The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-05-05

HER BIT OF Stiffness
BY KATE cLEvEs.

BY NRI { CLEVES.
The big yellow car started up the
long incline to Quaker Ridge just as
the little red car stopped on the sum-
NIT and glided slowly down the we'll
oiled road.
The occupant of the big car was a
big young man whose strongly marked
features looked very forbidding unless
one could see behind the conceahng
goggles; then the kindliness of the
gray eyes discounted the sterness Of
the lips
"Oh," breathed Dulcle Whitmore
from her seat in the little car; its
Elmer Chesbro's car-gruff old thing!
Shall ever forget what Bert Chesbro
repeated to me? Never! He said
was cute little kidd Cute. am 1?
Hmi He always blinks his eyes and
looks SO surprised when he sees me
Just as If he couldn't remember his
sisters dearest friend and college
chuml Three years ago-and
haven't forgotten. Well. Mr.. Man. its
your turn to be foolish now!"
Whereupon Dulcie's little car sud
denly began to act in the most eccen-
trio manner 1t wabbled uncertainty
from one side of the road to the other
until the big car came to stand still
half way up the hill and it's occupant
leaped to the ground.
Head me off, will your" chuckled
Dulcie at the very moment that the
little red car twisted around and ran
up slight embankment at the side
Of the road. 1t backed into the ditch
where 1t gently rolled over to one
side
When Elmer Chesbro reached the
scene he found Duclie's graceful little
form In a huddled heap beside the
car. A little blue motor bonnet framed
her pale, exclusive face from which
the color had fed. and the white lids
covered her brown eyes.
Chesbro snatched the girl into his
arms and carried her to his own car.
where he tenderly placed her in the
tonneau; then he brought out a pocket
flask and poured some of the contents
between Dulc4e's tightly closed lips
Whereupon Dulcie promptly choked,
and sneezed, and opened her brown
eyes dreamily and inquired what had
happened
You ran your car into the ditch"
explained Chesbro. DO you feel pain
anywhere?"
Dulcie shook her head
"No-only so dreadfully-dreadful-
ly-" Her eyes closed and to all ap-
pearances Miss Whitmore had lost
consciousness again.
There's only one thing to do" said
Chesbro to himself; "and that Is to
take her to the nearest house and
summons physician"
Bracing her about with cushions.
Chesbro spran9 to his steering wheel
and started his car gently up to the
summit of Quaker Ridge. The first
open gate led into the grounds sur
rounding a red gabled cottage, and In
Ave minutes Elmer Chesbro was car
rying the limp little form up the stairs
of the cottage and into a chintz-hung
chamber.
The two little old ladies who had
admitted him had screamed at once
at sight Of his unconscious burden.
why. it's Dulcie," shrieked the
gray-haired one Telephone for Doc
tor Vann at once, SARAH"
Then, you know Miss Whitmoref' p
asked CHESHIRE cnrtously as he turned
away.
she Is our grandntece-I knew she
would come to some harm with that
wicked little red car! Tell me how 1t
happened Biddy. bring me another
basin Of cracked ice!"
Chesbro related the astonishing &C
cident-how the red car had been COM
ing smoothly down hill when it sud
denly began to wabble to and fro and
finally ran up the embankment, throw
ing Miss Whitmore to the ground He
thought the steering gear must have
broken-he would go back and inves-
tigate, If there was nothing more he
could do now.
Miss Hannah thanked him and
shook her head, and 80 CHESHIRE went
back to the little red car which he
managed to right with the help Of q
passing farmer, and presently the big
yellow car was towing the little red
car up to the cottage where he had
learned that Duicfe was visiting her
aunts.
Miss Hannah Lees met him In the
veranda
The doctor says there Isn't a bone
broken-nor even a bruise. She
seems to be suffering from shock.
Oh. dear. why will girls attempt to do
such reckless things In my day
we wouldn't dream Of running a-ar
wheeaharrow!"
Il am glad Miss Whitmore is not
injured" said Chesbro heartily. then
he removed his goggles and looked
down at the little spinster.
WAS Miss Whitmore a skilful dirty.
err
She Is considered SOL have been
told that she Is very careful but some
thing happened last week-that made
me change my mind"
And that was =
she took young Enderby Dawson
for spin (as she called it, in the
car. For some reason Dulcie does not
appear to IKE Enderby, although he
Is most proper young man and has a
perfect horror of automobiles, but
she persuaded Enderby to 60, and
when he returned he said that his
nerves were shattered"
What happened?" asked Chesbro
with interest.
Il don't know all that happened
but Il seems that the wicked child
made & wager with Enderby that she
could drive the car up the embank
ment by the butternut tree"
by the butternut tree?" interrupt
ed Chesbro quickly.
"Yes-up the embankment ant
down again without accident. Oh
course he protested against such g
reckless risk of life and limb, but
Dulcie did it safely; but when they
returned Enderby declared he would
never ride with her again and he has
gone back to town, although we al
knew that he came purposely ter
well he has been devoted to Dulcie