Evening star., 1928-02-03

n.
over her sudden inclusion IN
the outfit. and Jenny highly
amused to see the CONSERVATION sne
had caused. Her father had merely
called Torsten into the kitchen. an
no,nced that Jenny was going with the
trucks and told him to get some one 10
take out her bags. She had seen the
srowl that darkened TorSten's face.
His Quick look behind him had SAID
nlainer than words that he did not want
to take her. to be loaded with sucn an
mbarrasSment--before all his men. Sne
had laughed then-and he giareo al
her angrily. But now she was rloins
beside him In the uncomfortable CAB OF
the leading truck.
Fifteen other trucks. three trailers.
the red ark-like tool wagon ana the
iong-necked swaying steam shovel
which looked for all the world IKE a
ciraffe-bunped grunted and lurcned
after them Jenny. glancing behind.
turned 10 TorSten and smiled. why.
it's Just like circus.
He did not answer her but kept his
ewes fixed on the road ahead. They
were driving south. taking one OF those
wide cement arteries that rim the out
skirts of Chicago. AT this hour there
were hardly any people in the streets.
whole procession moved at pace that
was hardly more than fast walk.
Can't we so faster than thlS?" She
asked Tc-sten.
He shook his head. nodded behind
them and muttcred something about
having To accommodate themselves to
the speed of the steam shovel.
And in the country?" she asked.
Torsten licked his lips and grunted.
"Oh. we'll go faster. I guess. Go
OF and then stop and wait for the rest
to catch up. Maybe"
That will be lovely" she said. She
smiled as she saw the way Torsten
took that. Like thunder cloud.
But she was happy enough not to
talk. She was of, And until the very
last minute she had been afraid that
her father would suddenly change his
mind II was a crazy idea for young
girl like her 70 be launching out on an
expedition like this. Idiotic-but de-
lighttui. II Cllauncy knew he would
have kicked up a fuss. She could
imagine him. the way the way he would
explode when her father broke the news
70 him down at Springfield that Jenny
had gone of on the trucks. There
would be a row. He ives suspicious
enough as il was. always making scenes
with any one else. Always trying to
make her feel guilty. Well-this would
give him something really to get mad
about.
DO him good.
She tried to imagine the long road
sfead What the open country would
be like From what Torsten had said
and she could see that much herself
at this crawl il would take them three
or four days to do thai 200 miles.
Longer If something broke down
they might take whole week. No one
could say what was going to turn up.
what experiences lay ahead.
Tt,e thought Of such a fascinating
adventure, days so different from the
ordinary humdrum monotony Of her
life, the uncertainty OF what might
happen around even the very next cor
rer-au this brought a tingie TO her
heart. This was the way the Covered
Wagon" set out.
Il would have been more fun. Of
course. If she had had some one more
amusing 10 ride with than that Sowing
Aoerg He was making it plain. by the
way he rebufIed her one or two offers
IN talk. that he was not going TO be
drawn into a conversation that might
lead 20 undue familiarity on her part.
G.
know, because her father owned these
trucks. But for no other reason. She
was a nuisance. she was in the way. she
vas butting in where she wasn't want
ed-ssle was a female fly in the oint-
ment-a girl.
It was obvious that that was the
trouble-Torsten Aberg made that
plain
She eyed him He was not such an
awful lot older than she was. Not very
much And yet with that look he must
have seen quite a lot-taken lots of
chances. He looked like that-sort of
reckless. and yet capable. Hard, Just
st the moment he looked a little tough,
frowning like that. and perhaps the
incest thing about him was that broad.
placid forehead Of his. But that was
terrible scar! What was the matter
with him. anyway? Was he afraid OF
herr Good Lord. a man like that.
Well. II was just about time some one
gave NJ. Aberg treatment. He was
TOO conceited' II was aggravating 20
see TIE way he was managing 10 keep
his distance. even in the close confines
Of this cab. But he wasn't going 10 be
allowed to get away With that nonsense
any longer. Not on this trip. II would
make things too dull.
=
The transition from Chicago into the
countryside wss not distinctive and
sharp. The blocks OF the buildings
faded out and broke up into the scat
tered Two and three story houses OF the
suburbs, Trees appeared danking the
streets. vide patches Of green fields. a
few odd roadhouses and filing sations
a. the crossyoads-and then they en-
tered the low. undulating sweep of the
open plowed fields.
The Spring was already pushing hard.
Most Of the trees were covered with
green fgZz. Shiny. light green. little
leayes. The air felt soft and seemed
cre,a6i7e6 with life. Pull Of strange
tasting scents. There were patches In
the nc!.ows. when they dropped down
ogt u tfle vino. where she could smell
that sweet. seductive. lazy odor Of the
hot sun Oh fresh grass. The city, she
fe>jlzee, lay loIg way BEHIND them
She had been wondering for some
t!m4e after they passed through one or
two lite nsmiets when Torsten would