The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-09-01
The Purple
Comet
Dramatic Climax to a Ride
In the Car.
By CL.ARlSSA G.

Mrs. Osmond emerged from the
mi]llncr's abstractedly bultoning
her glove. She crossed the pave
mcnt and entered a small electric
brougham which was waiting at the
curb.
"lIomc," she said to the chauf-
fcur as he closed the door.
In an instant they wore gliding
up the avenue. As they threaded
the maze Of vehicles croWding its
length Alicia Os>nond leaned against
the cushions and closed her aching
Cvcs.
The glare and hustle Of the busy
streets had tired her already over
strung nerves. She felt a sense Of
grateful relief when tI,ov entered
the qujcter uptown district.
Tho gentle motion Of the car dull
cd her into somnoIcncc. She must
have dozed. When she finally rous-
cd it was to glance from the win
dow with q little exclamation. They
had left the city streets and were in
tho open country. The car bovlcd
along the old post road. with oc-
eaSional &l1nlp>os Of the blue waters
of the sea between the bare branch
cs Of the trees.
\ glance at the leather cascl
clock added to her establishment.
The hands pointed to | o'clock. 1t
had been II when she entered the
brouohaa'
She sj"nalcd to The chauffeur. 10
her amazamont he did not respond.
Ills great square back partially
blocked the window. Tho collar Of
his coat was turned up about his
| cars anil met tho zap. pulled we'll
down on lis head, With gauntlet
cd hands arasping the steering
wheel and yves set straight in front.
The man seemed oLlivions to his
| surroundings.
Alicia O-mond was thoroughly
frightened. Could it be possible
that her chauffeur had sudAcnlv
been bcroft of reason and that he
Wa carrying her 10 one knew
WHITTIER? She leaned forward and
raped desperately on the plate
glass with her silver portcmonnaic.
~"Stovcns,'' she called sharply
The onl ! response was the increas-
ID speed of The ear. She called
again and again. hut received no rc.
ply. 1t last she sank back on the
seat with real alarm.
After awhile she calmed herself
and looked eagerly from tie win
dow. lie1p might be obtained i'll
their swift passage through the
towns. but their speed was 50 great
th@t The people they mot flashed b.
ike spoc4ers, while trees and dwell.
ng, were Blurred p2noramas.
She recognized tho country row
they We're near iornclIH. lEc.
lips ]puivorcd. and the SLOW tear
rolled down hor checks, t'orncliI1
had hccn her homo and Norman's
evpr since their marriage, lut sine,
their serious quarrel and tho qnjot
separation which had followed SIC
had takcn the town house, and NVr
nan had disappeared quietly from
his accustomed haunts--gonc I,
Europe, SAID Tie gossips.
Tho Si-sh; Of tho familiar country
ave her a sharp ran- that mad
'er FORGET her anxiety oyer hen
TRANCE predicamcnt Of the mo
nont. \ hot sense of grief over
"iie,mod her again, as il had over
Wlielmod her many. many times il
tho@r past sad weeks. As soon 4
her first unreasonable anger haG
vanished she had known poignanlll
that her quarrel with her husband
had been Il mistake. She felt with
bitter Woo and passionate self re-
preach that she loved him-lovcd
him more than all tho world.
The brougham Whizzcd en- dcs-
pcratcly. but she did not notice ii.
She was sobbing stormilv and call
ing for him who was far away. How
good Norman had always been to
her. Everything she had wished
for had been hers. The automobile
in which she rode had been his last
present to her.
"The Purple Comet, darling," he
had announced, laughing his great,
boyish laugh as he indicated the car
with a sweep Of his hand. The
thought brought her back with a
start to her situation.
4, the instant it 1avncd on her
that there was something unfamiliar
about the EAR. There were the fit
tine~ of cream leather and purple
velvct-hut the clock! The gold
D7nnnrr3m honrath IFS ononnl,d