The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-05-10


over his face, and tried anxiously to
find the part in his touseled hair
lust at present I haven't any heart
at all, after all I have been through"
"What have you dOne|
well" he began, 81 looked to see
if i had any gasoline"
"That was clever Of you" smiled
the girl $50 many men would knock
an engine to pieces first, and discover
an empty gasoline can later. Is there
water in the radiator"
''Yup"
Car well oiIed?"
Certainly"
"How are the spark plugs? A
cracked one will cause no end Of trOu-
hle, you know"
The man gulped. Evidently she did
know a little about motors. mo-" he
said. "the plugs are all right. Besides,
If Cne of them was broken the engine
would have given warming; it wouldn't
have stopped dead"
IT'S your ignitiOn" Beth squinted
her eyes, deep in thought. There is a
wire loose somewhere"
"There is not |" Thompson cried en-
phatically. 'Tve followed every blame
wire up, and they are all o. K"
''Then 1 know just what the trouble
is. Your timer is dirty"
"Just wipe it over and the car will
run with ease," flaunted Beth, her eyes
twinkling merrily. "And, so long"
On the way to the village, for he
started few minutes later, Thompson
speculated on who the motor Lady"
might be, and why she had .urr1ed
away so quickly. He was thinking Of
her when he stored the car away in
the hotel garage, and engaged his
room for the night. he even sat on
the veranda to watch all the women
that passed, hoping that she would
rEss, too.
When night came hope fed. He was
in town for the one night only, to sell
tires to the r. B. Sterns Garage com
pany, and would leave for the next big
town directly after breakfast.
He strobe up and down the long cor
ri0Or putting thOughtfully at his cigar,
waiting for the manager Of the garage,
VINO had arranged to meet him that
evening. At eight o'clock on the min
ute the call boy motioned to the rest
less man. ''E. B. Sterns is out on the
Teranda waiting for you, sir"
Thompson threw away his cigar.
His mind was wandering and he need
&c to concentrate for the Sterns peO-
PIE were customers he wanted to Sc
cure. He hurried cut A slender fig
ure rose from a rocker to meet him.
"Good morning, Mr.. Thompson"
"Yes," Thompson hesitated. "Sorry
/ can't stop, but have a pressing en-
gagement just now"
II know-with me-" laughed the girl.
'T am K. B. Sterns. You wish to in
terest me In a certain make of tire. /
have a full stock of shoes on hand
just now, so you will have to do some
talking to make me buy"
Thompson thought of his afternoons
plight; he noticed the twinkle in
Bethls eyes; he made up his mind to
WIN or die! So he talked. Fabric, en-
durability, strength, flexibility, relia-
bility, mileage. Never before had any
tire been so lauded to the skies. He
talked till his throat was sore, and
continued till his voice was husky and
he painted for breath; and he did not
cease until she lifted her hand in pro-
test. Instead of saying, "I'll take a
hundred on trial" she asked: "Mr.
Thompson, what is your salary?
Thompson was too surprised to say
anything but the truth-"Thirty per-"
"I'n give you forty, if you care to
work in my garage"
You mean that? Why, you don't
know me from Adam"
"I know that you are a good sales
man. and also a gentleman. There's
nobody in town that can help me in
he garage, and since my brothers
went to war I can't handle the place
eione. I need help, and l have liked
vcur manner towards me ever since
we met. VIII you accept?"
II was some u months later when
y large touring car came to a halt
along the roadside, and an athletic
voung man turned to the woman be-
side him. "Now what's the matter?
Going to play tricks on US, just as we
sre starting off on our honeymoon, is
it3 I call this tough luck"
$50 do l for your new suit. What
do Won think is wrong?
81 don't know. I paid special atten-
ton to every blame part of the car
this morning. Honest l did, Beth" he
exclaimed, as the girl laughed mer-
riIy.
Except to the oil which you poured
everywhere in your excitement. 1
Suppose a man is liable to lose his
head on his wedding day, Sweetheart
Reth leaned over and kissed the
wrinkled brow. Cheer up, it's only
that your timer is dirty"