Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-09-25

m1r1ngly.
Miss Atherton, though she had re-
gained her equanimity and satisfied
herself that she was In no danger Of
being dragged to jail, was still not her
self. Nevertheless, she was still q wo-
man. She began to throw the blame
on to Mr.. Coolidge.
"What were you trying to run me
down forT she asked In no friendly
tone.
"I could not see that q lady was
driving my machine, 80 I naturally
supposed some one was trying to get
away with it."
Miss Atherton looked as II she were
about to burst into tears.
"You were quite welcome to use my
machine, assure you," faltered Cool
idge, fearing collapse.
"Then why didn't you say sor'
"How could I say 30 when I wac not
on handf"
"But you cried out Stop theft"
II supposed some one was stealing
nv machine. I did not know that q
young lady had merely borrowed It,"
Miss Atherton was recovering her
self slowly. She made no rejoinder to
Mr.. Coolidge's last remark. He con-
cluded to make an effort to get her
either to her home or his, anywhere
but where she was. There were two
vehicles to be taken care Of, but now
that she had ceased to be buoyed up
by excitement he did not have to trust
her to drive either Of them. Besides,
he did not know whether the one she
had been driving would be available
after the collision. Opening the door
of the car in which he had made the
pursuit, he begged her to enter.
"Where are you going to take me-"
she asked.
ITO your home"
"what will you do with the one I
have injured?"
Leave it where it is for the present"
She walked lamblike to the door he
was holding open and entered the car.
He entered at the wheel side and.
turning into the road, drove back
over the course they had been racing.
But the return speed was very differ
ent from the outgoing. Mr.. Coolidge
was quite delighted with the adven-
ture. He was pleased that his car had
not been stolen and still more pleased
to have a pretty girl beside him who
had given him an opportunity to show
his gallantry by borrowing his car
without leave.
She begged him to permit her to send
q man to take his machine to a shop
and repair it, but he declared that It
had not been damaged. Then began
an explanation as to how she had come
to run away with his car, but it was
not exactly the one already given with
this story. Up to the point where
Coolidge had cried "Stop thiefp' It was
a succession of excuses. From that
point onward it was lamentation that
he had made her think that she was
flying from long imprisonment. Coo
ldge declared that hanging would be
too good for him, but he did not sug-
gest anything else that he could have
done under the circumstances. BY the
time he got her home he had implored
her forgiveness, but what for did not
matter. There was sort Of reconcil1a-
tion between them, and everybody
knows that making up between a
young man and a young woman Is la
BILE to stir the emotions. At any rate,
when they parted Coolidge had re-
ceived permission to call In the even
ing to learn If the shock Miss Ather-
ton had received had been fraught
with serious consequences.
Coolidge availed himself Of the privi-
lege accorded him, and Miss Atherton
had scarcely finished dinner before he
was announced. He seemed very anx-
lous lest some sign Of physical or men
tai shock had appeared during the in
terval since he had last seen her and
gave vent to an expression Of Joy when
she assured him that she had suffered
no injury whatever, except that she
should have placed herself in such an
embarrassing position. Coolidge as
sured her that he understood perfectly
the innocence Of the motive that ac-
tuated her in temporarily borrowing
his car and assumed all the blame for
causing her to take to fight. These
self accusations and his efforts to rem
der them nugatory took up the evening
until near midnight, when the gentle
man bade the young lady good night
and went home.
A few days later Miss Atherton's car
arrived, and she did penance for ap-
propriating Mr.. Coolidge's machine by
inviting him to drive with her.
During the summer the couple took
many auto rides together, with the
usual consequences. The nuptial fes-
tivities were celebrated in the autumn.