The Parma herald., 1912-07-18

':so,ss g "a n'1' 1A'sn v'sA'F fast
Ths nsw tire was on. A. Stanton
turnee 70 his machine, after tearing
the card to unreadable fragments. he
saw Floyd watching him with curious
intentness-
A raw, wet mist had commenced to
roll In from the nearby ocean. The
promiss Of dawn was recalled. 1 dun
obscurity closed over the motordrome.
leaving even the search-lighted path
dim. The cars rushed on steadily.
The night had been singularly free
from accidents. onIy one machine
! had been actually wrecked. although
| three had been withdrawn from the
stand were congratulating one an.
other, 1t the moment when the second
disaster occurred.
| The mist had grown thicker, In the
lights = dazzling silver curtain before
| mems eyes. and the track. had been
| worn to deep grooves At the turns.
The Mercury was sweeping past the
grand-stand, when one OF the two
slower cars, being overtaken, slipped
| its drivers control, caught In q foot
deep rut, and swerved crashing into
the machine next 1t. Twice over II
rolled, splintering sickeningly. but
| ninging both OF its men clear OF the
wreck The car struck, plunged on
| around the curve into the mist. an
parently unhurt.
| Out across the damp dusk pierced
the shrek of the klaxon, mingled with
the cry of the people and the tinkle Of
the hospital telephone. Stanton,
swinging wide to avoid the pitiful
wreckage. kept on his course
"Stop!" Floyd shouted imperatively
beside him. Stop. Stanton. stop!"
/ Stanton sped on. disregarding what
he supposed was a novice's nervous
sympathy. He could not aid the
stunned men lying on the track. and
one glance had told him that they
could be safely passed; as indeed they
had been.
"Stopl" the command rang again:
and az Stanton merely shook his
head with impatient annoyance, the
mechanician swiftly stopped forward
The motor slackened oddly Before
the astounded driver had time to GRASP
the situation, the power died from
carried forward by Its own momen
tum- Automatically he jamned dowr
the brakes and turned In his seat t.
confront his companion in a wrathfu
amazement choking speech. Floyt
faced him, even his lips white beneath
his mask. but with steadfast eyes.
Il know" he forestalled the tenn
pest. You've got the right to pu
me OF the carl threw your switch
I've got nothing to say. But the mis-
lifted and l saw what lay ahead"
What lay ahead? The klaxon wa
shrieking madly. from all around tn.
track came the sound OF halting cars
The rising wind pushed along the foI
walls again, and they opened to revea
the second machine of the late acci
dent, not twenty-five feet ahead.
tilted, motionless heap. After tn
collision It had staggered this far. Il
go dossn with broken rear axle an,
two lost rear wheels. Its men wer.
still IN their seats unhurt.
There was an instant OF silence TIL.
avoided disaster was no excuse for tn.
mechanician's interference. nor di'
: Floyd offer 1t as such. well awar
that his driver was perfectly justiie
In any course he chose to take. Their
can be but one pilot at Eny wheel.
Since l suppose you are not equa
to cranking ninety Mercury, yo
had better fix the spark and gas Will
l start It," dryly suggested Stantor
!, "And-never do that again."
He stepped out and went to tn
: front of his car, seizing the Gran
and starting the big motor with an 81
ertion of superb strength which woul
indeed have been impossible to tn
slender Floyd. When he retook hi
: seat, the mechanician made his equa
ly laconic apology and acknowledl
ment OF error
II never WILL" Floyd gave his wore
The wind shook the mist NOR
: : strongly, streamers of pink and gol
trembled across the sky. The day ha
!. commenced
fT0 RE CONTINITED,