Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-04-20
The Runaway
Car
BY BEATRICE LESTER

DERRY LANCE lifted the dish cover
and regarded the bacon and eggs
with a skeptical eye. ".All the wor,
loves a lover" he quoted glumly.
But"
Butt have not finished my break
fast" added his guest, Billy Latham.
"Of course, we all know that the
world loves a lover, and all that, and
of course | am aware that not one
fair daughter of Eve cares two whoops
for you! RightY'
Right gloomily assented Perry as
he helped himself to a hot roll.
ut is all your own fault" went on
Billy Latham. "You are a recluse-a
woman hater-yes, indeed, dear boy !
And yet you wonder why you have
reached the advanced age of thirty
and have never loved a womanl"
"a girl would do" avowed Perry.
"Once upon a time you were en-
gagged to a girl"
"She thought ! was a fat. All that
she liked about me was my bank
book"
"All girls are not alike, Perry. But
on your old clothes and come with
me for tramp. We can act as agents
for Potcleaver's cooking utensils-ehT
Get about a bit and see the world
through clearer eyes?" Perry laughed
heartily
"a lark, I'll say" replied his friend.
Come, Perry, II is a fine day. Let's
60 out and buy a rummy looking old
car and some sample pots and pansI"
wait until change my clothes
and pack a bag"
Half an hour later the two young
men drove away from the garage.
"Some FRANKS those rich fellers
play grinned one of the wOrkmen as
the car disappeared.
at is Lance's vacation-they say
when he does work that he's at 1t
day and night-wrltes books, you
know"
Billy Latham was at the wheel of
the hired car. They had excellent
luck in selling the pots and pans and
they took many orders for them, but
no money would be paid until the
goods were delivered. That first night
they stopped at village tavern. They
ate a hearty supper, filled out their
order blanks and mailed them at the
post office and afterwards slept like
the proverbial tops
Other days and the sun was like
gold and the air like rare wine that
acted as tonic, lifting their spirits
high. Girls they had met in mum.
bers-not one of them with the I'M
usual beauty, spirit and fire that Per
ry Lance yearned for In the girl he
might love and who might love him
One day he thought he had met her
when a tractor passed them-a small
tractor driven by a girl dressed In
khaki Overalls with a black smudge
on her cheek.
"rhat is n wonderful girl. Perry"
remarked Billy Latham.
"Yes," said the other briefly.
Enough" cried Billy and stepped
on the gas
What happened to the vital parts
OF the old car just then no one could
ever afterwards discover. hut It dart
ed forward and by Jumps and
bounds proceeded on its way The
two young men pulled levers pressed
pedals and pulled out knobs. but. In
spite of their experience with all
kinds of motor cars, they thought of
jumping out before they overlook dis
aster. Even the steering gear became
damned and refused to function. They
had passed the tractor at top speed
and the girls warning voice loated
after them
Behind them sounded the deep blare
of motor horn and the rumbling
CHATTER of the tractor. Then 1t shot
past them ut top speed.
"There will be a crash now!' NUT.
tered Billy
Perry tugScd desperately at a lever
aye gods" yelled Billy "She's put
the tractor across the road!"
Perry stared ahead and saw the girl
jump from the tractor and run toward
them. II did not surprise him when
she jumped on the running board of
their car which was evidently bound
for destruction.
sect OIL" he shouted.
get on yourself" she laughed at
him, "Come, jump of before 1t
Strlkesw
This being good advice to follow
she jumped on gracefully with little
running movement in the road and
the two young men followed.
The lllvver was not goinl fast but
II hit the tractor with a sharp impact
| that seemed to settle her own disor.
ganization, for when she stopped with
no damage to either one beyond a
shattered windshield on the small car.
the three of them looked at one an.
other cheerfully
I'VE have to thank you began
Perry when she beckoned them both
to the top of the rising Hill They
looked down a hundred feet upon an
ocean beach.
THE government is closing this road
you passed the traffic sign at the
cross roads" said the girl. 1--WE nre
building stone wall right here mex.
week"
II Perry Lance discovered thnt
Betty Dunlap was the one girl IN The
world for him. ana II he wooed her as
I'M agent, who can blame him? lie
found out that her father was the con
tractor who had this particular Job
and Betty was driving the tractor be
couso she felt like lark This par
ticular lark led both of them to the
altar and they are both extremely
happy ever after.