New Britain herald., 1922-09-19
How MadGe Won a Free Path
 Down the Road.

have heard ot drowning people living a lifetime in minute but never want to come nearer the expcr- fence than motions which swept me when I saw the car which had eluded swing across the cross-road and block my path.
 If l kept on in the road, I would hit the other machine squarely, with almost certain death as the result. Yet II was unthinkahle to stop es- pecally as the men in the other car, who with the pertiuaeity of intoXica- ton stil held their anger against me because ot my refusal 10 stop when they had signalled me. jumped from the car stopped and spread them selves out along the road, whooping and yelling in irresponsible drunken glee at the coup they had accom- plished
 II only the fences had been down. as thew often are in the country would have had a chance then to swing out to one side or the other anl bump over the ruts of the po- tato fields. But stout wire fences guarded both roads on both sides, and to make matters worse, both roads were unusually narrow
 When I had first caught sight of the car as it stopped, it seemed to fill the road from one side to the other But as l neared it l saw that the drunken men had misealculated and that on one side between the car and the fence there might be room tor a car to pass. It was d feat at which an expert driver might have baked, so uneven was the ground, so close the margin of width between the fence and the other car. But I could not be worse off than I was. and with desperate little prayer l swerved my car just as l reached the other machine. and l went crashing and swinging, pumping down space through which my soberer judgment would have said a much smaller car than Dicky's could never pass.
 A Miraculous Escape.
 One running board scraped the wire Of the fence, the other caught a front fender of the big car and tore it lose.
 Taken by surprise. the men who had spread out to intercept me tried to get out of the way, but I felt the | car jolt twice against something which l l knew was not earth or wood. and a chorus of screams and oaths follow ing my progress told me that I had ! inflicted more punishment than ! had | received.
 And then l was clear, miraculously | unhurt, and with the car still run ming.
 l was conscious of several strange | noises connected with the mechanism, and I guessed that the local garage would have a job the next day. But | at every turn of the wheels it was carrying me farther and farther from the sinister menace behind me And | with a queer little tug of affection l such as one might feel for a faithful | horse, I patted the steering wheel ab- surdly, murmuring foolishly, Good old fellow ,"
 Did You Get It."
 The question Of the gas troubled ne. but l resolved to put the greatest space possible between myself and he drunken men before stopping. l was sure that one at least of their number had been struck and guessed hat they would be delayed in start ng again, And perhaps fate would 'elent and permit me to get home on he reserve gas.
 It was with feeling of worshipful gratitude that I finally drove the ,ar into our own yard, and ran into he house with the precious drug from he hospital clutched tightly in my land
 The scene downstairs was un- save for the presence of Dr. Petit. who evidently had been hear ng an account of the affair from Li- ian, Smith, still bound lay in the ,orner of the room, only his malevol- mt eyes showing that he was any Dr. Pettit's face held more than lis usual professional gravity as he .dvanced toward me and I knew that rom Chester was in grave danger rom the tense eagerness with which le asked.
 Did you get it?" For answer I laid the package in lis hands. He seized 1t eagerly, tore he wrappings off while Lillian gave ne a low-toned explanation of the . eason for his gravity.