Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-07-18

I INK driver lOT ltT very
well. He swung into the seat.
Until they were out of the city, he
drove with a wise obedience to traffic
regulations. But when the country
line was reached, Stanton stopped
the car, donned small pair OF cog
giles from his overcoat pocket, and
passed his hat back to Mr.. Carlisle's
care.
81 am sorry l had no time to get
into motor Clothes" he observed, a
little too pleasantly. still We will
manage"
They made the next ten miles in
ten minutes, having fair road. Then
rough hills and villages somewhat
lowered their pace. 1t was a dizzying
rush through gale Of wind birdlike
cleaving of the summer air, accompa.
MED by the weird howl of the electric
horn upon which Stanton kept a fin.
ger much of the time, vision of scat.
tering wagons.
There was a curious circumstance.
Valerie Carlisle literally covered in
her seat, pale, shivering, usually with
her eyes shut. Yet she, the imperious
demander of her own way, uttered no
remonstrance, although family crying
out once or twice when they slid by
some obvious danger of cliff or road.
Stanton saw, from the corner of his
eye, and speculated as he drove.
do you think this is safe?" Mr.. Car
Isle found an opportunity to urge.
81 think so, If nothing breaks" STAN
ton called back, twisting the car
around load of hay.
They reached their destination in
two hours and ten minutes. When
they entered the village limits and
the speed fell to fifteen miles an
hour, Mr. Carlisle slowly revived, and
regained his breath and his glasses.
His daughter released her grasp Of the
seat, raised a shaking hand to touch
wells and bonnet, then passed hand
kerchief across her dry lips and
looked up at the man beside her.
How do you like the carr" she
asked.
Stanton surveyed her, almost sur
prised into conjunction.
at hasn't the Mercury's pull, to
be perfectly frank" he answered. at
is a trifle heavy and less lively. But
it is a fine machine, and of course you
do not want to race with it,"
"Of course l do not want to race
with it," she slowly assented and
averted her face from him, watch
ing the streets.
Stanton, unruffled as in the New
York depot, except for his wind-tossed
hair, whose blackness was fiecked
with yellow road dust, leaned back
to reclaim his hat and inquire their
destination. When he returned to the
usual method of driving with both
hands and facing forward, Miss Car
Isle had altogether recovered her
poise.
Speaking or racing, / have never
thanked you for the other night" she
observed, her low tones inaudible to
those behind them. 81 never expert
enced anything like watching you on
the track-you carried me away be-
yond conventionality, am afraid. And
to feel that / had share in your be-
wildering feats-"
The ugly mood rose again in Stan
ton.
"You need not have felt that re-
sponsibility," he declared. my feats,
as you are pleased to call them, are
shared by no one. drive for pur-
poses of my own"
She understood at once.
you mean that you did not race
with the Duplex because / wanted to
see your famous driving?"
He checked the machine to permit
the passage of trolley-car.
81 had my mechanician beside me and
there were two men in the Duplex"
was his oblique reply. 81 do not amuse
by brushing near assassination"
The retort was thoroughly Stanton
esque. Miss Carlisle bent forward to
catch the slipping dust-robe, before
answering him, but gave an exclama-
ton as the motor abruptly fell silent.
"Oh, l am so sorry The robe
caught in the switch and moved it,"
at is nothing" he assured, STOPPING
to remedy the tangle, and sprang out
to crank the engine.
He had done this very act for Floyd,
two weeks before; only then the stop
page had been intentional. Stanton
was thinking Of that incident, while
he bent to seize the crank, and not
of what he was doing. But he saw
Valerie Carlisle lean toward the
steering-wheel, her red lips apart and
her eyes glistening, just as he pulled
up the handle.
"Wait!" the girl cried, second too
late.
There was a sharp explosion of the
motor, the crank tore itself violently
out Of his hand. Only Stanton's
trained swiftness and instant recoil
saved him from a broken wrist. AS it
was, his arm fell momentarily numbed
at his side.
"You left the spark up" Miss Car
Isle cried again, pale and shaken. Il
tried to fix it, but you had cranked.
1Iorr I'D, 4