The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-02
Euening Story
ROadsters Two.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

| limits, successfully, on her way out
to her fathers country home at Great
! Neck Her little roadster had eaten
up the miles as if furnishing until
they were all consumed.
Helen had invited a large number
| of friends ON the spur of the moment
for a weekend party and there was
scant time to provision the closed
home before the first guest should ar
rive. They would all motor out from
the city and would get mighty cold
| reception unless she hurried bit
| Arriving at Great Neck Helen drew
up at the butchers. had her purchases
put as usual in her car, and then
went on to the grocery shop to make
| another order.
Her little roadster swung against
the curb a few yards beyond the door.
A delivery wagon was directly in front
so Helen took the next best position.
Inside the shop she made her large
order.N
Gust put them in the car" she told
the grocery boy.
THE roadster?' questioned the boy
as, laden with the huge box, he obeyed
orders
A nod and smile answered him,
and Helen then turned to write a
check in payment.
1t was a scant five minutes before
she emerged ready for the final spin
that would lead her, well stocked with
food for the inner man. up the big
driveway to her country home.
Helen sent a swift glance into the
car to(make sure her big box was safe
ly there.
There was no box! And the boy
had returned empty handed to the
store before she had finished making
out her check. She fastened back to
demand of the grocer the whereabouts
II put it in the roadster" said the
boy. and accompanied Helen ITO the
door. There his heart gave a, nasty
turn. There must have been two SIM
liar cars by the curb and he had
placed the groceries in the wrong car.
Helen grasped facts Immediately.
and scanned the main street for the
, other roadster. If it were in sight it
her box rather than wait until a du-
plicate order was made up.
That's probably the car turning the
bend" she decided, and swiftly
jumped into her seat. Being in tre-
mendous hurry, and trying to follow
the direction of that fast disappearing
car, Helen did, an the wrong things.
She flung into reverse gear, stalled her
engine, almost banged head-on into
the one trolley in sight, and finally got
away.
She sped after the receding car as
if she longed to kill every inhabitant
of Great Neck. 1t seemed often as if
fortune were favoring that other car.
for when Helen seemed about to
spring alongside it she invariably had
to slacken for a truck or the sudden
appearance of a child in the roadway.
Wrath was gathering in her eyes
and her cheeks were scarlet with ex-
element. Had she not been the
daughter of a well-known townsman
Helen undoubtedly would have
screamed at the occupant of that twin
roadster to stop and give her her gro
ceries. Time was getting shorter. and
she realized that her guests would be
cooling impatient heels on her mas
sive stone doorstep.
The man, for it was a man in gray
tweed cap pulled we'll over his eyes,
was SobliVious to the fact that he was
being angrily followed.
sSBut suddenly he turned off along
bit of clear road, and in another sec
ond it would have seemed as if the
Vanderbilt cup race was on, for the
two cars careened along that highway
as If in hot pursuit OF a whiriwind.
1t was then that the man knew he was
being watched. but merely as the
occupant of one speedy car trying to
pass the other.
They went hood to hood until about
the finish of clear road. 1t was
then that the tweed cap driver saw
that his opponent was a girl. He had
not made the observation before, be-
ing well content with trying the full
capacity of his engines power.
Now, with true gentlemanly tact he
let off gas. slowed almost impercepti-
bly, and let the girl drive we'll past
him He fell to wondering then if
he had been racing with a mad wo-
man, for she was turning straight in
the roadway SO that collision awas
only averted by swift, intelligent use
of brake and steering.
The sudden stop flung Davis with
bang against his wheel 1t was then
that he heartily gave vent to an ex-
preston not flattering to women
drivers.
"You have my groceries" the angry
sentence flashed from one car to the
other.
Davis stared at the flaming cheeks
and brilliant eyes of his stormy ac-
cuser.' then dragging reluctant eyes
away he glanced down into his car
Then he did the most objectionable
thing he had so far done.< He laughed
uproariously.
Helen Moore was furious.
simultaneously both engines were
shut off as if to pave the way for
conversation under less strenuous cir
cumstances. Having quiet now at
their command it Twas Davis who
spoke next.
what makes you think have your
property in my car? My -housekeeper
was in the village making an order
and was going to put the box in here
with me-"
Helen sank back a trifle appeased.
for in her heart she Knew the man
was in no way responsible for h.
predicament-yet she could not help
a slow of anger. He might have
looked to see if the box was his be-
fore .dashing off like tornado with it.
This much she told him before even
as much as the ghost of a smile was
permitted to dawn about her lips.
Then where are my groceries ?''
Observation-Disclosures
-atthew Adams g