The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-05

on THE ROADSIDE
BY MoLlIE MINISTER.

& BY MoLLIE MINISTER. :
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Twilight was drawing to an omi-
nous close amidst threatening rain
clouds, yet Martha still struggled with
the spark plug Of her motorcycle. She
was far from shelter and the road
through the country was long and
lonely. 4
After an hours struggle exaspera-
ton gave place to tears and Martha
crumpled up on the roadside in . par
oxysm Of weeping.
Just then . young man in . great
touring car swerved around the cor
ner.
Anything I can dot" he called out
- he slowed down.
Martha raised face on which tears ,
had made little crooked roads Of white. !!
and her glance was hostile. She had
been surprised in q weak moment and !
by q chauffeur. Martha's attitude was
decidedly superior when she made an ;
swer to the man who had offered her
assistance.
"Oh, ho!" laughed the man, not .
whit put out by her manner, II thought
you were q 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 l should permit you to sit
here on the roadside all night, even
II you are foolish enough to want to.
It is going to rain shortly" He paid
no more attention to Martha than II
she had been an obstreperous child.
A second later he returned to his car.
1T is all right now" he said.
"You are q most detestable per.
son." Martha informed him coolly.
"but l thank you for helping me-"
Don't mention It," called Sutcliffe.
and whirled of down the dusty road.
Martha was far too angry to watch
him 90. A moment later she too was
spinning In the same direction.
Sutclilfe had taken the number Of
her license and It was not dinacult to
ind out that her name was Martha
Glover and that she was resident Of
Douglas Manor. Since he was not .
chauffeur, az Martha had supposed,
but the owner Of two cars and q mum.
Der Of boats, Sutcliffe realized that II
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 q mutual friend pre-
scented Sutcliffe to Miss Glover. There
was not q glimmer Of recognition II
the mans eyes as he shook the hant
extended to him. She was not sur
: prised that Sutcliffe had not recoe
!, nized her, yet somehow Martha fel
hurt.
She watched him during the evening
dance with every attractive girl in tn
: room and she, In turn, firted outrs
}. geously with each Of her partners
Toward the end Of the evening h
Q made his way homeward without ha,
ing said goodnight to her.
: During the days following Marth
= rode her motorcycle from morning ur
). til twilight. Perhaps she was deeirou
Of fleeing from constant thought Q
Sutcliffe, or she may have hoped t
J. meet him in his big car.
:. The most courageous thing Marth
l. ever did in her life was to swerve sue
denly across the road precipitatin
q herself and her motorcycle into
y ditch. The idea had suggested itsel
u with desperate ewiftness the momen
she had seen sutcliffe whirling towar
o her in his racing car.
70 Sutcliffe jerked his machine to
r stop and jumped quickly out and owe
to the PROSTATE figure by the ROADSIDE
H. Picking her up and recognising he
r his face went white and Martha opene
=. wide her eyes. She was bruised an
:! trembling but did not regret her do
- ing maneuver when she saw the Q,
pTebSIOu IN SutclU0o eyes.
a She smiled, and In the smile Calvi
10 Sutcliffe read the story Of her gull
do you still consider mo q detes
% able person." he asked before relea
a. ing his hold Of her and leading hs
toward . soft knoll by the roadside.
10 NO." said Martha frankly. II WI
sorry you failed to recognize me whe
~ we met at the manor so that I coul
as have told you how deeply I regrette
10 my frightful disposition. I never d.
70 know just what was the matter vii
III my cycle"
Merely q sooted plug" said Su
~ cliffe. "Too much lubricating oil form
10 q smoke and that In turn makes SOC
~ Sinplest thing in the world to remed
~ but I am glad you didn't know It." +
gazed happily down at Martha's spa
20 king eyes. "As for my not recogni
~ ing you-well, that's another story"
"Oh-I seem to understand now