Judsonia weekly advance., 1919-11-06
CHAPTER I-continued.

After breakfast Irene attended to time the visiting doctor was manifest ing impatience to be away. But Dave declared with prompt finality that the horses must rest until after noon and the doctor, willy-nilly, spent the morn Ing rambling in the foothills. Mean while the girl busted herself with work about the house, in which she was eff fectlng rapid transformation.
 After the midday dinner Dave har- messed the team for the journey to town, but before leaving inquired of Irene if there were any special pur- chases, either personal or for the use of the house, which she would recom- toned one that was uppermost in her thoughts-soap, both laundry and toi- let. Doctor Hardy had no hesitation in calling for box of his favorite cigars and some new magazines, and took occasion to press into the boys hand bill out of all proportion to the value of the supplies requested.
 The day was introductory to others that were to follow. Dave returned the next afternoon, riding his own horse and heavily laden with cigars, magazines and soap.
 The following day it was decided that the automobile, which since the accident had laid upturned by the road way, should be brought to the ranch hlIt l. and instead of riding one of the horses, walked behind, driving by the reins, and accompanied by the girl, who had proclaimed her ability to steer the car
 With the aid of the team and Daves iarfat the car was soon righted and was found to be none the worse for it's de- Election from the beaten track. Irene presided at the steering-wheel, watch ing the road with great intentness and turning the wheel too far on each oc- casioii, which gave to her course Il somewhat wavy or undulating order, such as is found In bread-knises or perhaps better figure would be to compare it to that rolling motion af- fected by fancy skaters However, the mean of her direction corresponded with the mean of the trail and all went merrily until the stream was ap- preached. Here was q rather steep descent and the car showed d sudden purpose to engage the horses in q con- test of speed. She determined to use the foot-brake, feat which was ac- complished, under normal conditions, by pressing one foot firmly against a cOntraption somewhere beneath the steering-post. She shot a quick glance downward and, to her alarm, discoy- cred not one, but three, contraptions, all apparently designed to receive the pressure of foOt-if one could reach them-and as similar as the steps of a stair. This involved a further hesita- ton, and in automobiling he who hesi- tates invites a series of rapid exper- ences. It was quite evident that the car was running away. It was quite evident that the horses were running away, too. The situation as- sumed the qualities of race, and the only matter of grave doubt related to it's termination.
 Then they struck the water. It was not more than two feet deep but the extra resistance it caused and the ex- tra alarm it excited in the horses re- suited in breaking the lariat Dave elung fast to his team and they were soon brought to a standstill Having pacified them, he tied them to post and returned to the stream. The car sat in the middle; the girl had put her feet on the seat beside her, and the swift water flowed by few inches be- low. She was laughing merrily when Dave, very wet in parts, appeared on the bank.
 Well, I'm not wet, except for a lit- tie splashing," she said, "and you are Does anything occur to you?"
 Without reply he walked stolidly in- to the cold water, took her in his arms and carried her ashore. The lariat was soon repaired and the car hauled to the ranch buildings without further mishap.
 Later in the day he said to her: Gan you rider"