The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-06-09
ADJouRNED?
BY ALICE BORDEN STEVENS
Sr~~Se~eS>eeee>SSe Se~>ss<~~essSsss~~ss 4
(0. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.


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e. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
Dot and carry, dot and carry! Bob's
crutch struck the stony ground and
lifted, as In regular swing he skipped
down the hill road in his own eccen-
trio way. one shoulder lifted by the
crutch, the other dropping with the
bend Of the we'll knee.
"Have ride?" The sweet voice
rang above the chug of the engine as
the automobile came to a sudden stop.
"Going to the village? I'll give you a
lift" She spoke In a careless, COM
radely voice, as though every day she
took In unknown cripples and landed
them at unknown destinations.
'Surel !" he cried, deftly lifting hint
self through the door TO the back seat
of the touring car. Doris Berkeley
didn't offer to help. She released the
brakes and slid into the road again.
"Where to. oh prince?'
Golf links" he replied.
Golf! All right; here goes" The
road was winding, now through woods
and now along cliffs dipping to the
river. The car ran with an occasional
catch. Brake out of order? Can 1
helpf" Bob Randall listened. KNOCK
ing. isn't she? Oh, all right / didn't
mean to butt in; go on, please"
Doris laughed. II am sensitive
about my driving, suppose. I've had
Ill luck all day; now do you dare ride
with me?"
ITO the DEATH" said Bob, more mol
emnly than he intended.
1nwardly he was swearing at his
wooden leg and luck generally; but he
did know the value of brave front,
and used it. With all the money in
the world. had he a right to ask any
woman to marry half man? The
dash and snap resolution that had
made him remarkable aviator gave
him many a jolt as he limped through
his days, by deciding on a future
course sure to please his glorious
spirit. only to find it impossible to his
MANNED body. however expert he might
become in the use of makeshift limbs
and tools. So, with his heart and soul
insisting Thou art the GIRL" his mind
anu VIII tiiiubtu uOWu lue llu u Oe-
sire with the iron of fair play.
There! It's jammed again Oh
can yon jump? You can't of course -
Doris tugged at the wheel in despair
but it would not move.
Were going over-Im sorry"
and she held the wheel as the fence
crashed with the impact
The car pitched at right angles into
the top of tall sapling, and slid,
jerked, buzzed, down its bending
length to the beach beneath, stopping
with the front wheels in the water.
The slide of 20 feet was, thus broken,
not more exciting than good loop
the-loop at the park, but the girl felt
the grip of responsibility before there
was time for fear, and the man
cursed his impotency to help as man
who was not a wreck-a thing-an
idiot-might help. To be strong-and
useless what pain
All was still. Doris unfolded from
the bottom of the car where the drop
landed her, and peeped over the seat.
what? Aren't you dead? Thank
heaven, though I've little right to even
speak of heaven, after risking your
life this way. How could guess 1t
would act SO? 1t did it this morning,
and landed me In the ditch, but the
garage man said it was all right now"
Turned 1t too hard, that's ALL"
Bob unscrambled the real and the
artificial of his belongings and crept
from the car. Holding by the back
wheel, he handed her the crutch.
"Can you vault? II you can, you
won't get wet. l don't know how we
will get out Of this He looked up the
sheer face of the cliff, "but first, let's
get out of the machine, anyway. Sure.
you're all right7"
"Why, they're alivel"
mot after that fallr The voices
came incredulously from above their
heads.
Leaning over the rail, two scared
faces took account Of conditions be-
low. Can you walk"
"Surew called Bob, "if we had
chance" He looked up and down the
rocky shore dubiously.
How is the carr"
1T looks all right; wet, OF course.
swell, wait, and we'll get ropes and
things from the garage"
When the climb was made with the
aid of engines and pulleys and many
strong arms and ingenious minds. two
people rather shaken now that II was
over, sat in the back seat, the girl
smiling tremulously. but finding cour-
age in the face Of the man.
do you still want to go to the golf
grounds" she said.
"Well-under the circumstances"
Say" broke in a gruff and practi-
cal voice. "that engine would go If IT
wasn't wet. AS 1t is. we're going to
tow you rome; take the wheel, one Of
your
Meeting adjourned" whispered
Bob, as he helped Doris over to the