Evening star., 1928-05-20
r r was mail time at the Imperial, and
the lobby buzged, Hoskins, the
rlnrs Was handing out the letters,

clerk, was handing out the ietteES,
Miss Cherry Mercer" he called
A girl came forward and took the
letter he held out. Then, without loon
inc to right or left, she passed out 70
the porch and walked quickly past tne
Sorr lines Of rocking chairs. where
ladies were assembling their knlttihe
and card tables. ,.
Down the steps she went, and ou'
unon the driveway to the open roao
A little way down that road she sea1eo
herself on a rock beneath a tree, Inell
one,,e6 her letter. 1t was from hef
mother and read the same as tne
others. Glad Cherry was having sucIl
A wonderful time: she wished the tMo
weeks could be extended Tor the Wloie
Summer. .,>u. 70
Cherry Shuddered OF the prospect Al
her mother only knew! ro
She mt the letter in her bag. To-
dav was Tuesday. 1t would be gooo 70
hn hsck home again. good to be once
more at work in Mr.. Prices law ONCE
Aud her mother must never know;
SnanninS shut her bag, she got down
@yon, the rock and started up the
roa1 n was with these walks tha'
sne had managed TO fill her morningS'
To6av she went farther than usual
She explored a new road ana touno II
delightful. Reaching the point wneIe
she must turn back. II she wou!o DC III
time for luncheon. she stopped suo.
SenIv AT sounds issuing from a nele
S,,s. Ground bend in the road: soft
Srnans heavy breathing. A sound OF
metal clinking. a long. hard-drawn
hreath. a sigh. as though o mighty
stnlcSle had come to naught. then
silence.
Cherry sped quickly around the beno
and through a Jagged gap IN the
thicket that surrounded the field
There sprawled on the ground,
scratched and bleeding. one eye glar-
ING up at her and the other fast CLOS
ing because of huge black welt risine
above it, lay a startling specimen OF
humanity. A motor cycle, twisted ana
broken. lay shattered around nm.
"C-can't you get up?" cried Cherry'
WHY. YES. OF course" he snarled,
with An effort, he cooked his head TO
one side so that his good eye was iull
unon her. But I'm lying here. Just
because think it's fun"
His swollen eve and the blood tricK-
ling from scratches on his face. TO-
rether with his constrained position,
gave his q truly alarming appearance:
end his attitude toward Cherry was
highly belligerent. Nevertheless. sne
bent down and wiped away little req
stream running from a cut In MS
cheek.
unappreciatively. Cant you see In
pinned down? See II you can ilit tna'
darn thing of my leg
wrecked motor cycle. The young man
hreathed easier. tried to move his leg
croaned. then lay still, his face against
the ground. -.
Cant move her an inch" he said.
referring 10 the leg. See If you can
helm me sit up" Between them they
managed to get him into a sitting po-
sition' Again Cherry applied her
handkerchief to the still bleeoing
wound in his cheek.
II wish you'd let my face alone" ne
said. Something's the matter with
my ankle. Can't you concentrate on
Gravely the girl accepted the re
sponsibility. I'm going TO take on
your shoe. I think your ankles
seTsIl get YOU out OF this field" she
went on. And as soon as I've tied up
your ankle and washed your face-yes
I said washed your face-Tm going
back 70 the hotel and get bus to
come for you. How did you come 10
90 over that ledge? And where were
'U~ ..yynere mere is this?" he asked. and
WINGED a little as she frightened band
age.
she named the town.
Here's where I am going. rms
f,apDened"-he waved a hand toward
haFAaICG
I vas about to turn that bend in the
read q pony cart with three kids and
nurse in it came along full tilt. and Il
was either run into them or go through
the hedge and hit the rock."
1T was noble of you 70 think 50
ou!ckiy--and act like that"
mot at all" he replied. Il should
have much preferred TO kill them all
Manslaughter laws so inconvenient
though. But at that"-he passed an
exploring forefnger over his bruised
eye--"I think I'd have taken chance
II I knew what was in for by leaping
through that hedge"
Cherry flashed him whitening LOOK
and decided she had never before met
any one so ill-tempered. She continued
tying up the ankle. Then she laid his
leg out straight in front Of him.
BE careful now---don't move It,"
she cautioned needlessiy.
"Oh. no! III not be careful" he
answered derisively. "Iil probably get
UP and waltz in few minutes. Really
In the matter OF giving advice. you
excel any one ] ever met"
Cherry ignored this. He was In q
bad way and, If sarcasm helped him
any. he was welcome 10 the luxury
Of il.
rs there a cup or anything thatu
hold water In that mass over there?"
She pointed 70 the wrecked motor
cycle.
"You might try the kit" Owlishly
he watched her while she pried tcnta-
tiTeiy among the ruins. one wide open
blue eye upon her, the other nov en-
tireIy closed. She looked through the
pile Of broken wire. torn leather and
bent steel
- can't find anything" she began
falteringiy.
You'd hardly find anything there"
he commented. then orawied Even
with my one eye. can see wF1at a pro-
found knowledge of machinery you
have The kit is fastened 10 the car
that few over there"
And there il was. right before her
eyes!
Rack along The road bill she had
passed spring She fastened TO
u nov and returned with the cpD
FLIED with water
Drink some Of il. she commanded
I'm going 10 wash your fsce with the
Eest
He drank the water. then obedien,iy
held up his face Cherry uopped IL
gently. found two bad scratches. and
attsEed sonne plaster from the kit Then
she 3finoight herself 0f soft hand
kerchlef~~the extra one her mother
always insisted upon which she ear
glea IN heF vanity case. She geach~d
foT fgeF bag.
hn exclamation from the patient.
a.