The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-09

| flDy0 nSfu OUT his manu-.
| I've got everything badly mixed
up, but it's clean 10 offer you, STAN
ton"
As swiftly inpuislve as his condein-
nation was Stanton's movement as he
bent to give the clasp.
"All right" he said CURLY Get in;
I ougnt to have given You chance"
And as the other obeyed y didn't
mean 10 meet you as I did. an hour
ago anyhow; 1t slipped me-
They're sisnaling," warned Mr.
Green, aurying over. Are you
ready? Both oe your"
From his place beside Stanton
Flody 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 Hitting tones as
sured. "Don't worry
Stanton In asi1eti with him. fastening
on the mask and sent the Mercury
! rolling forward. The world was right
once more and life sane.
IL was TN exquisite morning: wind
less. cool. with happy little effects OF
snowy cloud against a cobalt-biue sky
The October air was summer Is
titled cordial. an ethereal intoxieant
The racers had no time to notice r.
yet the effect was there. The speed
made on the first laps was record
! breaking.
The brown or gray streak OF road
! ahead. the deadly turns. the treacher-
Gus smooth hills down which IL was
so easy To make speed and still more
easy to meet disaster - for the first
hour Stanton had no attention to spare
from these. Moreover. the spectators
were massed over the course in MANY
places. recoiling Just enough to lA-
a lane for each cars passage. and so
imposing another anxiety upon the
/ drivers who knew the swerve OF a
! foot must bring death to some one.
Car behind" F1oyd's clear accents
gave the familiar cautions. from time
4 to time, Hes rvin' 10 get us before
! the turn. The .Atalanta's head in the
dust"
/ The pace maintained was the fast
est at which the Mercury could be
/ held TO the road IT was Starton's
way to gain the lead first. when pos
sible, then keep steady average re-
regardless OF his rivals spurts OF
speed; unless the race were too short
TO permit such tactics or the contest
too close. Now, at the erd of the
second hour Floyd made the desired
Improvement, as they shot past the
-
| Were leadin'. The tires have been
| holdin' fne--look out for them thus
| round"
! Stanton moved his head Affirmative
! ly. 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 eours,.
sol. iE.,
tnedaately followed by second from
the opposite wheel the Mercury
toppld periluusly.
Floyd was leaning over the back
unstrapping the tires. before Stanton
/ had brought the car to standstili.
The two men were out on the ground
together, dragging forth tools. Hinged
about by pushing. exclaiming specta-
| tors. they worked with quick prec!.
sion. wasting no time In speech. Dust
wrapped. two big cars sped by them.
| THE red one hanging doggedty at the
I 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.
In with the tools he directed,
with hrev!ty.
| But the blue black eyes and the
gray exchanged one smiling glance be-
/ fore the Mercury sprang forward
I The race began its third hour, as
Stanton started out To regain his los,
lead. IL nas noon. q dazzling breath
less noon Of azure and gold. Down
past the Grandstand with Ats heaving
expanse of color and movement they
sweep. again the joyous appla use COM
ing to them across the roar of their
own motor. and on between the walls
OF people into the quie,er back stretch
in pursuit OF their rivals.
There was a bridge back there
across q shallow running brook shu,
In by "A strip of autumn tinted wood
land
Car ahead" Floyd cried suddenly.
as they rushed around curve and
bore down oia the crossing. Look
4ont=-Staatn---.9==
In the center OF tbe bridge was a
Keeling. staggering car, coming TO a
halt arc, .-trirs ng 30 maintain It's euxsi-
itortnm meanwhile The chain had
broken loose, it's driver afterward ex-
planned. and was flashing the under
mechanism TO scrap metal Seeing
,ton-!ata 10 stop h.s-own- machirs.
| stanton took the only chance of saw
ing any Of the four lives and tried 70
| twist past the other car on the mar
row bridge. Only master driver
would have attempted the feat: Stan
ton carried 1t to the verge of success
They were alongside, passing. when
the edge Of the wooden bridge gave way
under the double strain, There was
the, rip of spiintering pianks. as the
Mercury's outside wheels crushed
through the flooring. shuddering
lurch.
Jump" Stanton shouted his vain
command to Floyd. us they went
down.
The cool water Tapped around his
fingers trickled revivtngly across his
lrtoierably painful arm. Eurgling like
a Joyous voice as It passed BY him.
Slowly. with infinite effort. Stanton
dragged himself up upon the other
arm. the unin1ured right. He must
see; that was the impertous cry OF
brain and heart 70 see 1t seemed to
him years ago that the Mercury had
gone off the bridge, yet he knew the
time could be but moments. since the
ambulance had not come and he was
still here.
His vision was clearing Yes: there.
half in the dainty brook. half on the
green bank, lay rhe heap OF bent and
broken metal that had been the Mer-
curry racing car. And beside IT.
When he drove back the faininess
that biaekenad the bright noon, stan
ton began 10 drag his 2a.n-raekes
body toward what lay beside the Mer-
curry Movement hurt, hurt unbear-
ably yet was less anguish than
thought. For lie knew. knew the
mechanism seldom escapes.
Etnya law nAar the ms china an.