The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-02-08

| 0A0 CvCA lAAln8 CACCHe AAC uOWA. ~ was
a particularly pig-headed car and right
from the start 1t had been unable to
see the sense in this midnight exDedi-
ton. It seemed now to have the idea
that IL 1t just lay low and did nothing,
presently 1t would be taken back to It's
cosy garage.
Billisftrod ON the self-starter. Moth
ing happened.
You'll have to get down and crank
her. she said CURLY.
"All right" said Bream.
well, go on" said Billie. impa-
tiently.
"Eh?"
"Get out and crank her"
| Bream emerged for an instant from
his trance.
"All right" he said.
The art Of cranking a car is one that
is not given to all men. Some of our
greatest and wisest stand helpless be-
fore the task. 1t Is job toward the
consummation Of which a noble soul
and a fine brain help not at all. A
man may have all the other gifts and
| yet be unable to accomplish task the
fellow at the garage does with one
quiet quick flick of the wrist without
even bothering to remove his chewing
gum. This being so, 1t was not only
unkind but foolish Of Billie to grow
impatient as Bream's repeated efforts
failed Of their object 1t was wrong Of
her to click her tongne, and certainly
she ought not to have told Bream that
he was not fit to churn butter But
women are an emotional sex and must
be forgiven much in moments Of men,
tai stress.
"Give It good sharp twist" she
said.
"All right" said Bream.
Here, let me do it." cried Billie.
She jumped down and snatched the
thingummy from his hand. With bent
brows and set teeth she wrenched 1t
round. The engine gave faint pro-
testing mutter, like dog that has
been disturbed in its sleep, and was
still once more.
MAY help?"
It was not Bream who spoke, but a
strange voice-a sepulchral voice, the
sort of voice some one would have
used in one of Edgar Allan Poes cheer
full little tales II he had been buried
alive and were speaking from the fam
lily vault. Coming suddenly out Of the
night 1t affected Dream painfully. He
uttered sharp exclamation and gave
bound which, If he had been Rus
sian dancer, would probably have
caused the management to raise his
salary. He was in no frame Of mind
to bear up under sudden sepulchral
voices.
Billie, on the other hand, was
| pleased. The high-spirited girl was
just beginning to fear that she was
unequal to the task which she had
chided Bream for being unable to per-
form and this was notifying her.
"Oh. would you mindl Thank you
so much. The self-starter has gone
wrong"
Into the glare Of the headlights there
stepped strange figure, strange, that
Is to say, in these tame modern times.
| In the Middle ages he would have ex-
| cited no comment at all. Passers-by
would simply have said to themselves,
'.Ah. another Of those knights of after
the dragons !" and would have gone on
their way with civil greeting. But in
the present age 1t is always somewhat
startling to see helmeteds head pop
up in front Of your automobile. At any
rate, 1t started Bream. l will 60 fur
| Their. 1t gave Dream the shock of life
| time. He had had shocks already that
night, but none compared with this. Or
perhaps it was that this shock, coming
on top Of those shocks, affected him
more disastrously than 1t would have
done If it had been the first Of the
series instead Of the last. One may
express the thing briefly by saying
that, as far as Bream was concerned,
Sans unconventional appearance put
the lid on 1t. He did not, hesitate. He
| did not pause to make comments or
ask questions. With single catlike
screech which took years off the lives
Of the abruptly wakened birds roosting'
in the neighboring trees, he dashed
away towards the house and, reaching
his room, locked thesdoor and pushed
the bed, the chest Of drawers. two
chairs. the towel stand and three pairs
of shoes against it. Only then did he
feel comparatively safe.
| Out on the drive Billie was staring
at the man in armor who had now,
with masterful wrench which in
formed the car right away that he
would stand no nonsense, set the en-
CINE going again.
"Why-why," she stammered. 'why
are you wearing that thing on your
head?"
Because can't get 1t on"
Hollow as the voice was. Billie rec
ognized 1t.
'S-Mr. Narrower" she exclaimed.
"Get in," said Sam. He had seated
himself at the steering wheel. Where
i can faka vou2s