Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-11

district Tor haIf hour. and then vvho,
the streets were thickest with trafFc
Howardson gave the order, and Har.
vey pushed the lever to the last notch
Up and down the main thoroughfarox
the machine sped. creating turmoil in
its wake: Policemen shouted the,,
warning, but the men needed them not
Harvey would have liked very much
to comply with the city speed ordi
nance, but Howardson urged aeains,
it. Finally one policeman. with The
city's interest more at heart than anv
they had yet met with. ran out to IN.
tercept them, lodged in time to sava
himself. then ran on behind. secured
the license number and jotted II down
in his notebook.
1t was then that Howardson advised
less speed.
Take your runabout home now. Mr.
williams, and keep both it and your.
self under cover. When a policeman
calls TO place you under arrest your
wife must tell him that you are not az
home You will get letter. Bring II
to me before you take further action
The policeman called at noon. ana
Mrs. Williams observed her husbands
instructions.
The afternoon mail brought Williams
n letter from the chief of police With
trembling fingers he tore open the
envelope, read the letter through and
then dressed for the street A hslt
hour later he stood before Howardson.
Howardson smiled
"Mr. Howardson," Harvey began
chow did you know that would get
a letter from the chief Of policef
ut Is evident that you were never
arrested before for speeding They
always follow this course when
prominent person is not found at home
when the policeman calls. Let's read
what it says"
1t opened with the usual salutation
and proceeded:
you are under arrest for breaking
the city ordinance relative to the speed
of automobiles. 1 have in hand all nee
essary evidence to prove that you were
in the automobile at the time and act
ing as chauffeur. You were going at
Il speed of not less than thirty miles
per hour, and this, too, in the heart Of
the city's business district. You can
avoid further trouble by renting at
once the amount of your fine, So"
Excellent, excellent" Howardson
exclaimed in tone Of delight. IF he
had not been so particular as to esti-
mating the speed we would have been
put to the necessity of demanding 1t
of him. Call the estimable gentleman
over the telephone and tell him that
you will send the check by the next
mail"
Williams did so.
81 have already notified the probable
purchaser to call here, and if I mis-
take not this is he at the door"
The door opened. and the probable
purchaser walked into the room. After
few moments of desultory converse.
ton the chiefs letter was handed &c
him, and he read it through.
1.-The noon edition of the News con-
tains an account of this escapade," he
remarked. III take the runabout"
Williams had come to the Office in
the motor, and the purchaser. having
written out check to Harvey's order.
took immediate possession of the ma
chine.
MIR. Howardson, you are indeed a
specialist extraordinary in advertis-
ingI" Williams cried, holding out his
hand when they were once more in
Howardsons office.
Thank you, Mr.. Williams. Let me
assure you that you need have no IN
easineSS regarding our little stratagem.
Our friend will not dare speed above
ten miles within the city and twelve
in the country. l doubt if he has
much relish for the paying of fines
should he ever have occasion
to test the autos speed and find it not
above eighteen miles per hour you can
truthfully say that you had always
thought this speed was its limit until
the chief of police informed you dil-
ferently Write a check for S25, paya-
BILE to the order of the city, and VIII
type letter to the chief TO go with it
This is the letter that fairly dunn
the chief of police:
Your communication received. ! am
unable to state at which 1 am the
more surprised-your charge that
was speeding over the limit or the fact
that the old auto would go over eight
cen miles per hour. a fact of which
was heretofore doubtful. l have dis
posed OF the auto. and as speed was
the first and most essential requisite
I was able TO produce unimpeachap's
evidence that the machine possesseu
this quality. Thanking you for the un-
favor, L take great pleasure
IN handing you the inclosed cheek u
full payment of my fine"
Harvey Williams put $500 with ths
money paid him for his runabout anu
purchased Il machine that would o"
fifty miles an hour when pushed 10 us
Utmost. The first time he went oul
n it he was so delighted with its per
'ormance that he gave every othe1
luto on the road his dust. Coming I"
curve. he failed to slow up suihclehl'
V. skidded down a bank, ruined ns
machine and was thrown into MUDDY
tream. thus getting his deserts FOR MS
dishonesty