The San Francisco call., 1910-01-16

The speedy machine ready for He could see
hear no one in the garage Apparently ST Geoffry
intended to run it himself, and therein the field
the clearer.
Putting aside caution and moving quickly into the
execution of the idea that taking detail in his
mind, he walked boldly about the building and
tered
Carter's knowledge OF automobiles, such it was.
had been gained through the few young about
town with whom he had taken trip now and then.
But it characteristic of him that during these
brief outings which had included breakdown or two,
he had absorbed much practical familiarity with ma
chimes He knew for thing that the road car car
ried pressure feed from the cylinder in the and
that thin connecting pipes vital to its life beneath
the tonneau, Just above the cylinder and under the
cape top steel trunk rack or platform. There
trunk upon it.
He needed wrench and he fumbled with unskilled
hands under the front seat until he had found
Then he turned off single electric light that swung
from the ceiling, curled himself best he could
the trunk rack and waited again in the darkness.
Another hour had passed and he had become pain
fully cramped before he heard steps Some closed
the rear door of the house and crunched along the
gravel Carter, pressing close in his narrow space
and making sure his hold felt rocking of the car
and suddenly the engine began its rapid pulse and
breath. SO sharply almost to wrench him loose
the automobile shot out of the garage upon the drive
1t stopped before the front entrance
Carter could nothing of what passed and
forced to be content with going the possible
suits of his ludicrous predicament should he have
failed in his understanding of who his fellow passen-
gers were to be and what their journey Voices
murmured and whispered hurriedly. There was the
jar of hasty mounting upon the running board, and
the machine started again with jerk. In flash 1t
had passed through the gates was in full career
westward along the road
Man at the Wheel
Almost choked with dust and gasoline fumes Car
clung to his precarious perch slipping from side
side and forced to grasp the of the folded
cape top above him for support. He saw that to
carry his plan it would be necessary change his
position Raising himself cautiously and bracing his
the bars of the trunk rack he peered the
top. He was relieved to find that the tonneau
empty. Dimly blotted against the sky he could make
two figures in the steering At the wheel side
the figure was plainly that of a man. filmy gray
of fdtterng drapery indicated that a woman was
his companion.
The railroad crossing had been reached and passed.
Trusting to the speed and the darkness to conceal
his movements Carter shifted his weight to the side
and by climbing the rear mud guard reached the
tonneau He moved into it cautiously lowering him
self first to the seat then to the floor Lifting the rub
Der mat he felt fo the loose boards on the bottom of
the
Carter had no means of knowing whether the in.
terruption of the gasoline supply after he had dis
connected the air pipe would the machine to
stop Immediately or within few lengths In fact
the automobile had made mile before there came
two sharp explosions from the engine and the
throbbing ceased. The at the wheel applied the
brakes instantly and as the came to halt at a