The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-06-19

he was SOluS Ia run Tor ".
But both Charlie and were fools not
| TO turn about and. If we met the own
| er of the ear we had taken. explain the
mistake and throw ourselves on his
mercy. AS have said. it was that de-
sire Unborn in humanity, and in the
brute creation for that matter, for the
excitement of race.
Don't look back" said Charlie.
l knew by this that my doing so
would indicate that we were trying to
escape by flight. whereas if we paid
no attention TO those behind us il would
appear that we We're simply going at
high speed. But despite the caution
l could not help turning my head.
could not see who was in the car be-
hind us on account of the dust, and
by other evidences of q breakneck
speed had little doubt that the driver
was trying to catch us.
81 think they're gaining just little"
said.
Tom pushed the speed gauge a trihe
farther On-not to the limit. for we
were already going Mt Il tremendous
gait. The telegraph poles flew like the
spokes of revolving wheel Fortu-
nately the road was good. but Charlie
dare not turn when we reached the
crossroad without slowing down, and
this he did not wish to do. So we
shot 10y it like Il cannon ball.
Looking ahead, | saw what teams
We're in the road turn and as far as
possible on the side. When we reach
ed one of them the astonished face Of
the driver flashed upon me and van
ished.
Looking back, saw that we had
gained on our pursuers. They were
still under full speed but they surely
could not have as swift going ma
chine as ours. But at this moment
something underneath our car began
to rattle. Charlie instinctively moved
back the speed gauge.
I'm afraid we're beaten" he said.
"Oh, 60 ahead" ! cried. "Take the
chances"
IF anything should break while 60
ing at this speed we'd be mashed into
pulp"
Possibly. added to this view of the
case. Charlie had had time to consider
the folly OF our course. The rafting
continued. and he took off more power.
! looked back and saw that our pur-
suers were rapidly coming up with us.
l think | would have renewed the
pace if | had known we should be
wrecked, but Charlie had got some dis
erection into him aud kept reducing in
stead of putting on speed.
when they come up" he said. don't
appear as if we had been trying to get
away from them. Brazen it out. I'll de-
clare. till otherwise convinced. that
the machine is mine"
So we prepared ourselves for bluff.
and our pursuers, coming near. shout
ed to us TO stop. Charlie obeyed. and
the other car slowed down beside us
When | saw what it contained the
heavens grew black, all about me
whirled, and sank back on the leather
cushion.
had been flying from my husband.
didn't quite faint away. was
sufficiently conscious to see on Toms
face the look of Il man who had caught
his wife running away with a rival.
The first words | heard came from
Charlie. and it was evident that he
had not lost his presence of mind.
Hello Tom. he said What are
you doing out here at this time in the
morning.
Tom made no reply. He was too ap-
palled to speak.
Il met your. wife" Charlie contin-
ued. "in front of Waterman's store
looking at this auto. thought it was
hers. and she thought it was mine.
proposed spin. and it was only few
ago that we discovered our
mistake
saw look of mingled relief and
doubt come over my husbands face.
He seemed to wish to believe the story,
but found it hard to swallow Pres
emily he said in Il reserved tone:
You are in car have been think
ing Of buying. | lett it awhile ago be-
fore Waterman's, going in to buy a
pair of driving gloves. When | came
out the auto was gone. A policeman
told me he saw Il man and woman
get into it and drive off i'm this direc-
ton"
By this time | had recovered suffi-
GENTLY to take my part in the CONVEX.
sation.
I'VE discovered our mistake" I said.
Just rs we heard you coming for us.
Not knowing who you We're. but sup
posing you were the owner of the car
we had taken. we thought we would
race YOU for it. Flying from my own
husband-ha. ha'
Tom didn't seem to think it funny a
bit. the reason being plain. The idea
that was uppernost in his head was
that was clipping with his rival
However. the fact that we had taken
the automobile he had been using con-
vinced him. If we had intended an
we should not have been
likely to take that particular car. The
fact of having been pursued by Tom
began TO strike Charlie as very ludi-
crous. The corners of his mouth be-
gan to quirk up. Toms scowl also
broke into Il smile.
We've got to get back to town"
said Charlie. do you want your wife
In your car, Tom. or will you trust her
pnao I cnla,npIy not 20 $50,