Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-10

together, dragging forth tools, Ringets
about by pushing, exclaiming sspectat
tors. they worked with quick precision.
wasting no time in speech. Dust
wrapped, j two big cars sped by them,
the red one hanging doggedly at thu
flank of the white.
George thinks he's winnin'," lisped
Floyd mockingly. But he isn't goin'
to; we are"
Stanton was on his feet again.
I'm with the TOOLS" he directed, with
brevity
But the blue-black eyes and the gray
exchanged one smiling glance before
the Mercury sprang forward.
The race began it's third hour, al
Stanton started out to regain his lost
lead. It was noon, dazzling. breaths
less noon of azure and gold. Down past
the grand stand with It's heaving ex.
panse Of color and movement they
swept again, the joyous applause cons
ing to them across the roar Of their
own motor. and on between the walls
of people into the quieter stretch In
pursuit of their rivals.
There was bridge, back there.
across a shallow running brook shut
in by a strip of autumn tinted wood.
land.
Gear ahead!" Floyd cried suddenly,
as they rushed around a curve and
bore down on the crossing. "Look out
I--Stanton--"
! In the center Of the bridge was q
reeling, staggering car, coming to q
halt and striving to maintain It's
equilibrium meanwhile. The chain had
broken loose, its driver afterward ex-
planned. and was lashing the UNDER
mechanism to scrap metal. Seeing too
late to stop his own machine, Stanton
took the only chance Of saving any OF
the four lives and tried to twist past
the car on the narrow bridge. Only
master-driver would have attempted
the feat; Stanton carried 1t to the
verge of success. They were alongside,
passing, when the edge OF the wooden
bridge gave way under the double
strain There was a rip OF splintering
planks, as the Mercury's outside
wheels crushed through the flooring.
a shuddering lurch.
"Jump!" Stanton shouted his VAIN
command to Floyd, as they went down.
The cool water Tapped around his
fingers, trickled revivingly across his
intolerably painful arm, gurgling like 81
joyous voice as it passed by him.
Slowly, with infinite effort, Stanton
dragged himself up upon the other
arm, the uninjured right He must see 4
that was the imperious cry Of brain
and heart, to see 1t seemed to him
years ago that the Mercury had gone
off the bridge, yet he knew the time
could be but moments, since the ambu-
lance had not come and he was still
here.
His vision was clearing. Yes; there.
half in the dainty brook, half on tha
green bank, lay the heap OF bent and
broken metal that had been the Mer-
curry racing car. And beside it
When he drove back the faintnesa
THAT blackened the bright noon, Stans
ton began to drag his pain-racked
body toward what lay beside the Mer.
curry. Movement hurt, hurt unbearably,
|yet was less anguish than thought.
For he knew. knew the mech2nicfan
seldom escapes. II.
Floyd lay near the machine, rn-
married to outward view except for
cut over his temple and a stain OF
blood on his lips. His mask and cap
1 were gone, one hand was flung ont,
palm upward, and the torn sleeve left
hare the slim are crossed by thezigzag
scar gained at Lowell. He looked'very
! young and strangely grave, as the sun
light and tree shadows flickered back
and forth across his colorless face and
shining bronze waves OF hair.
Floyd" Stanton articulated hoarse-
ly. Floyd" II b h
The brook gurgled cheerfully, a be-
lated oriole flashed past, a streak OF
| flame. StantOn's head sank back down
against his mechanician's inert hand,
and the world fell out Of knowledge.
| fSrr rovrEcI9 VIZ