Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-10
The
Miracle
Man
FRANK L.
PACKARD
copyrlsht 1916,
~ Frank x packard.
FRANK~L.
PACKARD
CHAPTER XIV.
copyrlsht 1916,
BY Frank x Packard.
In which haIsna Takes Q Ride.

T%HORNTON, road map tackled
on q piece of board and propped
up at his feet, raised his head
and, self occupied himself, had
apparently not noticed her silence, for
he spoke irrelevantly.
II hope you won't mind II the road
Is a bit rougher than usual for a few
miles," he said. "but you know we de-
cided we didn't like the looks Of the
weather at tea time, and, according to
the map, which labels it rough but
passable.' this is short cut that Will
lon OF about ten miles and take us
back to Medley through Barton's
Mills"
"Of course I don't mind" Helena
answered. How far are we from
Needleyi"
about thirty FIVE miles or So" Thorn
ton replied. Say. an hour and half
with any kind Of going at all. We
ought TO be back by o."
It was growing dusk, and the shad-
ows, fanciful and picturesque, were
deepening around them. Now 1t show
ed a solid mass Of green ahead. and,
like a sylvan path, the road. conrerg-
ing I'm the distance. lost itself in q
wall Of foliage; now 1t swerved rapid
", this way and that, in short curves.
as though trying to find Its way,
A half hour passed. Thornton stop
ped the car. got down and lighted his
lamps. then started again. The going
had seemed to be growing steadily
worse-the road, as Thornton had said.
was little more. indeed. than logging
trail through the heart of the woods;
and now. deeper III. with increasing
frequency. the tires slipped and skid
ded on damp. moist earth that at
times approached very nearly to being
oozy mud.
Silence for long time had held be-
tween them. 1t was taking al Thorn
toms attention to guide the car and
keep 1t right side up
Trough. but passablcr be laughed
once, clambering back to his seat after
clearing away dead tree trunk from
the path But there's no use trying to
90 back, as we must be half way
through, and II can't be any worse
ahead than ifs been behind. I'd like to
tell the fellow that made this map
something
And then upon Helena. just why she
could not tell. began to steal an I'M
easlness that frightened her little. 1t
had grown suddenly intensely dark
quicker than the slow. creeping change
Of dusk blending softly into night.
Sort OF eerie. 1t seemed. and n wind
sprlnging up and rusti!nG through the
branches made strange noises all
about.
Thornton stopped suddenly as Hell
ena lifted her hand to her face.
"Why. it's beginning to rain" she
said.
Yves, I'm afraid So" he admitted. II
was hoping we would get out Of here
before it came"
"Oh"' said Helena.
And the worst Of it is." lie added
hurriedly. there's no top to the car.
ana you We no wraps.
Perhaps 1t won't be anything more
than a shower" said Helena hopefully.
Perhaps not" he agreed. ANY
way"-he stopped the machine and
took off his coat-"put this on"
mo, piease." protested Helena.
You'll need It yourself"
mot at ALL" said Thornton cheerily.
And that light dress OF yours would
be soaked through in no time"
He held the coat for her, and she
slipped 1t on-and his hand around her
shoulder and neck, as he turned the
collar up and buttoned it gently about
her, seemed to linger as 1t touched her
throat. and yet linger with the most
curious dlffidence-a sort Of reverence
for her.
Helena suddenly wanted to laugh
and. quick in her intuition, Oh suddenly