The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-21

are the rese for me, sure. Ted, You
must say you win marry me this
! tlme," no ended. with an ar OF dcs'
| peratlOn, "or rll'.--
! The threat was not completed IN
I She eGneSncss Of his plea rerclyalt
I had forgotten that he was running an
\ automobile for the first time In bis
life. They were now going at . ire,
mendous speed and every instant gath,
erlng momentum, Edmonla grlppetl
his arm as they lurched aEodnd :
curve and bounced over q culyerL
"lIang ong' yelled rerclvaie as they
approached a slight descent In his
elensy Efforts to control the machine
be Inadvertently put ON more speed
.What are you dolngy' screamed
Edmonia, stop Why. you arc run.
ming away with met' she laughed
tremulously.
"why notY he shouted wildly, au
abe thought, recklesaly, The idea Of
stopping was a delectahle one now 60
Percivale, but one which he felt that
he must abandon.
The roadsldes OF tlreweed and gold
enrod aew BY like a track Of fame
Hens tapped from under HIS wheels
as they passed farmhouses at a rate
Of speed that made tho occupants rush
out ot doors 10 stare after them. Out.
ragged cries followed them whom a
barking dog was not quick enough to
elude those blurrlng wheels and with
yelp of pain rolled over and over
into the ditch. Three horses batting
By the roadside IN front oe another
house stampeded as they whlued by
and raced them out OF sight
Edmonia now tried to expostulate
with her mad cavalier. But Pcrclyale
said nothing 70 her almost fearful ap.
peals, Hls whole attention was con.
eentrated on keeping the thing within
the limits of the road.
"Reats Lochlnvarg be yelled breath.
lessly as they graEed a watering tub,
Edmonla mo0ned. "You are craayl'
she cried. "I.et's so home! Oh, take
me homer she commanded him.
"Homel" rcrcivale ground the word
passionately between his teeth. "You
WIN be lucky II you ever see home
again. We shall never stopr Hut
even as he spoke he felt something re.
spoud to his cropping fingers. Tho ma.
chine was obeying his controlling hand.
Joy and a relief that rolled over him
like a wave made him shout aloud.
EdmonIa received this new demon
stration us the exultation Of captor
and commanded and impiorcd by turn.
But be did not at once diminish hla
speed. He knew now that Edmonia
had not realized his impotence. He
put the machine at a hiii and plunged
down the olher side. Edmonia was
clinging to him with wild promises,
He brought the car carefully % n
stnndstill and climbed painfully to the
ground. Ednonla was sohbing into
her handkerchief. he hoped be was
accepting the role Of victorious knight
modestly but the iron was hoti
Tied" he cried, you've got to keep
your promise, you know. I'm not much
OF a knight and don't know how 10
rum
His nnsuspected confession was IN.
terrupted for the second time ~ she
suddenly, to his astonishment, smiled
up at him through her tears.
II never was driven like that In my
hfe" she remarked. with pride. "But
-but let's 90 home in n buggyF'
''Not until we're married" said Per.
civale firmly.
Edmonia refused TO continue IN the
car. however, 80 they walked on to the
nearest town, where the minister's fee
was the first Of a series OF more mum
dane charges which punctuated their
homeward journey In the buggy.
But in his new Joy. which was only
enhanced by pecuniary interludes With
the wrathful owners Of slaughtered
hens, the fearful mistress Of an injured
dog and damages due to the recovery
OF errant horses, PercIvale made II a
triumpha journey.