The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-12-11
A Gasoline
Romance
By FREDERICK HART


&C. 1920, by Mcclure Newspaper SyndicateD
1t had been bright sunlight when
Elsie set out for town, but before she
had gone half-mile down the road
heavy clouds had rolled up from the
west and to the accompaniment Of
OminOuS rumblingS and grumDlinSS
from the darkened heavens the rain
had begun TO fall. Not that Elsie mind
| ed a wetting; she had lived too long in
the country to let damp shoes and wet
clothes bother her; but under her arm,
carefully wrapped in brown paper, was
her new dress which she simply had to
| have for the party that Saturday; and
while brown paper is an excellent pro-
tective against dust, it has never been
famous for its understanding qualities.
SO Elsie fled precipitately to the shell
| ter of an Overhanging bush by the
fence at the side Of the road and wait
ed for the shower to pass.
But the shower showed no Intentions
of passing. The rain continued to
come down, not with its first violence,
but with a sullen. steady intentness
that presaged n Iong-continued drip.
Elsie was wondering what she could
I do. She could 20 home. but in that
! case the dress would probably get wet
and IL was n good three-quarterS Of
! mile farther to the village. She
wished that she had hitChed up Dob
I bin and taken the Concord buggy; but
! 1t was too late for wishing. There
| seemed nothing to do but to try and
| wait the rain out.
| She had spent nearly half an hour
in her damp retreat, and was feeling
/ rather cramped and decidedly at odds
| with the weather man, when she heard
| a mOnStrous chugging from down the
! road, interSpersed with the grinding
! of gears on gears. In moment lum-
! Der truck heaved into sight, its driver
! perched high in the cir on the seat and
| evidently having a certain amount of
/ trouble in steering his ungainly charge
In the slippery mud. But what Elsie
| noticed first was that while the driv-
I
| snug cab, confined by curtains and
protected by glass. She raised her
| self to ask for lift when the truck
| suddenly slowed, slid Sidewise to the
! edge of the road. and stopped scant
/ yard from where she was sitting. The
curtains parted and curly shock of
red hair was thrust out, while a CHEEKY
voice cried:
Hello! Coin anywhere? I'll give
you lift"
Elsie waited not on ceremony. She
/ handed up her precious parcel, which
/ disappeared into the nav of the seat,
| and then, aided by strong tug from
the drivers stout arm, she found her
self seated beside him. The little in
/ closure of the seat seemed coy after
the cheerless shelter of the bush. The
/ panes of the windshield, steaming with
/ rain, made the view of the road ahead
blurred and indistinct; the gray light
of day let in a sort of twilight in which
she could make out queer levers and
buttons and all sorts of funny clock
faces on the dashboard. The driver
made mysterious gestures with lever
that projected from the floor, and In
a moment they were rumbling down
the road. Not until then did Elsie
take the opportunity TO look at him.
Her look bore out the favorable i'm
preston she had had when he rescued
her. He had nice face. she thought
with some very attractive freckles, 9
nose that tilted ever so slightly. and
q chin that bespoke frmneSs as vel
as unbounded good humOr. He was
muft1ed in a raincOat. and his hands
were encased in gloves; and he han
died the great truck as easily as Elsie
herself handled DObbin. She was
moved TO admiration.
you're an awfully good driver
aren't your" she said.
! He grinned. bur he did not take his
eyes off the road ahead.
"Oh l can drive a little" he said
modestIy. At that moment the truck
skidded wildly to the right. and with 8
quick. skilled twist of the wheel and
iudiciOus application of power he
brought ii back TO the road again
"Ohw cried Elsie. The young mans
grin widened. That's nothing" he
encouraged her. Bound TO skid &
little on a day like this. reckon
can handle her-yOu going TO town.
"Yes-to the dressmaker's."
well. you just tell me where t.
drop you and I'll do it. I'm new Il
these. parts-Just got this job yeSter
day-driving for Simpson & Co.
make regular trips between thei
branch store ont at BOgg's Corner
and the village. Go past here abOu
the same time every day. Say-d'
you go I'D to tOvrn often"
Elsie blushed at the direct question
but answered shyly, "Why, yes-al
most every day."
That's finer The young man sal
no more, and Elsie did not inqGir
why he should appear so pleased a
her statement. She was silent, appal