The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-01-16
HIS DRIVER
BY MILDRED WHITE.

Glen Truesdale, alighting at the VII
lage station looked quickly about for
the usual hotel conveyance. 1t was a
mile and half to the center of the
town. and his time there was limited.
No customary bus presented itself to
his vision; impatlently he strobe up
the roadway, and there, just at the
bend, waited a large automobile. In
the drivers seat sat the most beautiful
girl he had ever seen.
Truesdale was debating with him
self whether he might dare to ask of
her the information the brusque sta
tion agent denied, when the girl leaned
forward.
"Auto for Lyndenvlle?" she asked.
"You mean" he blurted out, "that
you would drive me there?'
The girl pushed open the car door
"That is my business she answered.
With alacitty he placed his valise in
the machine and seated himself by the
driver. Her gauntIeted hands were
upon the wheel.
"Where?" she asked briefly.
Truesdale answered with the house
name of his destination. There was
no invitation for further remark in her
businesslile manner
Once She turned to smile at him.
"Great morning, isn't it?" she said. TO
Glen Truesdale 1t was 'great morn
ing.'
There's the great business block
ahead" laughed the girl, "and your
office the center one Twenty-Five
cents, please"
so soon" said Truesdale. His tone
bespoke disappointment.
The driver flung open the door, and
even as he descended she prepared
TO whirl her car about in departure.
Then inspiration came to him. There
WAS so little of interesting variety in
his tread-mfll life, this glorious morn 4
ing spin had seemed like an hour from
his boyhood. The car and the services I
Of this lovely, battling maid weres mi
faculously for hire.
"This afternoon," said Truesdale, Il
would like TO be carried over to the
next town; could you do itT
The girl considered. "Yes," she
said; "and there will be other passen-
gers. Call for you at two"
The other passengers We're tucked
into the back seat when she arrived.
Silently he resented the presence of
the two old ladies', but on their swing
ing way again, he was glad. The driv-
er seemed to feel free now, to include
him in the merry, descriptive remarks
she made TO the others. Back, with
the station lights cleaning through
evening dusk, Glen Truesdale fingered
beside the big car.
1T will be necessary for me to pay
a weekly visit here for some time" he
told the girl; "may ask you TO drive
me each WednesdayT
For a moment she regarded him be-
meath her soft cap brdm.
Certainly she agreed iinpersonally
1t was altogether strange and mex
plicable how that winsome, girlish face
haunted him through the days which
followed. Mockingly 1t smiled from
perplexing papers; resentfully II
seemed to withdraw at his own return
ing smile. Unaccountable anger filed
'she" should be carrying
people about, here and there, at so
much a mile, and why?. And what
was It all to him, he who did not even
know her name?
"My name is Glen Truesdale" he alb
ruptly Informed her upon one Of their
later rides. II would like to know
yours.D
Margaret Carstairs," she replied in
This last ride down through the :
early starlight, was one of enchant- /:
nent. Truesdale dared hardly glance
1t the glowing face near his own, lest i:
ne must tell the girl how lovely she
vas. and forever break the charm.
he knew that one step :
)ut Of his stipulated role of customer +:
)nly," would be tile end. But how to
zee her under other and more prOmis- e
ng condltions-that was the problem. ]
Then, because he must know more Of
Ter, he sought the station agent.
"Whom did you say she wasp he :
lsked casually, "the young woman who
Irives the auto-bus"
"Don't know much about 'em," the :
Igent replied. "Came here couple
Il months ago and rented the old Gage
'lace. Carstairs, the name. Her hus-
and started to run the auto trips,
vhen he was called to war. Then, she
ook it up. Pretty plucky"
Truesdale's head was swimming. He
topped out into the night. Her hus-
'and-and he had gone-to war. Yes,
was pretty plucky. And Glen Trues-
IaIe came back to the country town
10 more.
The girls eyes grew wistful as We'd
esday after Wednesday passed. But
he haunting eyes looking back from
Hens paper were mocklng ones.
When business forced him again to the
ountry his face whtened with fear :
hat she would be there, but when he :
aw- her his heart quickeHed, in Joyous .
esponse. Speechlessly he stood gazing
lto her reproachful face. !
you have been away-so long" she I
aid. Disappointment was in her tone.