The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-10-23
A Man, a Maid
and a Motor
q
By FREDERICK HART


blue book is to be believed-from no.
where, there is not much one can do
about 1t 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 disconsOlate-
ly 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 a mere
refilling. "Even IL l could refill it,"
mourned Phyllis to herself, II just
know I'm out here miles from ga
rage"
But the prospect of a night spent on
q lonely road in a broken down car,
with no prospect of help even when
morning came, is enough to make the
stoutest heart quail. so we must not
blame P, Wills If she found herself chok-
ing back something that was suspi-
ciously like sob. Then she left the
seat, lifted the hood and took another
despairing look into the tangled and
terrifying conglomeration of wires and
pipes that confronted her gaze.
ooh, why didn't l take that course
In the motor school while I had the
chance I" walled She "Or why did l
ever leave Aunt Mary's to drive home
alone when l 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
lights cut path of radiance that made
the road in the rear seem doubly dark
in comparison. 1t might be tramp,
thought Phyllis, or kidnaper. or
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 around the rear of the car and
concealed herself behind friendly
bush, where she could see without be-
ing seen. The whistler approached.
She heard his footsteps come down
the hard-packed road at brisk gait
Another 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 car! VIII 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 long, low whistle.
$50 that's t." he said aloud. though
to himself. "a breakdown, and they've
left the car and gone on. Well, well,
wonder whose car 1t is. I WONDER
still wondering, apparently, he stopped
over the hood. Phyllis heard him
fumbling about, then he emerged and
went on a hunt for the tool box. APP
parently his search was rewarded. Tor
he returned to the engine and she
heard the muffled clink of steel on
steel. He Strengthened with salts
fed mir and walked to the seat Of the
car. but this time his path took him
through the beam of the twin head
lights and for the first time Phyiiis
saw him distinctly.
She saw, not the tattered rogue hef
Imagination had conjured up, but
tall. light-haired youth of apparently
about TWENTY-FIVE, with clean-cut face
and eyes that. though they blinked IN
the white glow, were blue ana Joiiy.
He was dressed in tweed coat, loose
" and comfortably fitting, with knlek-
er-bockers of the same material. A
can and golf stockings and heavy
shoes completed his sartorial equip
ment. But Phyllis, after the first swift
glance. found herself looking again at
his ewes. She had about decided that
they were nice eyes when he stepped
ont of the light and was Immediately
swallowed up like disappearance IN
the moving pictures.
She heard him climb into the seat
and press the button of the self-start-
er. There was grinding and then
the motor burst into its eight-cylin-
dered song. He throttled it down TO
id,ing speed and she saw the flare OF
match as he lighted cigarette. Then
he took hold Of the steering wheel
With one hand and reached forward
with the other. Phyllis knew what
that meant and as the gears slipped
into first speed and the car moved
slowly forward she sprang 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. Then
his voice inquired:
"For goodness sake where have you
been all this timer
Al. SHAxxtp In