The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-28
Placing the
Responsibility

ms coaster and patiently waited for
the old lady who was descending the
steep hill to reach the bottom.
Chester did not like old ladies-a,
least when they were on the Gardner
street hill.
Gardner street had gutter covers at
the street corners and one could coast
the whole three blocks of the hill.
ana run along on the level sidewalk
Ior perhaps another block The Red
Racer could 60 further than any
other coaster when the axles were
greased-which was whenever Ches.
| ter could find a wagon and no driver
watching.
Mrs. Halsey finally reached the bot
, tom Of the hill and turned into SUIT
ton street, SO with whoop Chester
| drew up his feet and the Red Racer
was of. The coaster gained speed
with every revolution of the wheels
and at the end of the second block
was tearing along finely. Chester bad
lately encountered coal wa On
freshly creased and the axles of his
own wagon were now we'll supplied.
He yelled warning as he neared
the corner of Sutton street. Ben
Travis was crossing the street in a
strangely absent minded manner. He
did not seem to hear the shouts nor
the rattle of the wheels, and Chester,
being but eight and yet to experience
his own first touch of the master pas
sion, could not know that Elsie Bay
ard, coming along Sutton street in the
opposite direction, was responsible
for Bens abstraction.
1t is rather embarrassing to come
face to face with a girl who only the
night before has passionately declared
that she never wants to see you
again. Travis was wondering
whether to bow or to act as though
he had never seen Elsie before. In
the face of such an absorbing prob
lem 1t was not strange that he should
not hear the coaster.
Elsie herself was equally engaged in
trying to decide whether she would
bow coldly II Ben did bow and so 1t
happened that, unconscious of the rat
tie of the wheels, she stepped almost
directly in the path of the speeding
coaster.
With quick twist, of the wheels
Chester essayed to pass between the
two. He could have made 1t had not
Ben sprung forward to push Elsie out
of the way and had come himself di.
rectly in the path of the machine.
There was crash. cry and Ches-
ter rolled over into the gutter while
Ben lay still and white at Elsie's feet
Unmindful of her dainty dress, Elsie
threw herself upon her knees beside
the unconscious man. A little crowd
soon gathered and proffered aid. One
brought glass Of water and with this
Elsie restored Ben to consciousness
and assisted him into the drug store
on the corner. He had been badly
shaken up, but Elsie's ministrations
were more potent than the stimulant
that the druggist proffred, and pres
emily he rose weakly to his feet and
announced his ability to get home un- !
assisted.
81 am going with you." declared FL
sic. You are not fit to go by your
self"
DO not trouble" urged Ben, though |
his eyes twinkled. You have done far
more than | have a right to expect |
from a stranger"
DON'T" cried Elsie with a little |
shudder. II was thinking of that when |
you lay there so still and white. Had |
you died | never could have forgiven
myself"
Then you mean-?" questioned
Ben.
81 mean that | am sorry for last
night" she confessed. But II 1t had
not been for the accident should not
have realized 1t"
Funny didn't hear the cart COM
ing. saw you and was wondering
whether you would recognize me-"
81 was wondering II you would
bow" admitted Elsie. Then the first
thing that | knew the cart was COM
ing toward me and you sprang to
save me and got hurt yourself, That
Fl. tcher boy ought to be given good
spanking"
ITO the contrary" demurred Ben, Il
think that we owe him great deal.
| wonder what became of him."
There's the cart" suggested Elsie,
pointing to battered wheel and a
splintered plank by the roadway.
Behind the tree they discovered
Chester, bravely blinking back the
tears as he regarded the remnants OF
his once cherished possession.
What did you jump that way for?
he demanded of Ben, as he looked up
to encounter Travis gaze. 81 could
have steered between you easy as
not
But we didn't want anything to
come between us" explained Travis
with the twinkle in his eye.
"He was trying to save me from be- !
Ing run down" added Elsie proudly.
II could have made II easy de-
rlared Chester, his pride as a steers
man aroused. 1T was because he
iumred when he shouldn't that | hit
him"
IF you put It in that light sug-
gested Travis with a laugh, suppose
hat you take the wreck over to the ,
wagon shop and tell them to make IL
good ard send the bill to me-"
Chester regarded Travis gratefully. I
you're all right" he declared.
Most peop'e act like | run 'em down I
On purpose"
This" explained Travis, was an
act of the gods. You are relieved of
and he limped of with 9
Elsie's help. leaving Chester still !