The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-01-26

y
Reappeared Without the suffocatIng
Mask and Cap.
lowered around them agitatedly. IF
I'd thought Darling's mechanician
would get in for this, I'd have taken
in sewing for living. How much
longer?"
Half an hour"
well, watch US finish"
A renewed burst of applause greet
ed the Mercury cars return to the
track. Men We're standing watch in
hand to count the last moments, their
eyes on the bulletin board where the
reeled-off miles were being registered.
Two of the other machines were fight
ing desperately for second place, hope
less of rivaling Lestrange, and after
them sped me rest.
"The finish" some one suddenly
called. THE last lap"
Dick was hanging over the paddock
fence when the car shot by amidst
braylng, klaxOns. motor horns, cheers,
and the clashing music of the band.
Frantic, the people hailed Lestrange
as the black and white checked flag
dropped before him in proclamation
of his victory and the ended race.
Rupert raised his arms above his
head in the signal of acknowledge
ment, as they flew across the line and
swept on to complete the circle to
their camp. Lestrange slackened
speed to take the dangerous, deeply
furrowed turn for the last time, his
car poised for the curving flight un-
der his guidance-then the watching
hundreds saw the drivers hands slip
from the steering-whRel as he reached
for the brake. Straight across the
track the machine dashed. instead of
following the bend, crashed through
the barrier, and rolled over on it's side
in the green meadow grass.
"The steering-knuckle," Bailey
groaned, as the place burst into up
roar around them. THE WHEEL saw
, it turn uselessly in his hands,"
They're up" cried a dozen voices.
mo, ones up and ones under"
who's caught in the wreck-Le-
strange or his MANI"
But before the people who surged
over. the track. breaking all restraint,
before the electric ambulance. Dick
| Ffrench reached the marred thing
that had been the Mercury car. 1t
was Lestrange who had painfully
struggled to one knee beside the ma
chine. fighting hard for breath to
| speak.
"Take the car off Rupert" he pant
ed, at Dicks cry of relief on seeing
him. I'm all right-take the car off
| Rupert
The next instant they were sur
rounded, overwhelmed with eager aid.
The ambulance came up and a sur
geon precipitated himself toward Lee
, strange.
STAND back" the surgeon com
manded generally. Are you trying
to smother him? Stand back"
But it was he who halted before a
gesture from Lestrange, who leaned
on Dick and a comrade from the
camp.
go over there, to Rupert"
"You first"
mo"
There was nothing to do except
yield. Struggling his shoulders, the
surgeon paused the necessary mo-
ment. A moment only; there was a
no protests, but he himself never left
scattering of the hushed workers, a
metallic crash.
cred a small figure uncoiled. lizard
like, and staggered unsteadily erect
where's Darling Lestrange?" was
hurled yiciously across the silence.
Gee, you're a slow bunch of work
ers! Where's Lestrange?"
The tumult that broke loose swept
all to confusion. And after all it was
Lestrange who was put in the sur
geon's care, while Rupert rode back
to the camp on the drivers seat Of
the ambulance.
"Tell Emily I'll come over to her as
soon as I'm fit to look at" was the
/ message Lestrange gave Dick. "And
when you go back to the factory,
have your. steering knuckles strength
ened."
Dick exceeded his commission by
transmitting the speech entire; re-
peating the first part to Emily with
all affectionate solicitude, and fiinging
the second cuttingly at his uncle and
Bailey.
"The doctors say he ought to be In
bed, but he won't co." he concluded.
mo, you can't see him until they get
through patching him up at the hos
pital tent; they put every one out ex-
cept Rupert. He hasn't a scratch. aft
er having a ninety Mercury on top Of
him. You're to. come over to our
camp, Emily, and wait for Lestrange.
suppose everybody had better
come"
1t was a curious and an elevatfng
thing to see Dickie assume command
of his family, but no one demurred.
An official, recognizing in him Le-
strange's manager, cleared way for
the party through the noisy press Of
departing people and automobiles.
The sunset had long faded. night
had settled over the motordrome and
the electric lamns had been lit In the