New Britain herald., 1924-06-18
What the Men on the Truck Forced
 Madge to Do


 With the automatic reaction which every motorist has to do with blow out, I swerved the car to the side Of the road and prepared to stop the engine. Then, as a second thought came to me. I sent the car pack again into the road, discarding the impulse to get out and attempt, with Mamies help, to change the tire for the spare fastened at the rear of my car.
 In the first place, the aid of the girl beside me was something l could not enlist. If she were dangcraus- as Katherine had feared and ] had believed just after the huge truck had passed-then I could not trust her to help me and I would not dare 10 relax my own watchfulness over her
 On the other hand, if Katherine snd I were but the victims of in famed imaginations, I could not bring myself to the absurdity of prosaical- ly changing a tire with her aid, after my melodramatic threat 10 use my lit- tle silencer revolver if she should move from the posture in which l had directed her to sit.
 There was but one thing to be done under these circumstances, and that was to go on, trusting to luck that I might meet or pass some one who would give me hand. So sent the car along in the wobhly eareening fashion, which only col- lApsed tire can effect, while scanned the road before me. hoping aeainst hope that might see some one 10 whom l could appeal for aid.
 A Joyial Greeting
 Of course. I did not dare go nearly co fast as had done, and as I real ised that darkness was fast coming, I had hard work to keep my body rigid and my hands firmly upon the wheel. Then from the rear sounded the ear-splittinE screech which only . truck siren can give, Wondering whether I would dare signal for aid, I hugged the side of the road while . hugh truck went numbering by.
 As I caught a glimpse Of the men upon ii, my heart descended to my heels and stopped there only because it could get no farther.
 For the truck was the same one we had met but little while before, and 1t had no sooner passed than with quick warning gesture of the driver's hand he slowed down and then deftly swinging the huge na- chine half across the road so that 10 pass 1t was almost an impossible thing for me. he put on his brakes, though leaving the engine running, and with his companions jumped to the ground and came running back to our car.
 I bit my lower lip in the effort to keep from screaming or fainting, Then as the mems voices sounded fin iovial, friendly greeting, I wondered if were the victim again of my own imagination.
 Hello, Mamie" one of them called, the one to whom Mamie had waved, and the man at his side supplemented hls hail by accosting me.
 Look Out! She's Got n Gun!r
 "What the matter. Sister? Got 4 blowout? Don't you want some help?"
 I was about to stammer out my thanks when Mamie squirmed like an eel out Of the seat by my side and running 10 the man who had spoken to her began 10 talk to him rapidly snd anerily, accompanying her words by gestures toward me which left me in no doubt as to the unfriendly nature of the tale she was telring him. The other men cut short their ad- 1 vance toward the car and clustered ! around her. But 1 noticed that not | for one instant was I outside the | espionable of at least one pair of eyes. | Mamie's voice ceased, Indeed it i vas cut short by rough: Cheese it, nowl You've spilled all i ve need to know" from one of the ! men. and then there was brief nut l tered coilodup among tho men be- fore they turned to me.
 "1ll trouble you 10 step out of that there car, Na'sm, and he quick ! about it." one Of them growied. and | from somewhere I gathered the cour- ! ate to retort splritedly. Indeed, shall do no such thing. l