The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-02-27
HER BIT OF Stiffness
BY KATE CLEVES.

the little red car stopped on the sum
nit and glided slowly down the we'll
oiled road
big young man whose strongly marked
features looked very forbidding unless
one could see behind the concealing
goggles; then the kindness OF the
gray eyes discounted the sterness OF
the lips.
ooh. breathed Dulcie Whitmore
from her seat in the little car; its
Elmer Chesbro's car Sruff old thing.
Shall ever forget what Bert Chesbro
repeated TO me? Never He said |
was a cute little kid Cute, am /?
HIN, He always blinks his eyes and
looks so surprised when he sees me
just as il he couldn't remember his
sisters dearest friend and college
chum, Three years ago and
haven't forgotten Well, Alr Man, its
your turn to be foolish now,
Whereupon DHlcie's little car sud
denly began TO act in the most eccen-
trio manner II Wabbpd uncertainty
from one side of the read to the other
until the big ear came to a stand Still
half way up the hill and it's occupant
leaped to the ground
Head me off, will YOU chuckle1
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 it gently rolled over to one
side
When Elmer CheSbro reached the
scene he found DuGlie's graceful little
form in a hHddl"d heap beside the
car. \ little blue motor bonnet framed
her pale exclusive face from which
the color had fled, and the white lids
covered her brown eyes
Chesbro snatched the girl into his
arms and carried her to his own car,
where he tcnderly placed her in the
tonneau, hen he brought ont a pocket
flask and poured some " the contents
between Dulcics tightly closed lips
Whereupon DuIcie 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 dreadtully dreadful
ly-- Her eyes closed and to all ap-
pearances Miss Whitmore had lost
consciousness again
There's only one thing to do" said
take her TO the nearest house and
summons a physician
Bracing her about with cushions
Chesbro sprang to his steering wheel
and started his car gently up to the
summit of Quaker Ridge. The frs,
open gate led INTO the grounds SUI,
rounding red Sabled cottage and In
| five minutes Elmer Chesbro was car
rying the limp little form up the stairs
| Of the cottage and into chintz-hun9
chamber
The two little old ladies who had
admitted him had screamed at once
at sight of his unconscious burden.
why. it's Dulcle' shrieked the
gray haired one. Telephone for Doc.
| tor Vann at once Sarah"
Then. you know Miss Whitmore?"
asked Cheshire curiously as he turned
away
she is our grandniece knew she
would come to some harm with that
wicked little red car, Tell me how il
happened Riddy, bring me another
basin of cracked ice.
Chesbro related the astonishing ac
cident-how the red car had been com
Ing smoothly down hill when it sud
denly began to wibble to and fro and
finally ran up the embankment. throw
Ing Miss Whitmore to the ground He
thought the steering gear must have
|
tigate. if there was nothing more ne
could do now
Miss Hannah thanked him and
shook her head. and so Chesbro went
back to the little red car which he
managed to right with the help of a
passing farmer, and presently the bis
yellow car was towing the little req
car up to the cottage where he had
learned that Dulcie was visiting her
aunts.
Miss Hannah Lees met him In the
veranda
The doctor says there isn't bone
broken-nor even bruse. 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 IA
wheelbarrow :"
Il am glad Miss Whitmore is not
injured, said Chesbro heartily. then
he removed his goggles and locked
down at the little spinster
Was Miss Whitmore a skiliul driv.
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 Fnderby Dawson
for spin tas she called it, in tho
car For some reason Dulcie does not
appear &c like Enderby, although he
is most proper young man and has \
| perfect hnrrOr of automobiles hnt