The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-11-18
CHAPTER V.-cOntlnusd.

why. that's too badl" said m,
wife sincerely, though somewhat SUI
prisedly. I'm awfully sorry. dea
child. and we shall miss you, o
course. But you mustn't think o
going II your head aches. Go up
stairs and lie down a while, VIII
don't you, and I'll have some tel
sent up 70 you. It's awfully gooC
for headache" And she spoke t
the footman who waited at the dool
Of the automobile.
Il Will, thanks. Sorry to miss the
trip" replied the girl You're an
angel, Agatha!" And with another
farewell word or two we left her anC
had started on our way to Northbury
And now comes the very strangest
part of this rather strange or at least
unusual attempt to make a match and
win fortune for a friend at one and
he same time on the part Of Dearest
Ind myself. By Jove, it certainly
lid give me a start when / discovered
but this was the way 1t happened
not TO get ahead of my story.
We had made a pretty quick run
| to Northbury and had been
spectators at an exhibition OF some
rather fast cricket which l had been
pretty keen about. The two teams
had played even until the second half.
when Corcoran who was guarding the
wicket for the Lowshires-but don't
suppose the details Of the game are
Of very general interest, after all.
Odd thing. but I've never been able
TO make Dearest understand It at
ALL gave up trying years ago. It's
the only thing in the world we aren't
equally enthusiastic about. She won't
admit It, but sometimes I'm afraid it's
because she prefers the American
game of baseball! Fancy! But of
course IL she does it's all the fault
Of that American stepfather of hers
for bringing her up in the States. But
then, naturally he couldn't help
being an American try to remem-
Der that!
AS l was saying, however, we had
seen the match played to the end in
spite of the languid interest dis
played by the feminine members of
our party, and had lunched at the
Northbury inn, a jolly little den Of
a place, and at about half after two
were speeding towards home again.
Tho I'd
though there had been a good deal
Of rain lately, and the machine had
been running along so smoothly that
1t did my heart good to see her. We
had left the main road when we had
passed Wye village, for one that led
more directly to the castle, and had
slowed down as the road turned out
to be rougher than l thought-when
the worst happened. | was driving
myself, and in steering to clear
iutting tree l ran the big car straight
into the dickens Of a rut and our hind |
wheel went in to stay. l killed the |
engine at once and jumped out to |
see what was to be done, disgusted |
enough, can tell you, though Of
course couldn't possibly have known
the thing was so deep, for it was half
filed with water This short cut is
a favorite one of mine, though my
chauffeurs have often warned me
against taking big car through the
woods that cover Wyckoff rise at this
point The trees are SO thick and
the road so narrow.
The worst Of the business now, as
soon found out, was that there was
40 jack to be found in the cars kit
If tools with which to raise her, and
remembered with chagrin that |
lad taken it out myself in hunting
or something else and had left it in
he garage Even the satisfaction of
Flaming some one else was denied me
md looked at Peterson, the chauf-
eur in dismay.
whats to be DONE" l asked, but
eceived no help from that quarter,
'nly dismal shake of the head.
Nevertheless assistance | did re-
eive, though rather Unexpectedly.
The accident had occurred, as have
aid, in the middle of the woods Just
ghere two roads crossed, and stand
ng at the entrance to one of these
Dads l now observed a small boy, a
title freckle-faced village lad, who
tared at us as if he'd never seen an
before, and they're surely
ommon enough!
But it appeared that he had, for
rhen Freer remarked useIessly and
bviously for the third time, What ]
easily luck to have forgotten the
lck. Now if only it had happened
ut on the main road instead of in {
his shortcut, we would have stood |
chance of borrowing one from an |
5her carl" the little chap who was l
landing by, came forward and in t
,rmed us in a shrill childish pipe t
lat If 1t was another machine we c
anted he'd seen a big feller" come /
trough that same wood not min /
10 ago and 1t had stopped not far
way. And he pointed grimy thumb /
7er his shoulder toward the road I
Iat led to our left.