The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-06-10
What have donee" he asked sim

ply.
Both men we're still unmasked. their
privacy Of speech was secured by the
uproar around them. Stanton looked
grimly back.
Lied to me- You were not kept
away from New York by work with
Green, OF any other work. for the last
two weeks
A tinge of scarlet streaked Floyd's
pallor, he bent his head
Yes, ! lied to you" he admitted.
Stanton's gauntleted hand closed on
his wheel.
There was no need. Your time was
your own. Floyd; 4 claimed no control
over you. / don't know why you did it.
to be rid Of me for a while, suppose,
but the reason doesn't matter. Last
night l thought good many wild
| things about you, and your sister. but
this morning I've got my grip again.
No doubt you had all you could stand
of me, I'm not precisely lovable and
II would have understood IL you had
just told me so. But I viii have no
friend can't trust all the way Get
in-we will finish this race, and part. .
Floyd raised his head and gave to
the stern scrutiny his candid gray
eyes.
Stanton, trust me all the way now. .
| he appealed. "Can you do that? Can
you take my word that your friendship
is the only thing in the world want ?
If / deceived you, it was SO could be
here to race with you to-day. will
tell you afterward, can't now"
you mean"
4 Floyd held out his hand.
! i've got everything badly mixed up,
but it's clean to offer you. Stanton"
| AS swiftly impulsive as his eondem.
nation was Stanton's movement as he
bent to give the clasp.
"AH right" he said CURLY. Get in;
I ought to have given you chance.
And as the other obeyed: 81 didn't
mean to meet you as did. an hour
ago, anyhow; it slipped me-
They're signaling" warned Mr.
! Green, hurrying over. "Are you ready:
Both of you?"
From his place beside Stanton
Floyd turned face Of incarnate sun
shine to the assistant manager, face
so changed in it's color and glow and
warmth that all who saw drew breath
in sheer wonder.
Were ready" his lifting tones as
sured. Don't worry"
Stanton laughed with him, fastening
on the mask, and sent the Mercury
rolling forward. The world was right
Ionce more, and life sane.
! 1t was an exquisite morning; wind
less, cool. with happy little effects o.
| snowy cloud against cobalt-blue
lsky. The October air was summer
distilled cordial, an ethereal intoxi
cant. The racers had no time to no
tice 1t, yet the effect was there. The
speed made on the first laps was rec
ord-breaking.
The brown or gray streak Of roat
ahead, the deadly turns. the PREACHER
Gus smooth hill down which it was 81
easy to make speed and still NOR
easy to meet disaster-for the frs
hour Stanton had no attention to spar
from these Moreover. the spectator
were massed over the course in man,
places, recoiling just enough to leav
lane for each cars passage, and s
imposing another anxiety upon tn
drivers who knew the swerve of foo
must bring death to some one.
Gar behind" Floyd's clear accent
gave the familiar cautions, from tim
to time Hes tryin' to get us befor
the turn. The Atafanta's head in tn
dust"
The pace maintained was the tastes
at which the Mercury could be held t
the road. 1t was Stanton's way to gail
the lead first, when possible. the
keep steady average regardless Q
! his rivals spurts of speed; unless tn
race we're too short to permit sue
tactics or the contest too close. Nov
at the end of the second hour Floy,
made the desired announcement, a
they shot past the grand-stand and tn
bulletin boards.
Were leadin'. The tires have bee
holdin' fine-look out for them thi
round"
Stanton moved his head affirmative
ly, his narrowed eyes answering fror
the line OF course ahead. Needing tn
advice, he did take the turns NOR
carefully.
cTO BE CONTINUED