The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-22

l.
then, viii do II myself"
She gripped the handle and pull.
cd it around; again and then again
and then again. Bill meanwhile
wruug his precious hands together,
snatchcd on his wig and Eripped II
into q ball "a painless equivalent TO
tearing ones hair, the Princess
nutedD, and finally, learning the
futility Of entreaties. OF prohibition
and Of such poor manifestations Of
force as were at his command, he
cried out that he couldn't endure
the sight and rushed into the cot.
taec through the little front door
beside the drivers seat, slamming
81 after him
"Oh, damn' -- damn! -- damn"
sobbed the Princess after every
futile effort. She had never es.
sayed profanity before and she got
poor comfort out OF IT, Sweat and
tears flowed indistinRuishably down
her face. and she stopped at last
oven trying to wipe them away with
the sleeve Of her MILDLY blouse.
But she stuck to the crank after
all hope Of succeeding was gone.
She stuck even when her ears
brought the hope uf n rescue: the
sound Of u car coming down the
road; the sound OF II stopping in
a cloud of dust beside her; the
sound OF a big, nice, comfortable
bass voice saying, Cant help
you out! You certainly seem to be
up against iti"
Here wasSthe sort OF man-thls
was the shattering idea when
sprang npon the Princess when at
that she turned and looked up at
him-here was the sort OF man TO
30 a-yagabonding with; somebody
strong and kind! lie must be- kind
TO have stopped. because he
couldn't possibly in the clrcum.
stances have seen that she was
pretty, or even guessed.
There must be something the
matter with the engine" she said
breathlessly. because 1t won't go
for cranklng. I've been trying for
most an hour"
you poor kidd" he rumbled.
Then, looking at her in a manner
meditative at first. but growing
from moment to moment more in
tense, he began and abandoned In
the middle half dozen questions,
each apparently blown to pieces by
the cogency of its successor.
What. You aren't. Where are
you Who. Why" Then he
laughed big laugh TO himse and
said he'd rescue her first and try
TO get his mind unscrambled after.
ward
There's one question, though,
that | always ask before go 10
work on a dead motor, and that is,
how much gas have you in the
tank?"
Upon her admitting that she
hadn't the least idea, he investi.
gated. Bone dry!" he pro-
nounced. We'll, I've got a five-
gallon can in my car that | can
spare as well as not. Thatll take
you to your next stop II 1t isn't too
far"
II would be ungracious, she per
ceiyed, not TO treat this as a ques.
tion, so she mentioned the name
OF the only town hereabouts that
she knew. Crown Point. He blink
ed at that and visibly held back
another flight OF questions. Then
he got into action again. emptied
his can into her tank and after a
glance at spark and throttle, turn
ed the engine over and got a vel.
come roar for response.
The Princess. however, was con.
scious OF pang OF disappointment.
He looked so nice and he seemed
so safe and dependable-it was sad
that they must part with no better
acquaintance than this. Yet the
two chugging motors, pointing in
opposite directions. seemed TO for
bid delay, He shared her reluct.
ance, though, she thought; at all
events, he had the air OF waiting
for something. a.
Then, with pang OF embarass-
ment, It broke over her. Gasoline
cost fabulous amount OF money
these days. He was waiting TO be
paid And the only money IN the
world that she could command was
IN bllls pocket. And where was
Billi She had managed, in the
past few minutes, TO forget his
very existence!
IN have to go into the house a
minute to get you the money" she
explained.
"Oh. please don't mind about
that! he cried, as overwhelmed by
the thought Of It as she had been.
Really, ! wasn't waiting to be
paid. But II you'd Just let me have
a look inside; because it's the jolll-
est thing | ever saw"
II was not a request possible to
refuse, 80 she nodded speechless
assent and leading the way around
to the Peranda, whore the steps
were, went IN ahead. Bill was In
there, Just as she had supposed he
must be, sitting cross.legged on ths
bunk, looking. without his wig,
moro like the Rayen--in the act of
saying, "Nevermore"-than he
had even when she had heaved
Julius's suitcase at his legs.
Turning to reassure, as best she
could, their guest. the Princess
saw him standing on tha stan e.y-