The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1913-02-14

FfrsacA vaiksd into the room wAsrs
Ais niece was reading.
II want to see Bailey" he said
brisdy. do you wish to drive me
down to the factory, or shall ! have
Andersen bring around the nmou-
sinef"
"Plsass let rs drive" she exclaimed,
rising with alacrity. II have not been
to the factory for months"
VERY good. You are looking wen.
Emily. Of late"
Surprised, . soft color swept the
face she turned to him.
II am we'll. Dear. I think We are all
better this spring."
Perhaps" said Ethan French. His
bitter gray eyes passed deliberately
over the large room with all its traces
Of family life extending back to pre-
Colonial times, but he said Nc more.
It was an exquisite morning. too vir-
ginal for June. too richly warm for
May. When the two exchanged the
sunny road for the factory once, .
north room none too fight. 1t was q
moment before their dazzled eyes per
ceived no one was present. This was
Bailey's private office, and its owner
had passed into tho room beyond.
T will wait" conceded Mr.. French,
dismissing tho boy who had ushered
them in. "Sit down, Emily; Bailey
will return directly, no doubt"
But Emily had already sat down. for
she knew the voice speaking beyond
the half-open door, and that the long
prevented meeting was now immi
nent.
ut will not do" Lestrange was stat
ing definitely. 1T should b rein
forced"
Its always been strong enough,
Bailey's slower tones objected. "Fol
years. It's not q thing likely Il
break"
mot likely to break? Look at las
years record, Mr.. Bailey, and tell me-
that. A broken steering-knuckle killed
Brook in Indiana, another sent LittR
to the hospital in Massachusetts,, thu
same thing wrecked the leader at tht
last Beach race and dashed hin
through the fence. Do you know wha
1t means to the driver Of q machin,
hurting itself along the narrow verg'
Of destruction. when the steering
wheel suddenly turns useless In hi
graspf Can you feel the sick helpless
ness, the confronting Of death, tn
compressed second before the crash
Is 1t worth while to risk It for bi
Of costless steel7"
The clear realism of the pictur
forced a pause. filled by the dull roa
and throb through the machinery
crowded building.
"They were not our cars that broke
any of them" Bailey insisted.
mot our cars, no. But the steering
knuckle Of my own machine broke III
der my hands last March, on the roat
and II had been on a curve instea
of q straight stretch there woul
have been a wreck. AS 1t was.
brought her to a stop in the ditcl
There is no other thing that may nc
leave fighting chance after it break
but this leaves absolutely none.
know, you both know, that the stee
!. ing-wheel Is the only weapon In tn
drivers grasp. II it fails him, b
goes out and his mechanician wit
him."
Emily paled. shrinking. She r
membered the road under the maple
and Lestrange's laughing face as h
| leaned breathless across his useles
wheel. That was what 1t had mean
then, the lightly treated episode!
, You'd better fix 1t like he wan
I It." advised Dicks disturbed tone
t Remember, he's got to drive the C;
, Friday and Saturday, Bailey. not us
"It's not alone for my racer T.
+ speaking, but for every car that leave
the shop" Lestrange caught him u
4 I'm not ninching; I've driven the CT
' before and l will again. It may no
. for ever. that part, but I've tested
y and it's a weak point-take the war
r ing for what it's worth"
There was movement as II
J. rose with the last word. Emily Ia