anxious as they walked along
home they agreed titteringly that he
didn't look bit solemn.
He brought out the horse as soon as
possible and galloped 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 galloped down the
left hand one for three miles before a
farmer replied to his hail:
mo; haven't seen no gal scootin'
hour If had I should have flung
rock after her. Beats all how different
the gals Of this age are from those Of
forty years ago. Why, when my wife
was gall
But the pursuer waited to hear no