The Elbert County tribune., 1912-07-26
CHAPTER ~.

breakfast, on the Sunday when the
first account of the Georgia race
reached Ffrenchwood.
You Will take fresh coffee" Emily
was saying, the little silver pot poised
in her hand, when the door burst open
and Dick hurried. actually hurried. in
to the room.
He's wonl He's got it," he cried.
brandishing the morning newspaper
"The first time for an American car
with an American driver. And how
he won It'll He distanced every car
on the track except the two big Ital-
ian and French machines. Those he
couldn't get. of course; but the
Frenchman went out in the fourth
hour with a broken valve. Then he
was set down for second place-sec-
ond place, Emily. with every other big
car in the country entered. They say
he drove like. like-I don't know
what A hundred and some miles an
hour on the straight stretches"
"Oh." Emily faltered. setting down
the coffee-pot In her plate.
He stopped her eagerly. half turning
toward Mr. French. who had put on
his pince-nez to contemplate his
nephew in stupefaction. not at his
statement, but at his condition.
wait. In the last hour, the Ital-
ian car lost It's chain and went over
into ditch on back stretch. three
miles from doctor. People around
picked the men out of the wreck. and
Lestrange came up to find that the
driver was likely to die from a sew
cred artery before help got there.
Emily. he stopped. stopped, with VIC
tory In his hands, had the Italian lift
ed into the mechanician's seat. and
Rupert held him in while they dashed
around the course to the hospital. He
got him there fifteen minutes before
an ambulance could have reached him.
and the man will get well. But Le-
strange had lost six minutes. He had
them the man. and gone right on. but
he lad lost six minutes. When peo-
pie realized what he'd done. they went
wild. Every one thought he'd lost the
race. but they cheered him until they
couldn't shout. And he kept on drtv-
ing. It's all here" he waved the
gaudy sheet. THE papers full of 1t.
He had half an hour to make up six
minutes, and he did It, He came in
nineteen seconds ahead of the near
est car. The crowd swarmed out on
the course and fell all over him. Old
Bailey's nearly crazy"
To see Dick excited would have
been marvel enough to hold his audi
tors mute. II the story itself had not
possessed a quality to stir even non
sporting blood. Emily could only sit
and gaze at the headlines of the ex-
tended newspaper. her dark eyes wide
and shining. her soft lips apart.
HE telegraphed to Bailey" Dick
added in the pause. "Ten words: First
across line in Georgia race. Car in
fine shape. Lestrange' That was
ALL"
Mr.. French deliberately passed his
coffee-pot to Emily.
you had better take your break
fast" he advised. "It is unusual to
see you noticing business affairs,
Dick; might say unprecedented.
am glad II Bailey's new man is cap
able of his work, at least. suppose
for the rest. that he could scarcely
do less than take an injured person to
the hospital. Why are you putting
sugar in my cup. Emily7'
81 don't know" she acknowledged
helplessly.
'I didn't mean to disturb any one. .
said Dick. sulky and resentful. 'Itn
be big thing though for our cars.
Bailey says. didn't know you dis
liked Lestrange."
Mr. French stiffened in his chair
'I have not sufficient interest in the
man to dislike him." was the cold re-
buke. I'VE will change the subject"
Emily bent her head. remedying her
mistake with the coffee. She compre-
hended that her uncle had conceived
one OF his strong. silent antipathies