The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-07
Heads or
Tails
An Automobile Story
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Ralph Dodge had taken his degree at
college, had returned to his native city
and was waiting on the platform of
the railway car in which he had made
the journey for those ahead of him to
get of. The next person before him
was girl badly loaded with hand
baggage, and there was no trainman
to help her down, no attendant to car
~ her belongings.
When she reached the cement plat
form her foot struck place where the
cement had been Clipped. her ankle
turned and she fell A suit case in
one hand, a handbag and an umbrella
In the other, went flying In different
directions.
Ralph dropped his own belongings
and lifted the girl to her feet. But
when she got on them she would have
gone down again had he not supported
her.
An attendant came running up and
gathered the lady's belongings, includ-
ing bunch of violets that had fallen
from her belt Ralph reached for the
viOlets, leaving the other articles with
the attendant, then would have moved
away with the girl had she not been
unable to touch her foot to the plat
form.
Something must be done.
Ralph Dodge had won renown as
right tackle on the university team of
his college, and the carrying of sim
pie ITO pounds was a bagatelle He
took the girl up in his arms and car
ried her to taXicab. Putting her and
her belongings-all except the violets-
into 1t, he tipped the attendant for her
and, with the most courtly bow he
could enact, babe her adieu as she was
whisked away.
Dodge went to bis home thrilled
with the sensation Of having carried
pretty girl In his arms.
During the autumn following his
graduation Ralph and his chum Bob
Kittredge were touring when they got
into region with which neither was
familiar. Coming to place where
the road forked, they stopped to con-
slider what they should do.
(which road shall we take, BobY'
questioned Ralph.
Kittredge reached for the automo-
bile road map in the leather pocket
before them. Then he drew back his
hand, laughing
leave 1t to chance, Ralph" he said.
"We're out merely for fun. What diff
ference does it make whether we get
home by way of Onyxville or through
Ellsworth Center? All roads lead to
New York"
Don't you believe it," contradicted
Ralph. 1--WE motored around on that
theory and fetched up in all sorts Of
God forsaken holes where they think
New York is as far away and inacces-
sible as London"
Lets get along somewhere, any
how" said Bob. "It's too fine a fall
day to spend wrangling. Let's toss
up for It,"
That's always your way Of solv-
ing every problem" laughed Ralph.
very well-toss up. Heads wins the
right hand road, ehT'
"Yes." Bob brought forth a coin
and tipped 1t in his palm.
"Tailsr' he announced.
Hope it's no indication that we'll
come out at the tail end of things"
grinned Ralph as he turned the motor
into the left hand road.
Fate has decided for u.s. declared
Bob sentimentally. II believe / scent
an adventure"
"Let me out Of 1t, then. I'm not
strong on adventures"
"Ho" jeered Bob incredulously
what about the adventure of the girl
with the sprained ankle? l heard that
she sprained 1t when alighting from n
train and that you assisted her to q
taxi and after 1t had rolled away you
picked up bunch of violets she had
dropped. and l suppose you cherish
them to this day."
Ralph Redeemed under his tan. can
adventure usually ends in something
or other" be said disconnectedly. 81
never heard or saw the girl afterward,
although I've He stopped and bit
his lip as his companion laughed heart
lessly.
II don't wonder you are sore on adj
ventures" cried Bob. Take 1t from
me, Ralph, you'll meet her sooner or
later. It's written in the stars"
"By Jove. what narrow road we've
run into!' exclaimed Ralph suddenly.
There certainly isn't room for turn
out here II we should meet another
car"
There wasn't room for anything ex-
cept the car, and the sides of that
rubbed against the huckleberry bushes
that hung perilously on the edges of
the bank on either side. The trees
overhung the level track that appeared
to run for some distance through these
thick woods. They had not passed
house for some time.
Likely we won't meet another car"
said Ralph after a survey of the road.