The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-14
HOW SHE
WAS WON
BY ETHEL HOLMES

daughter. whose real name was Paul
inc, don't you think that to please
papa you could accept Ernest Towneg'
How. about pleasing myself?'
oh, that will come later II you
marry Bob Stewart. instead of increas
ing your social distinction. you'll feel
the pinch Of poverty; If you marry
Towne you'll be a swell leader lat
er on"
Aren't you rich enough to keep my
position for me. papa?'
81? oh, well. you see that what |
have will be added to what you get by
marriage"
III think about IT. papa"
She concluded to refer the case 10 n
contest between the two suitors. So
she sent word to both of them that she
would the next morning be driving her
car within the limits of Marion coun-
ty-a region full of excellent roads.
crossing one another like the wires OF
twisted Cridiron-and would marry
whichever Of the two men who pro-
posed first
Both suitors received the mforma-
ton about 10 O'Clock nj night. the con
test 10 take place the next morning.
Neither had any information as 10
what point the lady would enter the
chosen district. The county line was
many miles in length, and she might
enter AZ any point Even IL a candl-
date entered near her he would not
Know which direction she would take.
and he might set off In the opposite
one. Both men made their prepara
tions before turning I'm for the night
Towne went to his garage. where he
Kept several cars. and ordered his
ehauifeur to prepare the one best suit
ed to his needs for the contest. He
was not Il driver himself and expected
to use his chauffeur for that purpose.
Stewart on receiving his notification
sat down 10 n job Of thinking on the
matter He could see no hope OF his
securing an advantage over his rival
by ordinary methods of transporta-
tion. II would he purely matter of
luck, the man having the best luck
winning. At midnight he had solved
the problem
Before daylight Miss Harrison start
ed. with u single attendant, for the
trial ground, and by the first peep Of
day she was In It's center. ready to take
any course her fancy dictated. At
tho starting hour Towne passed the
line and began to follow route he
had laid down on the map which he
thought would give him the best
chance ot meeting His ear was
capable of making sixty miles an hour,
and when on long stretches his chauf-
feur was instructed to get that speed
out Of her.
Miss Harmon. being I'm the center of
the county, worked from that outward,
whereas II was supposed that she
would enter Mt the outside and work
inward. Towne began by making
speedy zigzag run. following the trend
OF the line. hoping to come upon the
prize soon after she entered. or
course he completed the circuit with
out meeting her Nevertheless he con
tinued on the same plan. which was to
make shorter and shorter circuits till
he arrived at the center
Miss IIarmon's plan was something
like this, though she did not make a
regular spiral from the center to the
line. She saw nothing of either of
her suitors. Mr. Towne passed her
on his inward. her outward, move on
the opposite side OF the ground Of con
test When they came round again
he was within, she was without
though they passed within quarter
OF mile of each other.
All this time nothing was seen of
Stewart. Miss Harmon had been on
the road three hours and was begin
ming TO tire. At first she assumed that
she had missed both her suitors. In
deed, when she came to think of IL
calmly it was quite likely that she
might ride all day over so large field
without meeting either OF them. As to
hoNht. ht udl hbl Yet Ttdtl1eu the cell
ter point.
About I o'clock in the afternoon Miss
Harmon was driving along stretch of
road in which there was no turn when
an auto pumped itself from side
path into the middle of the road right
before her. She had barely time to
stop within a few feet of it when Bob
Stewart jumped out OF the obstructing
car. sprang on TO the footboard of Miss
Harmon's ear and. seizing her hand.
asked her to marry him.
Suspense was ended. The man she
loved had won.
You scamp!" she exclaimed through
smiles. II don't believe you have won
fairly"
Il have taken no illegitimate advan-
tage," was the reply.
How did you do it,
But Bob wouldn't tell-at least not
then. Indeed, he never told till after