New Britain herald., 1925-12-19
O 1925 by NEA sERVICE INC, ==-=-,

sts$@ad'sS ss5s sH8:''2t Lydia Stacy going toward McDcrmo visitor.
 was getting thick.
 And at Sctdy littlc man had the nerve to say it was Q billet douX, l almost tArottI'l him with my own fair haa!s." tho cjr &y-rvcd again.
 "Don't you think we'd better eo '-rl n"1n?' ashcl Barbara, Its ia!"r.t GNHnr uuc.' "Dnnor time hc damned" Jcr- r."r: Nc.cr Vas as irtliah as q c2tld's, "Arcn'j you going 10 give 'no any sympathy? Fire kind of d { Mal you aT'"
 Edrbara looked uroasily down tho road. Ih2rc vas not u vehicle in sight, and tho hou@ra Wcr" getting fewer, Open country Jay ahead,
 I've really must go back she sail, hrr faca white.
 "1ta q tough liro," Jerome was saying, ITe paid no attention to her request Every fellow has to watch out for himself or some woman II 3vt him, Every little bit Of fun yo}i nave with q girl, she makes you pay for, cithcr by marriage or by black mai.
 "l get SO sic1. Of l." lis voice was full of rathoH.
 He went on. This marrying 1 makes nc sick, anyway. All right for some men. But I want 10 talk my fun where I find it. Ats why 1 , like you, BaDDie dear" The girl 1hiycred.
 I Don't like you 10 go on working Tor that damn newspaper, but do 1 think you've eO. a level head on you to let matrimony alone. Never mind what l said about it when l was sober I'm drunk now, and I'm tell ing the truth. Gi;e mo a few shots of fire twatcr and l always do."
 Barbara put her hand on the @.hoel. "I want to go homo, Jcr- omc. You mGst turn back at onco.'
 He gave her silly grin. "Fat chance. little lady. l brought yen out here to tell my troubles to you and now by Gel I'm going to do it..
 "As I was saying, you're the most convenient kind of girl l know Never get tied up with any ono man. All of Us have q chance. And q fellow can have some fun with you, without being afraid you want a wedding ring. That's the stulf old i kid. I'm for you GrOng."
 A car was coming over a hill just ahead. Barbara saw it's yellow lights flash above the rise of ground. She turned to Jerome.
 "Unlcas you turn back at once, I'm going 10 shout at the driver Of l thaL car for help. l will not be talk cn where l do not wish to go." { The anger in her voice aobcrcd the man. "AW, now, Babs," he be- gan. But she had flung the door Of the car open, ripping a side cur tain with the violence of her gcs- ture.
 Tho car in front swung around, its l wheels slithcrlng in the mud. It cut off the road in front of the blue roadster. Jerome, in spite of his be- 1 logged state, graspcd the emergency 1 brake instinctivcly and brought the ! car 10 a stop, just two feet from the 1 other machine. Then he settled back and looked at Barbara reproachful- ly
 She was climbing out of the road stcr, sinking ankle deep in the 1 slime of the road. The door of the other machine opened. Barbara looked sharply at the face Of the man who emerged.
 Almost had a bad smashup thcre," he said 10 Jerome, who was now also crawling out of the road ster.
 Jerome glarcd ferociously at the stranger. "Fine howdydo he erowled. What made you cut across in front of me-"
 That's easy" said the other man. The mud made me. I assure you l 1t was the last thing on earth l wanted to do. have no reason to want to navigate that cornfie!d. ] was headed for New Britain" Jerome's drunken sentimentality had passed into drunken bclliger- cnce. He advanced upon the man. fists doubled and face black.
 Barbara gasped and stepped out of tho way. The stranger calmly lit a cigaret and looked at Jerome Then he held out his silver cigaret case, open. Jerome's fists relaxed and he tried to talk. Suddenly he went down in a heap, his hat roll ing off Into the ditch and his head resting on a ridge of wet mud.
 "Just about all in. isn't he?' said the complacent stranger. May l take you back to town, Miss flaw ley?"
 Barbara started and looked at him with puzzled eyes. He drew card from his pocket and handed it 10 her. "Jona han Manners" 1t read "Nannera, Stone and Reynolds
 "You've quite forgotten me, l see Eut l remember you. You came lnto my office some weeks ago to get a story for the Telegraph" He was uriing Jerome out of the mud with A matter of-fact air.
 Now, 1T you1l pick up his nal and hold the rear door open' we Il