Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-11
cO.3ye,NNr IS<O H/ 1T
Sr.HPrER ~,

WAS saying, tHe iitl!e blVSr pCt p-iSNG
in her hand, when the door burst open
ar5 Dick hurried. actually hurried. In.
&c tho room.
"Ee's wor; FIs's got its" ne cried,
brandishing the mJrning newspaper.
re Nrst tins for an American car
with a. American driver And how
he won T.. lie diCtanoed every car
on the track except the two big Ital-
IAN and French machines. Those he
couldn't eot. OF course; but the
Fronchman went out in the fourth
hour with q broken valve. Then he
was set down for second place--sec'
ond place, Emily, with every other biz
car in thS country entered. They say
he drove like, like--I don't know
what A hundred and some miles an
hour on the straight stretches"
ooh" 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. nor at his
statement, but at his condition.
"Wait. In the last hour, the 1ta'
ian car lost its chain and went over
into a ditch on back stretch, three
miles from a doctor. People around
picked the men out Of the wreck. and
1lestrange 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 bis hands, had the Italian lift
ed into the mechanicians 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 we'll. But lie.
strange had lost six minutes. He had
rushed straight to the doctors, given
them the man, and gone right on, but
he had 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 driv-
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. if the story itself had not
possessed a quality to stir even nom
sporting blood. Emily could or!y 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. ut is unusual to
see you noticing business affairs,
Dick; I might say unprecedented.
am glad If 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. Emily?"
II don't know" she acknowledged
helplessly.
n didn't mean to disturb any one"
said Dick, sulky and resentfui. "Itrl
be big thing though for our cars.
Bailey says. I didn't know you dis.
tiEsd Lestrangc."
Mr.. Wrench stiffsned in his chair.
II have not sufficient interest in tho
man to disH'"e him." was the cold re.
Duke 1--WE will change the subject"
Emily bent her head, zemedying her
Mistake With the coffeN. She compro'
pended that her uncle had conceived
.bue at his strong. silens antipsthies
Tor the YOUNG manager, end che was
acrry. Sorry. although. remembering
.Sailey's unfortunate speeoh the night
H.estrange's engagement was proposed,
]be was not surprised. But she
aooked across 10 Dick syInpathstioal.
~ So eylnpathetically, snat after
breakfast rs followed her into tns n.
tIsry. the colored journals IA bis
ha15.
Wars the matter WITH the old
g~utlerGn this Horc,ng7" no COZ
planned HE wants the business 20
succeed, d7esnt he? II he does; he
ought 30 like wat Lestrange is doing
Tor Il: what's the matter with D!nP'
Emily shook back her yellow cur!s,
farming her gaze on hir.
'Yoa might guess. Dickie. he 10
lonely"
lonely! He!"
All the feminine impulse to defend
Haired up.
Why not?" abe exclaimed with pas,
":ion. "Wno has no got? Who stands
With him in his houseP No wonder he
can not bear the man who IL hired to
do what a French should be doing,
1t 10 not tho racing driver he die.
likes. but the manager And do not
YOU blame him, Dick French"
Quite aghagt. he stared after her as
,se turned away to tho nearest win.
jow But presently he followed her
over, still holding the papers.
Don't you want to read about the
races" he veptu-ed.
Smiling. though her iashes were
damp. Enily accepted tho peace otter.
Ing.
Yes, please"