Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-13

shoulder at the maid in the doorwa.
and called in her clear sweet voice
III Mr.. Hancock comes tonight, tel
him I am out in my car and am no
sure when shall return"
She ran lightly down the steps ant
climbed into the car, while Algernol
sat stolidly at the wheel and sai'
nothing. He did not speak until the.
turned out CT the great iron gates int
the highway. then he stopped the car
turned to the girl beside him ant
asked respectfully
Which way, ma'am?
Their eyes met full of laughter ant
once more the social barriers totteret
and fell before the onrush Of the sud
den and unquestioned friendship tina
each felt for the other and that coult
not be gainsaid.
North said the girl, and added
why the 'ma'am'?"
Gust for show said Algernor
gaily, like a generals uniform"
; He leaned forward, for the gently
moving tree branches made confus
| ing pattern of light and shadow or
the road ahead, and quickened speed
the, car jumped forward like spirited
horse at the touch of the whip. II
| went faster and faster, now into the
shadow cast by grove of pines, nov
cut again into the starlight.
| do you like it, questioned Alger
non.
The girl nodded without speaking
and once more Algernon increased the
| speed. He leaned forward, eyes
strained ahead, but all he could dc
was to keep the car in the middle OF
the road as much as possible and trust
| to luck that the way would be clear
/ of distractions. Bushes and trees and
! old stumps cast shadows in the road
that looked like stones and great
slab of rock looked as gray as the
dusty road. Something was the mat
ter with the lamps, both had gone out
and the car was on the rock and, over
it before either OF the occupants was
aware of its proximity. The wind had
sprung up and it whirled past them
while the two bent their heads before
it and Algernon pulled his cap on more
firmly Faster and faster, they swept
into the darkness. Trees, bushes,
fences rushed by. One moment the
light of farmhouse woald shine
across their path, and the next they
had left it far behind and were tearing
along the side of marshy lowlands,
across which came the salt air of the
sea and the dull roar of the waves.
Then Of a sudden, hill would inter
veen and they would hear only the
hum Of the engines and the whish of
the wind past their faces.
At last on the crest of steep slope
as they were about to descend, Molly
saw en- the farther incline before them
another car. climbing easily and SLOW
ly up the hill unconscious of the car
that followed
There's another car" whispered the
girl excitedly.
Cant stop on this hill" snapped AL
gernon He threw off speed as much
as he could and applied the brakes
carefully. but the car had acquired
such momentum that it rushed down
one hill and halfway up the other be-
fore it showed any depreciation in
speed. Those in the car ahead heard
and glanced back. The man sitting
beside the driver said something to
him in quick command, and the
strange car in its turn leaped forward
and began to go faster and faster.
Algernon's eyes cleaned It was
clear the occupants Of the strange car
die not wish to be passed. and Alger-
non had no intention Of remaining in
the rear
Are you going to race them?"
whispered the girl peering ahead to
see If one were Hancock. She knew Of
no one else in that neighborhood who
owned car, and the string Of touring
cars that passed steadily all day on
summer routes to Canada and Montre-
al generally stopped before nightfall.
I'VE aren't going to take their dust
answered Algernon with laugh. II
shall let them reach that tree beyond
there and then we'll pass them"
Don't" begged Molly. please.
Something may happen"
Nothing will happen" soothed Al
gernon, bending low over the wheel.
"And with. the roads as dry and dusty
as they are now, we shan't be able to
see a thing if We ride behind them
all the way. Do you want to do that"
mo, Inc BlTl SuOul6Q " Oc near u
above the throbbing of the two en-
gines and the rush Of the wind. But
please be careful"
Trust me-" laughed Algernon joy
ously.
The car ahead was soon lost to sight
in a gray cloud of dust and Algernon
kept his far enough in the rear to
escape the worst of it. but near enough
not to lose the hum of the engines
and to be able to pass as they neared
the tree he had mentioned, which
stood by itself in small clearing af-
fording room for one car to pass the
other They flew past sign post,
seen indistinctly in the rush, and Molly
whispered to Algernon that they were
three miles from Rochester. Then the
machine ahead turned suddenly and
dashed down narrow branch road.
Tirgling with the joy of the race, AL
gernon turned obediently and followed.
They tore down a small hill across a
rickety bridge and up the hill on the
farther side. Through the August
night they rushed on and on, up hill
and down. The houses they passed
now were wrapped in the darkness of
slumber. Dogs ran out and barked