Putnam patriot., 1912-07-26

the walters pained disapproval. he took the carafe of ice-water and him self filled two glasses.
 ''Is this your substitute for cock tails?" he queried, and pushed one of the goblets over to Floyd.
 Startled, Floyd yet understood smiling as he looked across. 'Yes," he assented, and drank the innocent pledge. Motorists both. there was no question of a stronger beverage.
 Stanton turned to the waiter.
 You can go; I'll ring when we want you. Did you ever drive an Atalanta Six-sixty, Floyd?"
 No, but I've handled their fours. I like a six cylinder machine, myself; it has so fine a torQue-"
 The conversation plunged into pro- fessional teehniealities; the senti- mental episode was pushed aside.
 People going in and out of the res taurant stared interestedly at the two exchanging comments and questions. Stanton's dark face was well-known,
  his companions dress sufficiently identified him as one of the racers who held the city's attention during the motor carnival.
 When the dessert was before them, Stanton suddenly returned to the per sonal note.
 How did you become a finished lr-4 ty-one"' he questioned bluntly.
 Well, l believe you are only five or six years older" Floyd countered. with a touch of whimsical sadness. "But-I grew up in an automobile fac tory. l had no mother. no kinswomen at all, and my father made me his constant companion. He taught me everything he knew. and newell, he was Edgar r Floyd. who owned the Comet automobile plant, and who de- signed and built and raced his own cars"
 Stanton gasped. Where had his memory been, not to recall the name of Floyd? A multitude of confused reeolleetions rushed across his mind, of that famous manufacturer and racer for sheer love of the sport, of the superb cars he had built, and of his death in a railroad wreck, the previous year.
 'He tied me In his car" continued Floyd, with a shadowy smile, when l was too young to be trusted to hold on. If you are going to take my me chanician's seat, Jes,' he said to me, you have got to do my mechanician' work And by the time l was fifteen, l could We used to race with the chief car tester, for combination train ing, on a mile practice track around the factory. 1 held the wheel myself at seventy-five miles an hour, before I was seventeen. And he took me with him, as a spectator, to every big race here and some abroad. Of course he was training me to take charge Of the manufacturing business with him, not for racing myself. But, somehow affairs went wrong When he died, eighteen months ago, everything col lapsed and found nothing left. The factory itself is tied up in lawsuit; may get that out of the ruin; build ings full of silent machinery have no There was a pause.
 'I wonder" Stanton unused slowly, why you volunteered to act as my meehanician that night"
 Floyd's gray eyes flashed to meet his, all his color and animation rush. ing back.
 Because I love the racing, I love it." he answered, impulsively frank. Il, I've got my fathers blood in my veins and the frail physique of useless girl cant you see how they fight? The very smell of exhaust gas makes my heart jump and pulses jingle. Be sides, I had watched you often, couldn't see you put out of the run ming. Then, l WIS tired of- he checked himself sharply. Ought we not to go back on the course"
 Stanton rose, signaling the waiter.
 You saw me through that difficult ty," he acknowledged. But, you said this morning that you had a sister l wonder you stayed with me for the season."
 My sister understands" Floyd ex- plained he had risen also. and stood for a moment beside his chair, his unseeing gaze bent on the ground She knows that was not brought up to live woman-fashion. I wish, if ever you hear anything of me that you do not like, that makes you feel different ly toward me, wish you too would remember that I was reared by man to live among men and missed ell that women teach"
 Stanton regarded him in an astonlsh- ment at once indulgent and ironle-
 'T'm not likely to hear anything Of you that will shock me very badly he dryly returned. Do you think l am a gentle girl, myself, Floyd?"
 Not so you could notice it. sprans the prompt opinion; the candid gray eyes laughed out of their short eclipse.
 They went back to the course to- gethsr.
 The next two hours were spent ID repeatedly circling the ten mile course in ten minutes; a reasonable practice gait, from Stanton's point of view. on the last trip he and Floyd disagreed over a question of mixture, and came up to the repair pits quarreling yigor ously, exciting the interest Of all De holders.
 If don't know when a motor needs more gas, I'll go take correspohu ence course" was Floyd's last retoft as he slinned out of his seat.