The San Francisco call., 1910-04-10

ST BLURRED fash of red shot against brown
I 4 cloud and short, brass throated shrek shat
3 tered the peaceful burr of the motors. With
out conscious nervous direction Carter whirled
his wheel around with pull that partly lifted him
from his seat There was a shock, something like
ar I'll euwrapping electric battery that seemed to
touch every inch of his body-and he was floating
away on the drift clouds OF dreams.
Il was very pleasant, there in the upper spaces
where he seemed to have lost all gross weight, a
dancing, irresponsible speck in the void. When he
began 10 feel himself drawn earthward with return
ing sense Of identity and pain he developed vague
resentment And so II was that he looked out with
extreme disfavor upon the world few moments later
when his eyes opened. 1t did not tend to improve
his state OF mind when he became that his view
was somewhat imperfect owing rough rubber
tire that pressed persstenty upon the bridge of his
nose.
Hello" he remarked suddenly.
We'll what of it," answered heavy voice, some
where behind him. Carter blnked at the tire and
reflected. There was certainly nothing "of it far
as he knew. Really, the question quite imperti-
nent He had framed precise answer to that effect
when the voice broke with very matter of fact
groan, followed by very earthly and pro-
fanitv Carter suddenly felt that his legs were ach-
ing duly
When he tried to move them they seemed to have
lost the habit OF obedience Under the stimulus of
the rapid and expressive monoogue from the strange
voice he cautiously tried his arms, one after the
other. He was relieved to find that they moved
The tire annoyed him and catching at If he shifted
his head TO one side
What he saw was a ground level vision of wreck
age-wreckage complete disastrous and convincing.
He could identify every fragment he saw as a former
part of his yellow and he remembered,
finally. that something had happened He recalled
that for half an hour he had been climbing long,
.f,,.
high speed and that there had been a crash. He
unable to look behind him, where the voice con
trued its stream OF calm invectve unwavering and
unchecked Carter listened in grudging admiration.
That's all very we,' he interrupted presently.
But I should appreciate it if you'd kindly lift
the edge OF the tonneau off my legs"
q viii with pleasure" came the answer, ii you'll
remove the whole BANKED machine from my right
shoulder"
"Our staying powers seem to be about equal"
observed the Virginian, still little light headed
There was another period of silence. The stranger
had pretermitted his lone commentary and was en-
gagged in some kind of scufaing struggle Then
voice intruded, treble prattle, and strange
picture presented to the PROSTATE and aston
ished Carter. A moved into view smeared,
ragged, torn and dusty. One sleeve of a heavy au-
tomobe coat and its adjoining half of garment
Gagged about him grotesquely. And in his left arm
lie carried the dantiest, brightest and happiest OF
mites, baby girl not years old
It evident that the child had been in the acci-
dent but by some miracle she had escaped without
a scratch a wrinkled rufle Her little black vel
vet coat and coquettish hood were dusty but whole
and her pretty face, framed in curly wisps bore no
traces of fear pain. She clung confidently about
the mans neck and laughed.
The Two Men
Where she?" asked Carter, smiling
"On the grass about 20 feet away chasing green
beetle" returned the man, with a grin. Carter did
not recognize him, but he was staring hard at the
Virginian.
DO ] or do l not observe the battered but still
heroic figure of R. Pendleton Carteret over there?"
he said presently.
The same" returned Carter, while the stranger
set the child on her feet and hauled him with some
difficulty by from under the wreck "But
you have the advantage of me-"
johnson Van Ness I've seen you at the Wam-
pun club This is my daughter We're staying at
hotel up in the hills beyond"
All commented Carter. He did not know the
name. The two inspected each other gravelv
the Nirginian sitting up the road He found that
he able to stand, though his legs beyond be-
ing numb and parayzed, appeared to have suffered
damage Van Ness, il appeared, was in worse
state with sprained shoulder and wrenched ankle
With a common impulse they looked at the ruined
machines The red had turned turtle and Law
with its four smashed wheels upted like ludicrous
malformed limbs. The body of the yellow racer had
been stripped cleany and the chassis was topped on
its side. balanced on its left side and wheels
Rather complete" said Carter.
Not quite. To complete it two blamed fools
ought to be awaiting burial instead of slow starva-
ton. Do you know that I'D the Blue