The Washington times., 1938-05-26

Elena sat beside her father-tnr
law, steering the car through the
crowded streets out toward the
suburbs and q few hills. She had
never hated anybody before in her
life, but she did hate Peters
father.
BACK TIRE BLOWS
She'd show him that the Flea
was the worlds best car. Aud
just when she was showing off on
a broken-down old road at the
crest Of q hill. one Of the Flea's
back tires blew.
Its miles to q garage" Elena
said through gritted teeth. "Iu
fix it."
She turned back the front seat
and found the tool compartment
underneath. 1t was full Of tools and
rags and luckily q flashlght. Mr..
Rumsey watched while she put on
the spare tire. She had helped her
father do this often when she was
a kid.
Lots Of dirty rags in here.
Might as well throw them away"
Pete'S father suggested. She heard
him 60 off to some bushes and
leave the rags behind them.
"Ill drive you home" she said
briefly.
"Just drive back to your place.
| I'll drive the car back to nv plac@
from there"
AS Elena got out Of the Flea for
the last time, Peters fathers check
in her hand, a woman came out Of
the apartment house. She stood,
undecided, a second, and then
came over to Elena.
"IS this the car you advertised
for sale?" she demanded in q high,
tense voice.
LOST HER RINGS
''Why, yes" said Elena, noticing
how expenSively the woman was
dressed, how youthful she seemed
until you got UP close. "But it's
been sold"
"Oh, maybe you can help me. I
lost something valuable in o car
just like this a couple Of months
ago. How long have you had it?"
"A month and twelve days." said
Elena sadly.
'Then the man who owned it
before you you see, I've been
looking high and low to try to find
this car again and saw your ad
and 1t looked as If it might be the
same car. You see, I lost q ring
-. q valuable emerald ring. Oh,
I may as well tell you the whole
thing. My husband gave me the
ring for q wedding gift and he
keeps asking me why don't wear
it and I can't tell him. You see
I met a man and I was fool enough
to think. well, to go out with him
while my husband was away, but
all this man wanted was my jewels.
He held me up and took them one
night when we were out driving.
But I slipped my ring behind the
seat to save it.
"And then he disappeared with
the car. couldn't go to the police
because my husband would find
out about this man and what fool
I'd been. Will you let me look un'
der the front seat?"
Five minutes later, with Mr..
Rumsey standing disapprovingly
by, the contents Of the tool COM
partment had been taken out.
"It doesn't seem to be here"
mo-" said the woman, signing.
Maybe this isn't the car, after all
But I'll leave my phone number.
If it ever does turn up -"
FIND THE WAY
The woman's taxi had disap-
peared around the corner when
the idea struck Elena.
THAT tire I changed. Those
rags you threw away. I have o
feeling that the ring was in them.
Come on, Mr.. RumSey-we're
going to find those rags-tonight!"
This is none of our business.
It's after 10!"
'"This may mean that woman's
happiness. You must come. You
remember just where you threw
those rags"
It was II o'clock before they
found the place on the road where
the tire had blown out. It was
12 before they found the right
bushes. Elena crept about, look
ing, while Mr.. Rumsey, mutter'
ingly, held the flaShlight.
And then she found it-wrapped
in a dirty rag.
It was one in the morning when
they drew up again before the
apartment house.
THE er - car - picks UP very
WE'LL" said Peters father.
Elena looked at his profile. With
his hat lost somewhere, with his
gray hair rumpled and his face
dirty, he looked startlingly like
Peter. And then she was laugh
ing, and after a second, he Joined
her. After that it seemed, not
treason to Peter, but justice to his
father that she should tell him
about Peter being in the hospital.
The next morning, when she
went to Peters hospital room, she
saw that Peters father was al
ready there. He must have just
come. She stood in the hail.
listening.
well -. Peter :"
"Well father this Is .
surprise -"