The broad ax., 1927-02-05
The Girl at the
Wheel
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS

- can, but 1t took more than a push
er from Yankeeland to get in to Lon
don on that morning after the big
strike started.
1t wasn't his entire business career
that depended on his getting to the
city on that Wednesday morning, but
mighty near 1t. His need for getting
In was acute, since 1t involved either
the loss or gain of a big contract.
Carr could have walked the eighteen
miles easily-in a day. Somewhere
In France he had done double that
but now he was hampered by leg
that couldn't quite do its pre-war
mileage.
Business men and girls, determined
to get in to town, were clinging like
flies to the scant few trains that had
gone In from Snaresbrook. Lorries,
taxis, wagons-all were filled to over
flowing with their laughing human
cargo.
Carr braced his shoulders and de-
termined to stop every vehicle going
Londonward until he should be
squeezed into one. The quickly paint
ed signs amused him. "Going East
Cheap Way" "Going Monument
Way" "An Aboard for Holborn Dis
trict," and many Full Up" signs met
his glance. There were too many Of
the latter to suit Carr and in despera-
ton he finally hailed one already well
packed that was going Strand way.
1t was a private motor.
Perhaps 1t was because the driver
was a girl and her sympathy for a
slightly lame man asserted itself.
Anyway she drew alongside Carr.
It was a tight squeeze, but the
crowd already packed in made room
for one more and Tom Carr breathed
a sigh Of relief.
Only q bomb or two could dislodge
him now or prevent him getting in to
secure that contract. With mind in
tent on his business, he still had time
to notice the girl at the wheel who
drove with so steady a nerve through
the worst traffic jams he had ever
witnessed. All that he could see of
her beneath the brim of her powder
blue hat was softly feminine
Carr fell to wondering how he could
repay this girl for helping him in
his emergency. Hers was one Of the
''free lift" cars and to offer fare would
be to insult the owner.
As they drew into Holborn, Carr
got ont and slipped swiftly into one
Of the many shops. Traffic was more
slowly conducted than the move
ments Of q snail. He had no diff
Guilty catching the dull red Austin as
It crawIed along with the rest.
Quickly, so that she could not pro-
test, he tossed into the car a bulky
package, then with a wave Of the
hand and sincere thanks for the lift
Carr went his way.
He remained in town, keeping on
the Job until he put through the big
contract, then sailed on Saturday
back to New York.
And often during moments Of rest
he gave himself over to memories Of
the girl who had driven him in to
London, and wondered in just what
spirit she had opened the magnificent
box Of candy he had given her.
As a matter Of fact, Alice Larkin
had opened the box with great antici-
patton, which gave place to a little
shrek Of Joy when she saw the ex-
quisite fiaxen-haired doll surmount-
ing an exquisite box Of candy. She
recalled vaguely the clean-cut young
man with a slight limp and wished
she had had a word or two Of CONVEX
sation with him. Then one Gay, many
weeks later, she saw an item in the
newspaper that interested her more
than all. This was short and to the
point. It was In the Personal column
of all the papers.
"WiIl lady who drove lame man
from Snaresbrook to Holbrook Circus
during strike please phone Wanstead
2448T'
Alice flushed as she read it and
showed it to her father.
"Isn't that funny?" she questioned.
'I wonder If / should telephone him?''
She glanced at her father and saw
amusement in his eyes as well as
consent.
$50 long as you meet him here
In your own home-it is quite all
right" he said.
And when the lame man and the
fiaxen-haired girl were made known
to each other over the wire, Carr
asked quickly, "Are you married
or anything like that2 Tn not" he
added.
Alice laughed. She considered II
rather thoughtful of him to let her
know at the start that she would not
be playing with fire, that there was
no real reason why friendship should
not carry on.
Fine" returned Carr, upon hear
ing that she was not matrimonially
involved. "Can / meet you and tell
you about all the good things that
have happened to me since you were
so kind? 1 should have lost much
Il failed to get in that city. I owe
q lot TO you and want to tell you all
about It."
@And must thank you in person
for the lovely
make II sOon-In come around
this evening-if I may7"
'You may" said Alice. and It was
a bit Of a pity that Carr missed the
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