The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-16
CUPID'S QUICK
WORK
By ETHEL HOLMES

ground fell on. A motor was coming
up at the accelerated speed used by
all chauffeurs In hill climbing. At the
wheel was a 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 1t
should be noticed that Armstrong was
a famous baseball catcher
Are you hurt:" he asked anxiously
Il think not" she said. but she lay
limp In the stalwart arms. Armstrong
looked down into her face anxiously.
Her eyes were closed. His lips We're
within an inch OF hers. He reduced
| the interval TO zero.
"Oh, my! Good gracious." she ex-
claimed. starting up and 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
4 hav I-il1a1 A., -
was. being thrown into
He stopped short.
I "Oh, dear, what am / going to do?"
moaned the girl.
"Ill take you home My car is all
right"
But mine what shall we do
with it?"
Armstrong looked puzzled. They were
in the country. far from any town.
It's Off the road" he said, and won't
endanger any one. Well go to the
nearest garage and have them send
out for it. But I'm afraid 1t 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
his car. pushed button. pressed foo,
brake, made other starting moves and
began to descend the slope before him
The girl cast lingering look at til,
wreck and wiped away tear.
There Is every reason to believe tina
Cupid had sat beside the girl an,
caused the disaster. Else why shoul,
it have occurred, and why should sh,
have been shot into Armstrong; arms
being just enough upset to lie ther,
long enough for him to kiss her rub,
lips? And there is every reason I,
believe that Cupid. having caused tn,
collision, hopped into the rear seat o
Armstrong; car. At any rate. every
thing from that moment was beauti
fully arranged to hasten union he
tween these two young persons.
In the first place, it was late in tn
afternoon and growing dark. AS sool
as he had started Armstrong pressc,
button TO turn on his lights. No lish
came.
That's bad" he said The shoe
must have broken the electric conneo
ton"
| If Cupid was managing the affai
|, this was his most important work. y
/ one but fool dare run an auto a
\ night without lights. Another clcve
| stroke was that Armstrong had II
l skid chains. and there was lot O
\ ice ON the road, which. being of as
| phalt. was thereby made very slippery
/ In addition to this, the country wa
|, hilly and the road full of turns. TIL
Il time was late in November. and Will
in twenty minutes after the collisio
\ darkness fell over the face of the ian,
! Coming to what looked through th
gloom as II the road suddenly ended
it was a sharp turn-Armstrong pulle
as far out of the road as he dared an
stopped.
It'll never do to go any farther
this machine" he said.
"Oh. dear. what shall we do?"
I'VE must find Il house. And don
see any way but for us to stay the
and go on I'm the morning"
"That would be impossible In m
case"
why SOP
After some pressure the girl sa
that her father and mother We
French. The French have very stri
gent notions as to a girl being ava
from home unaccounted for, overnigt
Her life would be blighted
We'll have to find house. all Il
same" said Armstrong The rest
ii we can settle later"
Leaving the auto they went ba,
over the road having seen lie
some distance to the rear Maybe
had been put out At any rate tn
didn't find ii. They wandered
miles before house darkened. loom
. up before them. They were in smi
village Armstrong banged at the do
. till man opened It.