The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-06-21
FATE AT THE WHEEL
~ BARBARA coLviN.
1915. by the Mcclure Newspa-
DER Syndicatel 49,


ciative employer raised hie salary and
predicted a bright future for him.
The road to married life was plain
enough now--but the one thing es.
sential was lacking. He had lost
Paula.
One morning when there was sun
shine on land and sea. and apparently
everywhere save in poor Arnold's shad.
owed heart, he made the Irritating dis.
covery that the little car which took
him to his daily work refused to turn
q wheel.
Lee. declining the proffered help
of the mechanician at the hotel gar.
age, fuHlbled over the intricate parts
of the car and messed himself all up
with oil and grease until his linen
duster was as black as that of hia
would-be assistant, who stood near by,
O grin on his grimy face.
Il guess she'll 60 now, SIR" he
chnckled, as Arnold climbed YEARLY
into the car. and grasped the wheel
III she doesn't"
But she did!
The words of the mechanician were
lost in the buzzing whir Of the motor
as the car lifted her front wheels and
leaped forward.
There was scattering of interest
cd spectators, and an instant van
ishing of the hotel and Its grounds
as the machine tore down the drive
and turned into the highway toward
Kent.
Arnold crouched over the steering
wheel, pulling at the speed levers
without avail. Then. to his horror,
he realized that the car would not
respond to his guidance.
He had reused 1t to action, but ii
wouldn't stopl The steering gear re-
fused to work.
Just as he reached the upper gate
of Waynewood, the off tire ground
against large stone, the car sweryed
sharply to the right and shot through
the familiar gate of Waynewood.
At that instant Arnold would have
preferred to plunge straight forward
into The ocean.
"Zip-z-z-z-z-z-ip!"
The tires bit hard In The bluestone
drive until a curve was reached, when
the machine plunged across the lawn.
almost miracul0usly choosing lane
between two rows of Lombardy pop
lars.
The lane ended in Mr.. Waynea
cherished bed Of giant heliotrope, In
the center Of which stood an ancient
sundial. whose stone pedestal was
sunk deep In the ground. Around the
brass face of the dial was inscribed
the legend: Il mark only life's sun
ny hours"
Standing beside the sundial, knee.
deep in purple and white heliotrope,
stood Paula Wayne. Her bright, un.
covered head was bent over the dial
and her slender rforefinger traced the
words around the circle.
AS Arnold rushed toward her in the
runaway car their eyes met in mutual
terror.
She heard his voice shouting some.
thing to her. She darted back to
ward the piazza, and then the car
ended its journey by smashing into
the stone pedestal and dislodging iti
disgusted owner
Bless my soul!" yelled Mr.. Wayne
as he came flying from the house.
his pen dripping ink over his best
white linen suit. There goes my
heliotrope."
Never mind your old heliotrope!"
sobbed Paula as she few past him
Arnold is killed."
They discovered the young man sit
ting dazedly in bed of crushed and
hopelessfy ruined flowers. In his LAP
was the dial plate, hurled from it's
pedestal by the impact of the little
car. which turned over on its side
grumbled fitfully and twitched spas
medically from inward disturbances
peculiarly its own.
Everywhere there was a sweet and
overpowering fragrance of heliotrope
What do you mean by this sort OF
speeding in M grounds?" demanded
Mr.. Wayne pompously. Your posi-.
tion as my future son-in-law doesn't
entitle you to take such liberties. You
have made fearful wreck of my most
cherished"
But | am not your future son-in.
law, Mr. Wayne!"
Arnold endeavored to rise, WINGED
and resumed his seat.
The old gentleman glared from
Paula's downcast face to Arnold's pale
"You didn't tell me, Paula!" he
gasped In an aggrieved tone.
He is your future son-in-law!" burst
forth Paula tearfully Il don't care
what he says--I shall marry him. so
therei"
"Tut-tut!" chided Mr.. Wayne, star
tied at his daughters words and elec.
trified by the change In Arnolds az.
preston. You'll have to settle it be.
tween you. and IL Arnold is injured he
must be taken into the house at once