Evening star., 1927-10-24
THE EVENING STORY

another" the declared. Hes never
been near a car"
"Well. by George" exclaimed an
other. 'if he isn't coming"
Around the bend swung Pierre with
his graceful stride, holding Annette
high on his shoulder. When he
reached them his face wore a peculiar
pallor and he stopped short as if not
meaning to come any nearer. AS
though hardly listening to what the
big man urgently said. he turned and
looked into the car, where woman
sat with limp, curly head on her
lap. Then, with a swift decisive mo.
ton, he placed Annette out of danger,
stepped briskly and began silently ex-
amining the engine. Deity his long
fingers moved; as if by some uncanny
instinct they We're being guided to the
right spot. Unscrewing bolts and wip-
ing away grease, he soon found a
valve that was choked AS the parts
were as skllfully slipped back into
place. he bent low over his task. his
fingers trembling and his lips set
When the man tried to pay him he
flushed. Strengthened proudly. motion
ing him back with his hand, then ten.
derly lifting Annette, he paused a sec.
and to look wistfuly into the car at
In the next moment ne was Striding
back up the highway as silently as he
had come.
After this much talked-of happen
ing, weeks and months slipped on into
years, but Pierre never left Merry
Vile to seek his supposed ideal, nor
made love to any young lady.
Annette was now quite a big girl, go
ing to school. Whenever she or any of
the children won special honors they
were in a fever to tell Pierre. 1t
seemed more important to him. some
how, than to any one else Speeding
anC travelling in the highway had
doubled. and more than ever he ap.
peared to he watching the whizzing
motors with that mysterious gleam
/. family dimming the sparkle of his
eyes.
Then came a day when a terrible
thing happened. far more quickly
than it can be told. Pierre was walk
ing to town on his side of the road.
Annette was hurrying from school
waving a white and gold certificate.
Look she cried. starting across
wen in front of two ears approaching
the bend.
Wait" called Pierre. springing in.
stinctively toward her.
Annette took backward step and
stopped. In the same instant from
around the bend careened huge
truck. With a strange vel! and. a wild
leap like a man rising to fly. Pierre
reached her with his arms. Knocked
her back out of danger, falling head
long to the hard roadbed.
Around the hospital that night stood
4 great. silent throng, waiting, praying
n ha II
seriousness and might be spared to
them. AT last, when the trees and
hOusetops were tinged with pink like
the wild roses and yellow like the but
terf1ieS he had taught the children to
love. and the birds were peeping from
their nests to call pierre. Pierre" a
man in a long motor coat came
through the front door and raised his
hand.
Friends Of Pierre" he said "he Is
gonef But just before the end he
opened his eyes to smile in perfect
content at Annette, holding his hand
You will now get we'll she whispered
eagerly. Yes. he murmured. If you
are safe, at last-I am Well!
No sound came from the crowd eX-
cept the sob of a child.
you will want to hear" went on
Though he was clean shaven. l recOg
niZed him as they lifted him from the
road. Now that he has gone. I am
sure that he will not mind you know
ing his real name--Paul Adaire, the
great aviator and motorist, who won
all the" But an excited murmur
drowned the rest. When it ceased he
began: You perhaps read years ago
that he quite unavoidably ran over a
little girl. 1t well-ni2h craZed him.
He gave all his wealth to her people
then suddenly disappeared"
AZ that moment the hospital door
opened and out walked Annette. her
sunny head bowed in the golden morn
ing light, but her young step vibrant
with the life for which Pierre had so
exultantly given his recompense.
Mutely the crowd turned, yet az
they moved away they felt. even many
of the little children. that now always
they could remember their beloved
Pierre with no more shadows behind
the dancing light of his eyes.
(Copvright 1927
THE END.