The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-08-30


carnival remained with him
You've struck the perfect course.
Stanton" declared a famous rival.
upon offering his congratulations after
suffering a mastery defeat in five
mile contest. He did not like the 9TH
er man. but he was obliged to admire
him.
How SOP" Queried Stanton as sue
cinctly.
Between recklessness and over-cau-
ton"
1t was quite true With Floyd be-
daringly brilliant, but characterized by
some rational consideration Of the pos
sibilities of disaster. Why? No one
had time to speculate.
| 1t was commencing to trouble Stan
ton himself. this growing affection for
come an absorbing need He had
never needed any one, he had been
self-suflcient and self-centered: and
now he felt a blank chill at the idea
Of losing the society of this BOWMAN.
| It chafed and fretted him with
sense of bondage; when he felt the
cords draw most, he turned upon
Floyd and worried him savagely.
Floyd laughed And Floyd's laughter
would have disarmed Cossack. When
he did not laugh. he flashed back,
spark to powder. so that they quar-
relied on an average four times day.
And they spent every available mo-
ment together. until their friendship
became patent even to the skeptical
Mr. Green
1--WE can plan out some of our fac
tory affairs on the way home. on the
train" Stanton arranged, at the close
Of the last day, when taking temporary
leave of his mechanician at the Mer-
curry camp
I'm planning fender for each side
Of the Comet racing car. so that when
you feel like knocking In few
lengths of the infleld fence as you did
this afternoon. we'll be ready for It,"
Knocked Floyd. his effervescent youth
heady as champagne.
Fence or no fence. we won." Stan
ton retorted indulgently.
"Of course! You kept right on driv
ing the front Of your car. so the rear
just naturally had to climb back on
the road and follow. expected that:
you were too busy to stop for a little
thing like side-wiping a fence"
you seemed to expect It," the 9th
er corroborated. He looked with in
terested curiosity at his nopchaiant
assistant III am too busy to wor-
ry at such times. Floyd; you are not.
Don't you ever think of what is likely
to happen when We are on the verge
OF smash?"
Floyd paused. turning his large clear
eyes on the questioner.
There's just one thing I'm asking"
be gravely returned. THAT Is. that
when it comes. 1t will be a good
smash. No one minds just dying
we're sure to do it some day, anyhow
but to be mussed up and patched to-
gether again. no! Now" his irrepres-
sible smile glanced out again. that's
why feel so safe with you: there is
deadly finality about your driving
methods"
THAT is about enough" Stanton sig
nified. "I'll see you on the train.
then"
They did meet OF the train, and
passed long hours of travel in work
and discussion. The other passengers
came to take decided. II furtive in
terest in the two who sat opposite
each other In absorbed conversation
or argument. making drawings on en-
velopes and timetables to illustrate
their points and even leaving rows OF
figures upon the menu cards In the
dining-car.
incidentally. both men displayed a
thorough training In mechanical de-
sign and construction. Stanton's far
the more finished and scientific
Il did not know" Floyd marveled.
at last
Stanton forestalled the question by
indifferently explaining.
IL am mechanical engineer:
graduated from college at twenty-one;
that was five years ago. You have
dropped your pencil What do you say
to staying over half day at Buffalo
and visiting your factory?"
Fine" approved Floyd. a trifle
slowly "A half day. not more We
have got to make ready for that Cup
race"
Three weeks OF. You're getting as
old-womanish as Green"
TOO bad Still have to be 1t the
Mercury plant when you don't Half
a day ought to be enough"
Stanton surveyed him. irritated. yet
without tangible cause for irritation.