The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-11-10
ON THE ROADSIDE
BY MoLLIE MINISTER.

nous close amidst threatening rair
clouds, yet Martha still struggled with
the spGrk plug of her motorcycle. She
was Tar from shelter and the road
through the country was long and
lonely.
After an hours struggle exaspera
tion gave place to tears and Martha
crumpled up on the roadside In a par.
oxysm of weeping.
Just then a young man in a great
touring car swerved around the cor.
nen
Anything I can do?" he called out
as he slowed down.
Martha raised a face on which tears
had made little crooked roads Of white,
and ner glance was hostile. She had
been surprised in a weak moment and
by chauffeur, Marthas attitude was
decidedly superior when she made an
swer to the man who had offered her
assistance.
On, ho!" laughed the man, not a
Whit put out by her manner, Il thought
you were man" He glanced down
at her masculine cycle costume and
tardily removed his cap.
MY clothes are no different from
anyone elses," said Martha wrath
fully.
"Whew! I'm sorry stopped" said
Calvin Sutcliffe with laughing polite
ness. He turned to start his machine,
then as suddenly jumped down and ex-
amined Martha's cycle. There Is no
reason why / should permit you to sit
here on the roadside all night, even
If you are foolish enough to want to.
II is going to rain shortly" He paid
no more attention to Martha than IL
she had been an obstreperous child.
A second later he returned to his car.
1T is all right now" he said.
You are most detestable per-
son." Martha informed him coolly,
but ! thank you for helping me-
Don't mention it," called Sutcliffe,
and whirled off down the dusty road.
Martha was far too angry to watch
him go. A moment later she too was
spinning in the same direction.
Sutcliffe had taken the number of
her license and 1t was not difficult to
find out that her name was Martha
Glover and that she was resident of
Douglas Manor. Since he was not
chauffeur, as Martha had supposed,
but the owner of two cars and num-
Der Of boats, Sutcliffe realized that 1t
was quite an easy matter to make his
way into the social circle in which
Martha revolved.
It was at the quaint little clubhouse
at the manor that mutual friend pre-
eented Sutcliffe to Miss Glover There
was not a glimmer of recognition in
the mans eyes as he shook the hand
extended to him. She was not sur
prised that Sutcliffe had not recog-
nized her, yet somehow Martha felt
hurt.
She watched him during the evening
dance with every attractive girl in the
room and she, in turn, flirted outra-
geously with each OF her partners.
Toward the end Of the evening he
made his way homeward without hav-
ing said goodnight to her.
During the days following Martha
rode her motorcycle from morning un-
til twilight. Perhaps she was desirous
OF fleeing from constant thought of
Sutcliffe or she may have hoped to
meet him in his big car.
The most courageous thing Martha
ever did in her life was to swerve sud-
denly across the road precipitating
herself and her motorcycle into a
ditch. The idea had suggested itself
with desperate swiftness the moment
she had seen Sutcliffe whirling toward
her in his racing car.
Sutcliffe )jerked his machine to a
stop and jumped quickly out and over
to the prostrate figure by the roadside.
Picking her up and recognizing her.
his face went white and Martha opened
wide her eyes. She was bruised and
trembling but did not regret her dar-
ing maneuver when she saw the ex-
preston in Sutcliffes eyes.
She smiled, and in the smile Calvin
Sutcliffe read the story of her guile.
DO you still consider me a detest-
able person?" he asked before releas-
ing his hold of her and leading her
toward a soft knoll by the roadside.
No" said Martha frankly Il was
sorry you failed to recognize me when
we met at the manor SO that could
have told you how deeply l regretted
my frightful disposition. l never did
know just what was the matter with
my cycle"
Merely a sooted plug" said SUIT
cliffe. TOO much lubrlcating oil forms
a smoke and that in turn makes SCOT.
SiIHplest thing in the world to remedy,
but am glad you didn't know it," He
gazed happily down at Martha's SPAR I
king eyes. "As for my not recogniz-
ing you-well that's another story"
"Oh-I seem to understand now"
laughed Martha and, looking up into
5utcliffes eyes. she read the old, old
story.
Copyright 1914, by the Mcclure Newspe-
per Syndlcate)
His Mind on Worldly Things.
minister haf~o