Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-29

Ss1t all or the women IN the group
at the Faiconhurst stables saw the wo-
man after she had left the lurching
vehicle. as some OF them were too oc-
cupied with their own fears and ter
rors. for gradually. after their first
moments of amazenent. they realized
that the car was beyond control.
After the woman jumped the man
looked backward for jrst-a fieeting In
slant as though assuring himself that
she were safe Then he doubled over
his wheel.
To the autoists amoIg the watchers
It was soon apparent that the man in
the car possessed no means of check
ing its momentum. Plainly his brakes
were not working AS he came nearer
and nearer ~ them they could see that
be was fumbling with his change gear
lever in an effort to throw into mesh
the reverse and check the car. but
something stuck and the gears did not
engage Then Lady. Diana moved
closer TO the road. her face white, but
self possessed. She thought that she
recognized the stanch figure in the
car that through some deep seated In
sttnct OF sportsmanship did not and
had not attempted to leave its seat
Making a megaphone of her hands.
she called up:
Throw In your first; throw in your
first, ThatIl slacken you"
But even before she spoke the man
in the car had been attempting to do
so. The lever shot forward. and then.
before he could try to mesh the gears.
the car literally careened on two
wheels. The riders hand was forced
TO quit the lever. and with his other
hand grasp more firmly the wheel.
He rounded the curve and literally
fell. car and man, down the last de-
scent that separated him from the bit
of road beside the Falconhurst stables.
Now he seemed to have clear sailing.
for the road ran straight. and half
mile beyond the stables there was a
slight rise that would be more than
sufficient to check the speed of the car,
intense though it was.
AS car and man blurred past Lady
Diana she thought she caught from
the car the words. Thank you" and
the flash of hand waved In the air.
The next instant there was thun-
derous crash, followed by the mani
fold and muItitudinous sounds OF spe-
arate mechanisms OF metal being rent
all in one second. yet follow
ing one another in minute fractions of
that second.
The eye of the rider must have devi- |
ated from his course in that brief
point of time when he had waved his
hand and called his thanks to the girl. |
who had the presence of mind TO shout |
TO him the only thing possible in that |
crisis.
His car, deviating ever so slightly in /
that instant. had rushed into the stone |
corner OF the bridge just at the side of |
the footpath. 1t lay in fragments and |
twisted bits of metal. The man. hurl-
I'd to the middle of the highway.
sprawled there. bleeding and uncon-
scious.
For n long moment men and women
stood without moving. Then Rayner
md Beverley broke the spell. and IL
Ialf dozen of them darted forward.
ook up the form in the road and car
led il into the stable yard. Lady
Diana upon her arm received the limp.
hanging head as they put the man
ipon the ground.
Quick, Lambert. some brandy" or
Tered Beverley TO The Whips trainer.
Grandfather: he's dying" exclaimed.
,ityinGly. Lady Diana.
Then she looked long into the face.
Its the stranger. my artist" she
aid. Il vast sadness falling upon her
s she saw the wrist lying there limp
pon which not so long before her
unter had set its mark. He had
aughed so blithely and had taken SO
God naturedly what had seemed tn
er matter OF so much concern, aud
ere he lay dead or dying. Poor