The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-02-24

1TechWooo Semceery, Sir, ne bdrkeo
plicate blockhead, l said Greenwood
hostelry. OF all the d-n fools What
the devil What the I'LL What
the What"
He choked himself into gulping
inarticulate silence as he climbed
from the cab to look in the face the
sooner had he alighted than Miss Van
Teller found herself in voice again.
"Oh! oh!" she moaned, pressing her
hands to her eyes. achingly open,
take me away from here"
Sure, MISS" said Mr.. Randolph
promptly, threw in his clutch and was
off.
Hi. you! D-n you, Hey! You
Driver! Confound your id imper-
tinence! Heyl How am 1 going to
get home?" The first of these cries
was very plainly, the last very family
heard by Mr.. Randolph. After them
came down the wind something that
sounded very much like the ghost of
wall of despair, but the driver paid
iiO HCcu his dltciillOn WIS dDSOTDtu
by something quite different; the dry
sobs of a little heap of moke-colored
chiffon. 49,.
Detours, subterfuges and the finesse
Of the road-faker were swept from
Rand0lph's mind; he made straight
for the bridge and home, but long be-
fore they reached the river all sound
had ceased to issue from the cab and
in its stead reigned a purposeful. al
most menacing silence. What was
she thinking in there? What could
she think? Why didn't she go right
on crying and keep her mind fully
occupied with that?
AS they swept down the incline
from the bridge into City Hall park
he suddenly realized that he had been
on the verge of giving himself away.
He half turned his head and shouted
through the speaking-slot, "What ad-
dress, miss?"
Her voice came back to him from
very close as though her face had
been pressed to the glass in an effort
to make him out. "At the corner Of
the Avenue and East Ninth street"
Ten minutes later he drew up his
cab at the appointed spot and reached
back to throw open the door. but kept
his foot on the clutch release, leaving
the gears in mesh, first speed ahead.
All his precautions were in vain.
As he opened the cab door his coat
sleeve was seized in a very determined
grip and drawn inward, catching his
elbow in jiu-jutsu leverage that left
him the Hobson's choice of either get
ting out and facing his captor or lis
tening to his arm break. He chose
to get down from his seat quickly.
"Well, Bobby" murmured Miss Van
T.
Mr.. Randolph attempted no evasion;
guided her gently toward her own
door and up the high steps. "Madge,"
he said. you fought great fight to.
night and when you had won you felt
sorry for fremont and surrendered.
You were swept too high on the wave
of the best that is in you. Promise
me that you won't forget that you
have won. Promise me that you will
wait and take fremont, all of him.
with honor"
What do you mean7 What did
you hearT cried Miss Van I. angrily,
her pale face suddenly flushing.
"From the start of the ride to the
finish / heard every word" declared
Mr.. Randolph frankly, land more"
"And morep' repeated the hard
pressed girl. "what do you mean by
more?" She still tried to browbeat
him. but remembering one incredibly
long kiss, her eyes fell in the unequal
battle with Bobby's and attempted to
create diversion by staring at his gal
tered legs and heavily booted feet.
Look up, Madge. Look at me-"
said Mr.. Randolph and waited patient
ly until first her long lashes fluttered
and then her lovely eyes swept slowly
mn tn hio foco sarrhof'c ~ ha rov