Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-04

No doubt you had al you could stand
OF me, I'm not precisely lovable and
I would have understood II you had
1ust told me 90. But I will have no
friend can't trust all the way. Get
in-we will finish this race. and part"
Floyd raised his head and gave to
the stern scrutiny his candid gray
eyes.
"stanton. trust mo all the way now"
he appealed. "Can you do that? Can
you take my word that your friendship
IL the only thing in the world want?
II I deceived you, It was SO could be
here to race with you to-day. will
tell you afterward. I can't now"
"You mean"
Floyd held out his hand
"I'ye got everything badly mixed up,
but It's clean to offer you. Stanton"
As swiftly impulsive as his condem-
nation was stanton's movement as he
bent to give the clasp.
"All right" he said CURLY. Get in:
I ought to have given you chance"
And az the other obeyed: Il didn't
mean to meet you as ! did, an hour
ago, anyhow; 1t slipped me-"
They're signaling" warned Mr..
Green, hurrying over. "Are you ready?
Both of you?"
From his place beside Stanton.
Floyd turned face Of incarnate sun
shine to the assistant manager. face
SO changed in it's color and glow and
warmth that all who saw drew breath
in sheer wonder.
"we're ready" his lifting tones as
sured. Don't worry"
Stanton laughed with him, fastening
on the mask. and sent the Mercury
rolling forward. The world was right
once more. and life sane.
It was an exquisite morning: wind
less, cool, with happy little effects OF
snowy cloud against cobalt'oiue
sky. The October air was a summer
distilled cordial. an ethereal intoxi'
cant. The racers had no time to no
tice It. vet the effect was there. The
speed made on the first laps was rec
ord-breaking s...c
The brown or gray streak Of road
ahead, the deadly turns, the treacher'
Gus smooth hill down which it was so
easy to make speed and still more
easy to meet disaster--for the hrst
hour Stanton had no attention to spare
from these. Moreover, the spectators
were massed over the course in many
places. recoiling just enough to leave
a lane for each cars passage. and SO
imposing another anxiety upon the
drivers who knew the swerve of foot
must bring death to some one.
| "Car behind" F1oyd's clear accents
gave the familiar cautions. from time
to time Hes tryin' to get us before
| the turn. The Atalanta's head in the
dust"
The pace maintained was the fastest
at which the Mercury could be held to
the road. 1t was Stanton's way to gain
the lead first, when possible. then
keep steady average regardless OF
his rivals spprts of speed; unless the
race were too short TO permit such
tactics or the contest too close. Now,
at the end of the second hour Floyd
made the desired announcement, as
they shot past the grand-stand and the
bulletin boards. s.
"We're leadin'. The tires have been
holdin' fine-look out for. them this
round
Stanton moved his head affirmative
i ~, his narrowed eyes answering from
The line of course ahead. Needing the
advice, he did take the turns more
carefully.
The precaution was justified. On
the most dreaded angle OF the course
came the well-known explosion. I'M
mediately followed by a second from
the opposite wheel, the Mercury top
pied perilously. ~ !" 80
Floyd was leaning over the back I'M
strapping the extra tires before stan
ton had brought the car to standstill.
The two men were out on the ground
together, dragging forth tools. Hinged
about by pushing. exclaiming specta-
tors, they worked with quick precision.
wasting no time in speech. Dust
wrapped, two big cars sped by them
the red one hanging doggedly at the
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.
'Tn with the TOOLS" he directed,
with brevity. ..a.
But the blue-black eyes and gray
exchanged one smiling glance before
the Mercury sprang forward.
The race began its third hour. a
Stanton started out to regain his lost
lead. 1t was noon. dazzling, breath
less noon of azure and gold. Down
past the grand.stand with Its heaving
oxpanse Of color and movement they
swept again, the joyous applause COM
ing 70 them across the roar Of their
own motor, and on between the walls
Of people into the Quieter back stretch
in pursuit of their rivals.
There was bridge. back there,
across shallow running brook shut in
by strip of autumn.tinted woodland.
Gar ahead" Floyd cried suddenly.
AZ they rushed around curve and
bore down on the crossing. Look out
l-stanton-"
In the center Of the bridge was q
Keeling, staggering car. coming to a
halt and striving to maintain it's equi'
ubrium meanwhile The chain had
broken loose, its driver afterward ex-
planned. and was flashing the under.
mechanism to scrap metal. Seeing too
late to stop his own machine, Stanton
| "a