The Ordway new era., 1920-01-09

mo. / haven't anything to offer him.
"T suppose not" Kinney returned
thOugrtfully. as he went on. 81 dom
know chat would myself. Well. wei
probably see his name in tie papers
some day If he stays with that job J"
However the nitro-glycerin
expert of whom they spoke did not get
1 into the papers ms consequence OF
being blown up, although his daily life
was certainly continuous exposure tu
that risk. Destiny has constant pas
sion for the incongruous, and 1t was
Georges lot to manipulate wholesale
quantities of terrific and volatile ex-
ploslves In safety and to be laid low
by an accident so commonplace and In
consequent that 1t was comedy.
Fate had reserved for him the final in
suit of riding him down under the
wheels of one of those juggernauts at
which he had once shouted "Git a
hOsst' Nevertheless, Fate's ironic
choice for Georgie's undcing was not n
big and swift and momentous car, such
as Eugene manufactured 1t was spe-
cimen of the hustling little type that
was flooding the country, the cheapest,
commonest, hardest little car ever
made.
The accident took place upon Sum
day morning, on n downtown crossing.
with the streets almost empty, and no
reason in the world for such a thing
to- happen. He had gone out for his
Sunday morning walk. and he was
thinking of an automobile ut the very
moment when the little car struck
him; he was thinking of shiny lam
daulet and charming figure stepping
into 1t. and of the quick gesture of Il
white glove toward the chauffeur. mo-
tioning him to go on. George heard IL
shout. but did not look up. for he could
not imagine anybody's shouting at him,
and he was too engrossed in the ques-
ton "Was 1t Lucy?" He could not de-
eide. and his lack of decision in this
natter probably superinduced lack
of decision In another, more pressingly
vital. At the second and louder shout
he did look up and the car was almost
on him; but he could not make up his
mind II the charming little figure he
had seen was Lucy's and he could not
make up his mind whether to go back
ward or forward; these questions be-
came entangled in his mind. Then,
still not being able to decide which OF
two ways to go. he tried to go both
and the little car ran him down 1t
was not moving very rapidly, but it
went all the way over George.
He was conscious of gigantic vlo-
nf nj toll nd
cussion; of choking clouds of dust,
shot with lightning. about his head; ;
he heard swapping sounds as loud as
shots from small pistol, and was
stabbed by excruciating pains in his
legs. Then he became aware that the
machine was being lifted off of him.
People were gathering in q circle
round him, gabbling.
His forehead was bedewed with the
sweat of anguish, and he tried to wipe
of this dampness. but failed. He could
not get his arm that far.
"Nev' mind" policeman said; and
George could see above his eyes the
skirts of the blue coat, covered with
dust and sunshine. Ambulance here in
minute. New mind tryin' to move
any. You want 'em to send for some
special doctOr?"
No" Georges lips formed the word.
"Or to take you to some private
hospital?"
Tell them to take me-" he said
family. ito the City hospital"
"A right"
A smallish young man in duster
fldgeted among the crowd. explaining
and protesting and a strident-voiced
girl, his companion, supported his ar
gument, declaring to everyone her
willingness to offer testimony in any
court of law that every blessed word
he said was the Gods truth.
Its the fella that hit you," the po-
licemnn said, looking down on George.
II guess he's right; you must of ben
thinkln' about somep'n' or other. It's
wunnerful the damage them little ma
chimes can do-you'd never think it
but guess they amt much case ag'in
this fella that was drivin' it."
"You bet your life they amt no case
on mel" the young man in the duster
agreed, with great bitterness. He came
uiiu stoou ut "eorSe ieei' nuui essihs
him heatedly: I'm sorry fer you all
right. and don't say 1 amt. ! hold
nothin' against you. but 1t wasn't any
more my fault than the statehouse
| Wasn't goin' step over eight miles
an hour. I'm perfectly willing to say
I'm sorry for you though, and SOS the
lady with me. We're both willing to
say that much, but that's all. under
| standl"
Georges drawn eyelids twitched
his mlsted glance rested fieetingly up
on the two protesting motorists, and
the old imperious spirit within him
aickered up in n single word. Lying
on his back in the middle of the street
where he was regarded by an increas