Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-02
Re >Scane7 RzHz7er

of-down there, under the third hill"
by Jove! it's the Cigar!" cried
Christopher.
There it was. mere flying speck,
seen far away across broken and I'M
| dulating land, as Scarlet Runner,
with heated pneus, topped a COM
manding hill.
At first there was doubt in Chris
! tophers' mind. 1t might be the Cigar
1t might be some automobile not con-
nected with the race at all. But curl
ously soon doubt merged into GER
tainty. There was no mistake about
that queer, long shape; therefore,
since he was going at his top speed,
the gyroscopic car must have slowed
down. Something was wrong; clearly
something was wrong.
Assuredly Christopher was gaining
on his rival, and gaining rapidly. He
could see the outline of Miss Her.
bert's slim figure, with the broad back
of the solid official observer by her
side.
Scarlet Runner was at her very best,
but, until now, that best had not been
enough to defeat this conquering en-
envy.
Christopher felt like patting the car
as II she had been mare, and CHR
ripping words of encouragement.
You've got chance yet" said Nc
Lellan; and Races heart leaped.
He was hot on his rivals trail now
so near that to his surprise and al
most horror he could see that the
snaky gyroscope was slowing, and
rocking strangely from side to side.
So far he and Miss Herbert were
the two drivers who had not had to
make any involuntary stops. Others
had had two or three each. Now, he
alone had had none; for even as he
thought ii became clear that the gy-
roscope was in trouble.
1t stood sturdily upright, but help
less on its sturdy little legs, and as
Christopher came up the girl had just
gone down, utter detection in every
line of her figure and the droop of
her once proud head. Something in
himself, which he did not understand
and could not account for, made him
disconnect the old force-pump, and
put on the brake. Scarlet Runner
stopped, pulsing, by the side of the sad
Cigar.
What on earth are you about?"
growled Mcclellan. Don't you know
you've given away your racer"
Cant help it. Think something's
wrong with me-" Christopher NUT
tered, misleading answer. For If
something was wrong with him, there
was nothing wrong with his car.
~ He got down from his car and
walked towards her
Can l do anything for you, Miss
HERBERT" he asked correctly, raising
his cap, as If he had come across a
stranded motor on an ordinary road
The girl was gazing at him in aston
ishment. Her mask was off and her
charming face, white to the lips, was
bathed in dusty tears Oh, no, there
was nothing mannish about her now!
But Christopher had forgotten that
he had ever accused her, in his mind
She looked so young, so forlorn, SO
broken-hearted, that her brave at
tempt to rally and ignore her tears at
sight of him seemed doubly pathetic
to Christopher.
do anything for me?" she echoed,
in establishment so profound as to re-
veal ,how entirely she had regarded
him as the implacable enemy. d
don't understood. I'm en- panne.
You've beaten me. Please go on. 1
II can't start again, that's ALL"
{ Her voice wavered and choked. She
turned away her face to hide tears
thats'would begin to fall again to
water the dead ashes of her hopes.
Il should like to help you If can,"
said Christopher.
"But-but why?" asked the girl,
almost suspiciously. Tive been most
horribly rude to you-not that you
didn't deserve it. But, anyhow, II
don't deserve anything of you now,
except-except hatred"
you haven't exactly put yourself
out to please me-" returned Chris
topher dryIy. But why should you?
And Pm not doing this to please you
It's because ] can't do anything else
What do you thinks the matter?"
he inquired. s,
'oh, short-circuit somewhere, and
the gyrosccpes won't spin." she an
swered desperately ''If they don't
turn the car can't keep upright when
in motion. You're awfully kind
quite incredibly kind, heaping Goals
of fire on my head. But you can't do
anything for, me, except to go on and
leave me to my fate"
Let me see If ] can't do some
thing" the young man patiently per-
sisted. DOG can't eat dog, you know"
There was nothing concerning
mechanism, or accumulators, batteries
and wires that Christopher Race had
not studied and learned by heart.
From remote days of early Benzes and
original Leon Bollees he had wrestled
with these things by the roadside un-
til knowledge. of their myriad eccen7
tricties had eaten into his very beings
Now it needed no very profound rel
search to discover what had happened
to the Cigar. One accumulator was
exhausted, as Miss Herbert would soon
shavei found out when she had had a
schance to examine the inner workings
of her car. There had been short cir
cuttings through, a badly insulated
wire, ~ ~ r,
s,Accumulator used up announced
Christopher.
II was afraid so. Oh, poor father!
What will become of me?" walled the
girl. in a very small, heart-broken
voice. 4 NA 23}tg
"Ishave afsspare one" Christopher
said. FYou're very welcome to it" a
No, ''she cried. II wouldn't take it
from you. couldn't possibly. Oh,
you don't know how you're making
me feel, offering me the chance to
wins the race from you, when already
1t was as good as yours. And YOU
Of all peoplei II"
Don't say any more" cut in Chris
topher, II want you to have the ae-
cumluator. Then we can starr fair
again. when YOU have your. chance.
/ shouldn't enjoy win now unless
you had that chance, No credit, to
me, you see, II we linger here snme
of us will win. What? 1t won't take
a minute to fit"