The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-02-25
ROADSTERs
TWO
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

A'SNh' her Ilttle 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 mo-
ment. for weekend party, and there
was scant time to provision the
closed home before the first guest
should arrive. They would all motor
out from the city and would get a
mighty cold reception unless she hur-
ried Bit
Arriving at Great Neck, Helen
drew up at the butchers, and her
purchases put. as usual. in her car,
she went with them to the grocery
shop to make another order.
Her little roadster swung against
the curb a few yards beyond the
door. delivery wagon was directly
In front, so Helen took the next best
position.
Inside the shop she made her large
order.
Just 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 q 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 to the big
driveway to her country home.
Helen sent swift glance into the
car. to make sure her big box was
safely 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 de-
mand of the grocer the whereabouts
of her order
II put 1t In the roadster" said the
boy, and accompanied Helen to the
door. There his heart gave q nasty
turn. There must have been two sim
liar cars by the curb and he had placed
thC SioICliCS III tHC "lOlS CdIs
Helen grasped the facts Immediately.
and scanned the main street for the
other roadster. If it were in sight 1t
would be quicker to follow and get
her box. rather than wait until du-
plicate order was made up. 's' '---
That's probably the car turning the
bend" she decided, and swiftly jumped
into her seat. Being in tremendous
hurry, and trying to follow the direc-
ton Of that fast disappearing car,
Helen did all the wrong things. She
flung into reverse gear. stalled her en-
CINE. 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 inhabi-
tant of Great Neck. 1t seemed often
as if fortune were favoring that 9TH
er car, for when Helen seemed about
to spring alongside it she Invariably
had to sacken for a truck or the sud-
den appearance of a child in the road
way.
Wrath was gathering in her eyes
and her cheeks were scarlet with ex-
element. Had she not been the
daughter of well-known towns
man Helen undoubtedly would have
screamed at the occupant of that
twin roadster to stop and give her
her groceries. Time was getting
shorter, and she realized that her
guests would be cooling impatient
heels on her massive stone doorstep.
The man, for it was man in gray
tweed cap pulled well over his eyes,
was oblivious to the fact that he was
being angrily followed.
But suddenly he turned off long
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 high
way as If in hot pursuit Of a whirl-
wind. 1t was then that the man
knew he was being watched. but
merely as the occupant of one speedy
cur trying to pass the other.
They went hood to hood until
about the finish Of clear road. II
was then that the tweed cap driver
saw that his opponent was girl
He had not made the observation be
fore, being well content with trying
the full capacity Of his engines power
Now, with true gentlemanly tact
he shut off gas, slowed almost imper
ceptibly. and let the girl drive well
past him. He fell to wondering then
IL he had been racing with a mad
woman, for she was turning straight
in the roadway so that a collision
was only averted by swift. intelligent
use of the brake and steering wheel.
The sudden stop flung Davis with
hang against his wheel. 1t was Their
that he heartily gave vent to an ex
preston not flattering to woman driv
ers.
"You have my groceries," the an
ery sentence flashed from one car tt
the other.
Davis stared at the flaming cheeks
and brilliant eyes Of his stormy accu
ser. then dragging reluctant eyes
.w.y ba GLANCED down into his car.