New-York tribune., 1910-12-18

some distance OFT IN the trees mere a large
| blue touring car was le1surely rolling INTO
view, in charge of bareheaded man, fine
but bored appearing young viking, who was
| driving about alone.
Thurlev, watching felt a sudden splash of
| rain which brought her to her feet with quick
decision to move to better shelter; but the
shower broke almost instantly, quite TN
heralded, as if it had spilled through a sieve.
1t was one of those downpOurs. swift and
violent against which an umbrella is prac-
ticallv no protection. Thurley raised her
silken tent at once, however, and fled to the
base of a tree, still watching the car IN the
road.
The driver, she noted. was clean shaven.
broad shOuldered, and rr1ddy. He was OBJ
viously disturbed by the drenching of robe
in the rear of his car, and cast quick look
upward at the sky. Making mOmentary
squirt. as if to race and so abbreviate his dis
comfort or concern. he abruptly altered his
mind. halting the car not fifty feet from the
place where Thurley stood. Then attempt
ing to leap out hurriedly. over his levers and
the casing for extra tires, he was tripped and
thrown with exceptional violence, landing
face downward in the road with an arm
crumpled awkwardly beneath him.
THURLEY uttered a little cry, to see him
hand. She moved a few steps forward in the
| rain. He scrambled at once to his feet and
turned his face tensely drawn and excess
lively white, his left hand clinging to his linn
ber right wrist as he weakly reeled back
against the car
That the man was in agony was obvious
The eloquence of pain was in his poise. He
could barely stand. The rain beat down on
him savagely-
Out across the intervening space Thurlev
ran without a moments hesitation. Her
umbrella was raised and rain was bouncing
from its roof.
You're hurtl'' she said as she came to
the car. Perhaps there is something | can
do
The man had seen her coming He gazed
at her mutely for a moment, his lips COM
pressed with pain Its broken" he said,
my wrist
Thurley had come sufficiently close to hold
her umbrella above him. 1t had all been
done in obedience to something impulsive in
her nature. The man was suffering intensely.
She had utterly forgotten herself.
Tell me what to do" she said in her
earnest manner. Il know it pains YOU hor-
ribly What shall l do to heip?''
He tried to smile, then closed his ewes.
leaning heavily against the wheel, a muscle
tw1tchlng near his mouth. The rain entirely
ceased, as abruptly as it had come
| suppose III have to let some one drive
me home. he said, struggling with a CULVER
of pain in all his being; 'but / hardly like to
impose upon you, to ask you to look me up
a man.
Couldn't l drive YOU to the nearest re-
lief" asked Thurley simply. 1T might
take so long to find help"
He looked at her CuriOuSlv. His ewes de
spite his hurt. burned warmly. IN tribute TO
her beauty. He thought he had never in his
life beheld face so nearly divine. And in
deed as Thurley stood there by his car. un-
consciously sublimated by her sympathy.
she presented a vision that for sheer sweet
loneliness could scarcely have been matched
in all the world.
"You-drive? he said, with no attempt
to conceal an aStoniShed increduhty. Do
YOU mean that you could really take the
wheel?'
oh. yes. if you need me, need my help"
she answered readily. 1T can't be very far.
| m sure, 10 place where-where of course
YOU will do much better" She hestated.
looking at him gravelv. adding. Il couldn't