The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1920-01-08
AT HIS PERIL
BY JACK LAWToN.

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BILLY turned his ear into an unfre-
quentcd road, AID went speeding up
the hill. This afternoons drive was
ah aimleSs one. Billy felt bored and
aimleSS himself. To have a Saturday
haIf,holiday in which to amuSe ones
self and then TO find nothing amusing,
was prcdlcament
Billy wondered what was the matter
with him anyway. Golf, and the Coun-
try club failed 10 entertain. Young
women Of his acquaintance seemed all
OF once inslpid. Shows held no
earn. What possessed him?
hnpaticnty he asked himself the
question, and as II in mocking answer
came flashing memory OF certain
girls witchlng face. Billy had passed
this girl days ago in the city park. She
had been learning to run little road
sicr, and his prolonged and interested
scrutiny was overlooked by its object
Billy envicd the instructor. Thereafter
he found himself feverishly speculat-
Ing rs to the personality of this brOnd-
shoullercd confident fellow. He might
BE- n brother for his mNtter-of-fact ac-
ceptance of his position, or a hus-
band Billy dismissed the husband
idca--he didn't Hike 1t. Because her
eyes reminded him of Natalie Burke,
he took Natalie to the theater that
evening and was disappointed.
Natahe's upward glance was very
different from shat of the other girl
with her lushed lids. Billy couldn't
get this girl out of his head, and lis
was practical, well.balanced head.
at that. Then, just as her pretty fea'
tures were beginning to haunt him
less Billy ran across the girl again in
the lobby Of n theatcr,
For one breathless moment her eyes
met his steadily as, recilesSly he drew
near, sne vanished through a doorway
and was lost In the theater crowd.
That 1t would have availed him moth
ing, had he found her, lessened Billy'S
disappointment not bit He had read
IN books of these violent fancles, and
had scoifed at their impossibllity. Yet,
now, as he rode along, the girls face
seemed to laugh at him, beckonlng on
ward.
Billy frowned; also lie drew up ah.
ruptly before looming sign. Dan
gtTous,' warned the sign. proceed
at Your Own Peril"
Bllly's frown changed to a grin.
Here was a venture at least suited TO
his mood.
sounds like a black-hand COM
munication," he muttered, as his car
ratified over the railroad ties, contlnu-
ing up the narrow path through new
cut way.
proceeding at his own peril
proved but mOnOtOnous after all. Varl'
GUS trees altern1ted their lines upon
either side, while the rough solitary
road stretched ever above. At the first
chance Of turning he decided to re-
verse, and come back down the trail.
But as he glimpsed a widening space
above, he saw ,hat another venture.
some one had been before him, and
had come to grief.
A small car blocked the opening
while figure bent over It's uncovered
engine. As the figure Strengthened al
his approach, Billy gasped in surprise
and drew up with Jar, for It was
the vision girl who looked back at
him across her disabled car.
Billy was nt her side Immediately.
boredom already far away.
"Can l." he asked eagerly. "be of
asslstance?"
The girls dark eyes were troubled.
"Will you be so kind as to look this
thing Overf" she asked. you can't
believe how relieved was to see some
one coming. have just learned to run
the car and ii was Idiotic to bring II
up this way. But" she paused.
"Dldn't you read the warning slgnY
Billy asked.
The girl nodded her adorable head.
81 couldn't seem to turn the ear
around" she confessed. Billy laughed.
80 you had to keep on going?" d.
The girls laughter mingled with his.
ayes" she said. Already he was
bending over the machine. 1t appeared
to he in perfect order. There was no
reason why the car might not start at
once on its downward trip. Still Billy
fingered. Some verse about "Never
the time, the place. and the girl gl-
together" flashed through his brain.
Here was his golden hour and he
meant to keep II. Sc Billy briskly
opened the tool box, tinkering lightly
around the engine, while the wonder
ful girl sat on the grass nearby, ar
ranging flowers she had gathered.
Billy loungng over the car and the
girl gazing idly at her flowers, talked
Of many things, while Billy's heart
sang the while.
you'll have to let me lead the
why down." he said. "and superlntend
your return. ! shan't feel that I've
done my duty either, until I've left
you safely at your own door,"