Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-01-04
CUPID's QUICK
WORK
By ETHEL HOLMES

Arthur Armstrong was driving up
grade in his motorcar and nearing
sharp turn.
loot! loot! loot. toot, foot!
On the other side of the summit the
ground fell off. A motor was coming
up at the accelerated speed used by
all chauffeurs in hill climbing. AT the
wheel was girl, the only occupant
Not being quick enough in turning or
not having the strength, she shot out
on to the wrong side of the road-on
her left.
Armstrong; car received the blow
on the bumper and was not injured
The girls car was put out of commits
sion, and the girl-well, the girl was
caught in Amstrong's arms. But it
should be noticed that Armstrong was
famous baseball catcher
Are you hurt?" he asked arxiously.
II think not" she said, but she lay
limp in the stalwart arms. Armstrong
looked down into her face anxiously.
Her eyes We're closed His lips were
within an inch Of hers. He reduced
the interval to zero.
"Oh, my! Good gracious!' she ex-
claimed, starting up ana looking at her
car.
How fortunate!' said Armstrong.
Fortunate! Do you call that wreck
fortunate?"
II mean that you are not seriously
hurt"
But my brand new car is ruined"
Better that than you should have
been killed or mangled. Had you been
thrown against the car or hadn't miss
ed the wind shield by hairs breadth
you would have been killed AS it
was, being thrown into
He stopped short.
"Oh, dear, what am going to dog"
moaned the girl.
"I'll take you home. Ny car is all
right"
But mine-what shall we do
with it?"
Armstrong looked puzzled. They We're
in the country. far from any town.
Its off the road" he said, land won't
endanger any one. Well go to the
nearest garage and have them send
out for it. But I'm afraid it isn't
worth hauling in
This being the only thing that could
be done. she consented reluctantly.
Armstrong got out Of his car, gathered
up her belongings, then, returning to
MS car, pushed button, pressed a foot
brake, made other starting moves and
began to descend the slope before him
The girl cast lingering look at the
wreck and wiped away tear.
There is every reason to believe that
| Cupid had sat beside the girl and
| caused the disaster Else why should
| it have occurred, and why should she
have been shot into Armstrong; arms,
being just enough upset to lie there
long enough for him to kiss, her ruby
lips? And there is every reason to
believe that Cupid. having caused the
| collision, hoped into the rear seat Of
Armstrong; car. At any rate every
thing from that moment was beauti-
fully arranged to hasten a union be-
tween these two young persons
In the first place, it was late. in the
afternoon and growing dark. AS soon
as he had started Armstrong pressed
button to turn on his lights. No light
came.
That's bad" he said. THE shock
must have broken the electric connec-
| ton"
II Cupid was managing the affair
this was his most important work. No
one but fool dare run an auto at
night without lights. Another clever
stroke was that Armstrong had no
skid chains, and there was a lot of
ice on the road, which. being of as
phalt, was thereby made very slippery.
In addition to this, the country was
hllly and the road full of turns. The
! time was late in November and with
in twenty minutes after the collision
darkness fell over the face of the land.
| Coming to what looked through the
gloom as if the road suddenly ended
it was a sharp turn Armstrong pulled
as far out of the road as he dared and
| stopped.
It'll never do to go any farther In
this machine" he said.
"Oh, dear, what shall we do?'
I'VE must find a house. And don't
| see any way but for us to stay there
and go on in the morning.
"That would be impossible In my
case
"Why sou
After some pressure the girl said
that her father and mother were
French. The French have very strin-
gent notions as to girl being away
from home. unaccounted for. overnight
Her life would be blighted
We'll have to find house, all the
same" said Armstrong. 1.-THE rest Of
| it we can settle later
Leaving the auto, they went back
over the road. having seen a light
| some distance to the rear. Maybe 1t
had been put out. At any rate,r they
didn't find II Thav wapdorod for