The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-01
Eoening Story
A Man, a Maid and a Motor.
By FREpERICK HIATT.

about it except curse the garage at
which the last overhauling was done
and do ones best to repair the ma
chine. But when one is only twenty,
with no particular knowledge of the
intricacies with which manufacturers
fill the hoods of the motor cars they
put out, the task of repairing may well
be given up as hopeless. So thought
Phyllis Deane as she sat discon solately
in the seat of her little roadster and
wondered just what she was going to
do about it all. She had treasured
herself that there was plenty of gaso-
line in the tank, so the trouble, what
ever it was, involved more than mere
refilling. Even if 1 could refill it."
mourned Phyllis to herself. Il just
know I'm out here miles from a gar
age"
But the prospect of night spent on
a lonely road in a broken-down car.
with no prospect of help even should
morning come, is enough to make the
stoutest heart quail, so we must not
blame Phyllis if she found herself
choking back something that was sus-
seat, lifted the hood and took another
despairing look into the tangled and
terrifying conglomeration of wires and
pipes that confronted her gaze.
"Oh, why didn't 1 take that course
in the motor school while 1 had the
chance!" walled she. COR why did I
ever leave Aunt Mary's to drive home
alone when I might have known this
old bus would break down? Oh, I'm
the unluckiest girl in the world
what's that?"
THAT" was nothing very terrifying.
but to the overweight girl it seemed
fraught with approaching doom. 1t
was a clear, masculine whistle pro-
ceeding out of the blackness of the
road behind the car. Ahead the front
-
made the road in the rear seem doubly
dark in comparison. 1t might be
tramp, thought Phyllis, or a kidnaper
or a murderer. or almost any one who
would be undesirable to meet at night
on a dark road without an introduce
ton. Instantly she made up her mind.
She would not stay to be murdered.
She would hide and see who the in
truder was
Suiting the action to the thought
she slipped ar0Ind the rear of the car
and concealed herself behind friend
ly bush, where she could see without
being seen. The whistler approached.
She heard his footsteps come down the
hard-packed road at a brisk gait. An
other moment and he stood beside the
car. The whistle ceased.
Here's luckr' she heard him say.
Then in a. louder tone: "Oh, whoever
! owns this carl Will you give me a
lift down the road?"
Silence rewarded him. He called
again. with no better result. Then he
walked to the front of the car. His
glance took in the open hood and he
gave a long. low whistle.
so that's it!' he said aloud, tho
to himself. "A breakdown, and they've
left the car and gone on. Well. well,
wonder whose car it is. [ wonder
=" still wondering, apparently. he
stopped over the hood. Phyllis heard
him fumbling about. then he emerged
and went on hunt for the toolboX.
| Apparently his search was rewarded.
for he returned to the engine and she
heard the muffled clink of steel on
steel. He Strengthened with a salts
fled air and walked to the seat of the
car, but this zine his path took him
thru the beam of the twin headlights
and for the first time Phyllis saw him
distinctly
She saw, not the tattered rogue her
| imagination had conjured up, but a
tall, light-haired youth of apparently
about twenty-five. with a clean-cut
face and eyes that. though they
and jolly. He was dressed in tweed
coat, loosely and comfortably fitting
with knickerbockers of the same ma
terial. A cap and golf stockings and
heavy shoes completed his sartorial
| equipment. But Phyllis, after the first
swift glance, 1OunQ nerSen
again at his eyes. She had about de-
cided that they were nice eyes when
he stepped out of the light and was
Immediately swallowed up like a dis
appearance in the moving pictures.
She heard him climb into the seat
and press the button of the self
starter. There was a grinding. and
then the motor burst into its eight
cylindered song. He throttled it down
to idling speed, and she saw the flare
of a match as he lighted a cigarette
Then he took hold of the steering
wheel with one hand and reached for
ward with the other. Phyllis knew
what that meant, and as the gears
slipped into first speed and the car
moved slowly forward, she sprane
into the road, full in the glare of the
headlights.
stop" she cried.
There was an exclamation of aston
ishment from the seat, and the brakes
were applied with suddenness. Their
his voice inquired:
For goodness sake. where, have
you been all this time?''
'In-in the bush-watching you
faltered Phyllis, "and-and it's my
car, and thank you ever 50 much for
fixing it; and-I-I think must be
going now" She approached the car.
"Oh! It's your car? And why did
YOU hide? Am I so terrifying? And
| please Jun lidilfN liz ApA AA@NAAtS -
was very simple-really"
But L really must CO." Phyllis
wondered why he didn't get down and
let her have the car
well, I'm sorry. I thought you
might want to give me lift I've
been walking all day. and confess that
I'm tired I was going to drive this
car along till 1 came to house and
leave it there. Don't say you're go
ing to desert me now, after I've fixed
it."
"But-but I don't know you
My names Harbord-John Har-
bord.and I live about ten miles from
there; maybe you've seen the place
Judge Harbord's house. / was walk
ing home from neighbours because
because I like to walk"
PHYLLIS gasped. why. you live in