The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-11-06

his arm.
"Hush," she protested. Some one
knocked at the door, and she opened
it. Ruth was there.
Thomas wants to know will you
want him to drive" she said in
resentful tone.
Doctor Breeding shook his head.
mo, I'll take Mrs. Greetings car"
he answered shortly.
And Mrs. Breeding, before Ruth
could turn away, keeping the serv-
ant near as a shield between them,
touched his arm. Come, Ned"
she said. "We'll have to hurry"
So they went downstairs togeth-
He drove headlong, some Of the
fury in him communicating itself
to the car. The Jordan home was
in Winchester; and Doctor Breeding
came to the Fellsway and turned in
to it to escape the slower traffic on
the avenue.
Mrs. Breeding protested uncer-
tainly: Med, you're driving aw-
fully fast"
"You don't want to be late" ne
retorted harshly; and she shrank
away from him.
A trafic-light halted them; and
when it changed to green, the car
beside them leaped ahead and cut
in front of Doctor Breeding. His
brakes ground to avoid a collision;
and the offending car da-ted away.
He said through clenched teeth:
"The rat! I hope he breaks his
neck!"
The other car was no more than a
hundred yards ahead of them. Doc
tor Breeding heard like an echo OF
his words loud explosion, and saw
the other automobile lurch drunk
emily to the right against the curb.
It tilted up and over, and came
down crashing. They were so close
behind it that he had to jam his
brakes hard down to stop in time.
Other machines penned them in,
and instantly there was small
jam of traffic, and motorcycle
officer swept to the scene.
Mrs. Breeding cried: Med, he
must be hurt! Go see!"
Doctor Breeding got out Of his
car. His legs were stiff, yet shak-
ing. His shoulders jerked convul-
sively. His brow was wet and cold.
There was in him an incredible GER
tainty hideous and horrifying. and
yet in some dark fashion intoxicat-
ing and full of promise too.
He went forward to where the po-
liceman had dragged the driver out
of the wrecked machine. The man
lay limp, motionless.
"I'm a physician" said Doctor
Breeding briefly, and the policeman
gave way to him. Doctor Breeding
made swift examination.
Then he stood up and brushed his
hands; he spoke in a voice scarce
ly recognizable as his own.
Nothing to be done. His neck is
broken, Officer"
The man was dead. He was a
middle-aged man, little shabby.
His was an inexpensive car. 1t was
crushed and battered, now, fit only
to be junked. The man, fortunate
ly, had been alone. Doctor Greed
ing, looking down at him, felt ter
ror and contrition-and a dizzying
sense of powerl
The policeman asked at large:
"Anyone see what happened?"
Doctor Breeding cleared his
throat, steadied his voice. There
was no more anger in him; but
rather a quick caution.
"He was driving very rapidly, !"
he explained to the officer. "He
passed US at the last traffic-light,
and cut in on me pretty sharply.
Drunk, do you .hink?"
''No smell of booze on him." the
policeman replied. Ellis front tire
blew out when he hit the turn. l
guess that's the answer" He pro-
duced his notebook and took Doc
tor Greetings name and address,
then turned to the others who had
pressed around
Doctor Breeding, at the first OPP
portunity, returned to his car, took
the wheel and moved away. He
said nothing; but Mrs. Breeding
WdICilCO LlAIll, saw Il1S OcSP 0ASLA Cos.
"Was he killed." she asked.
The Doctor nodded. His brow
was moist, his tones shaken. "My-
"a, his neck was broken!" he said
unsteadily, and tried to laugh.
"That makes me seel-curiously
guilty, almost responsible!"
She touched his hand reassuring-
ly. "Ned. dear, don't be absurd"
81 feel as though I'd wished it
on him." he admitted.
\ you're perfectly ridiculous"
she urged Loyalty. "He was driving
like an idiot. 1t just happened to
happen right before our eyes,"
"Poor DEVIL" Doctor Breeding
muttered; and she looked at him
in a secret establishment. It was
not like her husband to be thus
senselessly disturbed; and she
sought to turn his thoughts into an
other channel.