Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-25
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
CHANCE MEETING.

SiEAIttI Alli-
! shivcred as | sat in Jacks car, alone
on that deserted country road. Yet lonely
as it WAS. and cold and frightened IA |
felt. | preferred to be alone than to have
Jack beside me in that mood OF his
shook away my silly suspicion that Jack
had given ''engine trouble" as an excuse,
and that he wished to stay at the road
house we had passed farther down the
road Surely such a thing had not hap
pcned to mel Jack had always been
polite. gentlemanly. Yet certain unpleas-
ant memories came back to me
The way he had hooked at me the
night at the restaurant; his casual re-
mark, you're good sport, dear?" And
his: What do you say to southampton
never get there at allp' And then that
dangerous gleam In his eyes as he leaned
over me few minutes before.
II we were only near Southampton, and
had not the long journey through the
darkness. Still, Jack must know my feel
ing toward him, now.
| became conscious suddenly OF
motor car stopping short way ahead OF
me. Someone whom | could not clearly
distinguish in the glare of the lamps
WAS coming toward the car.
Can ! be of any hefp7" q mans voice
asked.
The voice was unmistakAby a gentle
mans. | looked up to see q man standing
beside the car, his motor cap IN hand, his
eyes obscured by pair of shell r,mmcd
glasses
Thank you," | answered, we've had
engine trouble. and Mr. Madden has gone
into Patchogue to hunt up garage"
Now that's too bad" the man said,
showing his cleaning white teeth when
he smiled, "hut perhaps | can help you.
| know something about Stutz."
He lifted the hood and peered in. May
| try hcr?' he asked, and seating him.
self beside me, he put on the gas and the
spark plug and pushed finger on the
self starter That's funny" he mused
aloud. ''she seems to be In pretty good
shape Did he say what the trouble WASP
No he just said there was engine
trouble"
May / try her spin up the road7"
felt perfect confidence in this stranger,
but before I had time to say, 'yes," he
had called, ''Ellenp'
A girl came running to us from the
other car A long, soft motor veil was
wrapped around her, but she flung it
hack and smiled at me with that same
! charm that had won me few minutes
/ before IN her DrpLller tlOr ILLS WAS surely
her brother-the resemblance was Sc
| marked
My sister, Ellen Conroy," he hesitated
! over my name.
Hazel Richards" / said to him.
The girl laughed softly, Don't tell me
(. there aren't adventures nowadays, wher
| we have motor carsl" she said.
Jump in, Ellen, want TO try thus cal
| out, :" Ellen's brother said.
She settled herself down on the wide
seat We were off like the fight of q bird
! We turned around and came TO a standstil
| where had last stood.
Seems TO be running well now h
said would you like us to wait unit
your" ne hesitated over the word.
''My friend comes back?' | asked
lightly, mo, please don't bother. ] know
you must want TO get on. And I'm not
| the least bit afraid F"
/ Indeed we shall not leave you" the
/ girl declared Why ! should think d
you all night, if We left you here on this
lonely road, at the mercy Of all sorts o.
! things"
ELLEN is incurably romantic" Mr.
! Ccqroy looked at me with that quizzica