The Winslow mail., 1911-11-18
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Placing the
Responsibility


Chester AIbury Fletcher suadded
his coaster and patiently waited for
he old lady who was descending the
steep hill to reach the bottom
Chester did not like Old ladies--at
least when they were on the Gardner
street hill
Gardner street had gutter covers at
the street corners and one could coast
the whole three blocks Of the hill,
and run a ong on the level sidewalk
tor perhaps another block. The Red
Racer could go further than any
other coaster when the axles were
creased (Which was whenever Ches,
ter could find a wagon and no driver
watching.
Mrs. Halsey finally reached the bot
tom of the hill and turned into Sut
Ton street, so with a whoop Gees er
rev up his feet and the Red Racer
was off. The coaster gained speed
With every revolution of the wheels
was tearing along finely. Chester had
'ately encountered coal wagon
freshly greas and the axes OF his
own wagon were now well supplied.
He yelled a warning as he neared
he corner of Sutton street. Ben
Travis was crossing the street in a
trangely absent minded manner. He
did not seem to hear the shouts nor
the rattle of the wheels and Chester
icing but eight and yet to experience
his own first touch of the master pas
ion, could not know that Elsie Bay
ard, coming along Sutton street in the
opposite direction, was responsible
tor Ben's abstraction
1t is rather embarrassing to come
face to face with girl who only the
night before has passionately declared
that she never wants to see you
again. Travis was wondering
whether to bow or to act as though
he had never seen Elsie before. In
he face of such an absorbing prob
EN- it was not strange that he should
not hear the coaster.
Elsie herself was equally engaged in
trying to decide whether she would
bow coldly if Ben did bow and so it
happened that, unconscious of the rat
lie of the wheels, she stepped almost
directly in the path of the speeding
coaster.
With a quick twist of the wheels
Chester essayed to pass between the
two He could have made it had not
Ben sprung forward to push Elsie out
of the way and had come himself di-
rectly in the path of the machine.
There was crash, cry and Ches-
ter rolled over into the gutter while
Ben lay still and white at Elsie's feet
Unmindful of her dainty dress, Elsie
threw herself upon her knees beside
the unconscious man. A little crowd
soon gathered and proffered aid. One
brought a glass of water and with this
Elsie restored Ben to consciousness
and assisted him into the drug store
on the corner. He had been badly
shaken up, but Elsies ministrations
we're more potent than the stimulant
that the druggist proffred, and pres
emily he rose weakly to his feet and
announced his ability to get home un'
assisted.
81 am going with you," declared Ell
sic. You are not fit to go by your
self"
DO not trouble" urged Ben, though
his eyes twinkled. you have done far
i0h To
from a stranger
DON'T" cried Elsie with a little
shudder 81 was thinking of that when
YOU Law there so still and white. Had
you died | never could have forgiven
myself"
"Then you mean-?" questioned
Ben.
81 mean that | am sorry for last
uight," she confessed. But if it had
not been for the accident should not
have realized it."
Funny l didn't hear the cart com
ing. I saw you and | was wondering
whether you would recognize me-
81 was wondering if you would
low" admitted Elsie. Then the first
thing that | knew the cart was com
ing toward me and you sprang to
save me and got hurt yourself. That
Fletcher boy ought to be given good
spanking"
ITO the contrary" demurred Ben, Il
think that we owe him great deal.
wonder what became Of him."
There's the cart" suggested Elsie.
pointing to a battered wheel and
splintered plank by the roadway
Behind the tree they discovered
Chester, bravely blinking back the
tears as he regarded the remnants OF
his once cherished possession.
What did you jump that way for?'
he demanded of Ben, as he looked up
to encounter Travis gaze. 81 could
have steered between you easy as
not"
But we didn't want anything to
come between U.s." explained Travis
with the twinkle in his eye.
QUO uac irving To save me from he