The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-30
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Continued From Page u
like a sharp point prioked him
and he sprang from his seat In one
powerful leap.
Ned cornet had had automobiles
- his, command long before Il was
ssfe for him 10 have his hands
on them. When cold sober he
drove rather too fast. none too
carefully, but had an almost IN.
credible mastery over bis car. He
knew how 60 pick his wheel tracks
over bunny roads. and no knew
tho exact curve that a car could
take with safety In rounding a
corner. Even now. In the crisis
that had Just been. no had handled
hts car like the veteran no was.
The wonder was not that no had
HIT tho other car. but rather. con.
ddering the speed with which he
had come. that u should continue
20 remain before his sight. but little
damaged. instead OF being shattered
into kindling and dust His IN.
.suncts had responded rather we'll
II was somewhat significant
thing. 10 waken hope In the breast
OF an otherwise despalring father,
that In that stress and terror he
had kept his head. he had handled
his breaks and wheel In the only
way that would be OF any possible
good. and almost by miracle had
avoided a smashing crash that
could have easily killed him and
every occupant In the collldlng
car. Nevertheless Il was not yet
time 70 receive congratulations
from spectators. There had been
serious consequences enough He
was suddenly face TO face with the
net that N his haste TO get home
for dinncl he had very likely
oeliterated a human life.
There was a curious. huddied
heap on the dim pavement. Just
beyond tho small car he had struck.
I; Was a girl; she lay very still.
and the face half covered by tho
arm seemed very white and tge-
less And blasted By terror such
as was never known In all his
wasted years. Ned leaped. raced.
and fell 10 his knees at her side.
II seemed TO him that the soft
noise OF the crash was not yet
dead In the air. II was II he had
made the intervening distance in
ors leap. In that same little sec.
ond his brain eneompassed limitless
areas-,error. remorse. certain vivid
vistas Of his past life. tho white.
ness Of the eyelIds and the limp.
ness OF the little arms. and the
startled faces Of the spectators who
were hurrying toward him. His
mental mechanism. duiled before by
drink. was keyed 70 such degree
that the full scope OF the accident
went hone 20 him in an instant.
The car he had struck was one
Of The Thousands of "tltneys" OF
which he had so often spoken with
oontenpt- Tho girl was n shop.
girl o. factory worker, on her way
home. Shaken with horror. but
stiil swift and strong from the
stimulus OF tina crisis. he lifted her
head and shoulders In his arms.
II was a dark second In tho life
Of this care-freo. selflndulgent son
OF wealth as he stared into the
white. blank. thia face before him.
He was closer 70 the Darkness that
men know as Death than he had
ever been before-so close that
some Of its shadow went into his
own eyes. and made them look
like odd black holes in his white
skin. quite different from the vivid
orhs that Rodney coburn had seen
over tho tall glasses an hour be.
fore. For once. Ned coruet was
face to face with stern reality.
And he waited, stricken with de.
SPAR. for that face 10 give some
sign OF life.
II was all the matter OF a sec.
ond- The people who had seen
tho accident ana the remaining
passengers Of the '.jitney'' had not
yet reached his side. But for all
that. tho Httie instant OF waiting
contained more OF the stuff OF life
tan all tho rest Of Ned Comets
than all the rest OF Ned Comets
smiled in his face.
II mnot hurt" he heard her say.
seemingly in answer to some sense.