The enterprise., 1912-09-19
CHAPTER |.
1sFfle Wreck Of the TaNicsb

man alongside, as If she We're terri
fed at the lawbreal1ing, neck-risking
speed. But evidently some greater
fear goaded her, for she gasped:
Can't he 90 little faster?"
Cant you go little faster?" The
young man alongside howled as he
thrust his head and shoulders through
the window in the door.
But the selfcreated taxi-gale swept
his voice aft, and the taut chauffeur
perked his ear in vain to catch the
vanishing syllables.
whats that?" he roared.
Cant you go little faster?'
The indignant charioteer simply
had to shoot one barbed glare of re-
proach into that passenger. He turned
his head and growled:
Say, do youse want to lose me me
license?"
For just one instant he turned his
head. One instant was just enough.
The unguarded taxicab seized the op-
portunity, Dolted from the track, and
flung. as 1t were, its arms crunkenly
around perfectly respectable lamp
post attending strictly to It's business
on the curb. There ensued a COLI
densed Fourth Of July. Sparks flew,
tires exploded, metals ripped, two
Wheels spun in air and one wheel,
ing down the sidewalk half tiock
before 1t leaned against a tree and
rested.
A dozen or more miracles coincided
TO save the passengers from injury
The young man found himself stand
Ing On the pavement with the un-
hinged door still around his neck. The
young woman's arms were round his
neck. Her head was on his shoulder
It had reposed there often enough,
but never before in the street under a
lamppost. The chauffeur found him.
self in the road, walking about on all
fours. like a bewildered qlladruped
Evidently some overpoWering need
for speed possessed the young wom
an, for even now she did not scream,
she did not faint, she did not MUIR
muir, Where am II" She simply said:
What time Is it, honey?"
AND the young man, not realizing
aow befuGdled he really was, or how
his hand trembled, fetched out his
watch and held 1t under the glow OF
the lamppost, which was now bent
over in convenient but disreputable
attitude.
"A quarter to ten, sweetheart.
Plenty of time for the train
But the minister, honey! What
about the minister?'
The consideration OF this riddle was
interrupted by mufied hubbub OF
S@3ps, Whimpers and canine Mysteries.
immediately the young woman forgot
ministers, collisions, train-scheGEles-
everything. She showed her first sign
Of panic.
"Snoozleums! Get Snoozleums.'
They groped about in the topsy-
tury1' aaXjcab rummaged among a
jumbo OF suitcases, handbags UNI
brellas and minor lmpedimenta, and
inverted dog inside. Sncozleums was
ridiculous in any position, but as he
slid tall foremost from the wicker
basket, he resembled nothing so much
aS aeap OF tangled yarn tumh'ing
out OF work-basket. HIS was an in
dignant skein, and had much to say
before he consented to snuggle under
his mistress ck.n.
About this time the chauffeur came
.prowling into view. He was too deep
ly shocked to emit any language OF
the garage. He was too deeply
shocked to achieve any comment more
brilliant than:
THAT mess don't look much like It
over was a taxicab, does it?'
The young man shrugged his Shout
ders, and stared uE and down the
kong street for another. The young
woman looked sorrowfully ut the
wreck. and queried:
DO you think you can make 1t go?"
The chauffeur glanced her way,
more IN pity for her whole sex than in
ecory Tor this one type, as he mum
bladg
SMake 1t go? tn take a steam
winch week to unwrap it from that
Dsmppost."
The young man apologized
II oughtn't to have yelled at ys,u.'
He was evidently a very nice young
aan. Not to be outdone In courtesy.
the chauffeur retorted:
Il hadn't ought to have turned me
head"
Tha young woman Ihought, What
=, nice chauffeur!" but she gasped:
"<ireat heavens, you're hurt!"
';t'H nu:tiE' but a scratch on me
tlmt"
''rnd me sloan hAHlkzgchiar.
A4~atg'