The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-21
Love Thumbs A Ride
: BY PRISCILLA WAYNE:

larry comfortable on the floor IN
front OF the back seat.
The corner Of Jansts suitcase
jabbed right into her ribs.
She moved a little to avoid II
and thought Of her pocketbook.
OF q sudden she remembered that
her pocketbook-her dear pocket
book with its untouched sI2 safe
in the depths OF twas lying back
on that park bench. across the road
from the Motel Inn.
In her haste to stow away In
the car going west Janet had for
gotten to pick up her pocketbook.
She had caught the suitcase up.
hurried across the road and her
mind had been so stifled with the
stealth required to ride away in
the car without being seen that she
had completely forgotten to pick
up her pocketbook.
She stifled a quick, oh" of
CONSERVATION.
Is Mistaken
She thought she had controlled
her outcry in time that the driver
would not hear, but she was mis-
taken.
He had been driving along. sing
ing popular song along with the
radio. He had a big, gay baritone
voice.
He had just stopped to catch his
breath along with the radio singer
when the girls startled. "Oh,"
throbbed at his eardrums.
John Patterson had not lived Is
adventure filled years without
gaining some element Of self-poise.
He quickly restrained the i'm
pulse to stop the car, deciding in a
flash that his best and safest
course was to drive on without a
word until he could get to some
place where there were other hui
man beings.
That startled, "Oh," had come 30
quickly that he could not quite cat
alogue it.
One thing only, John Patterson
knew-some other person rode in
the car with him that night. Was
il a man or a woman? A girl or
boy?
Seemed Hours
Seconds seemed hours, then as
he whirled along in the dead OF
the night.
That person back Of him, he
decided, wanted to 60 some place
too. Wanted to go quickly.
There had been plenty Of oppor-
tunity for his unknown passenger
to poke a gun in his ribs and say
pertly, This is hold up"
But his unknown passenger had
not done that. They had driven
on and on.
CHANGING at his meter John as
sured himself that they were full
80 miles from the oil station where
he had stopped for gas.
Number Of Towns
They had come through a num-
Der of towns since then and along
a well frequented highway.
The motives OF the passenger
riding in his car were certainly
not robbery or an attempt to gain
possession of the car because there
had been plenty of opportunity to
do that already.
Once John almost decided to call
back over his shoulder, Hello,
there in the back seat.
I'm going too fast to turn my
head and talk to you, but who are
you and what do you want -
But he decided against that, too.
Surely he would soon come to an
oil station or village.
That would be the time to stop
the car and call for a showdown,
asking his stowaway passenger to
get out and declare himself.
Sees Lights
Suddenly, ahead at the right.
John saw a cluster of lights. He
stepped on the gas to go even
faster until he reached those lights
which would surely be a cabin
camp or an oil station.
Janet breathed a sigh Of relief
as she felt the cars increased
speed.
1t indicated to her that her dis
mayed, oh" had gone unheard,
but she was too worried and ex-
cited to care very much.
The pocketbook which contained
the only money she had In the
world, was lying back on the park
bench.
What could she do? Should she
stop the driver and tell him the
truth?
Could she telephone back to have
the purse searched for?
1t was beyond belief that the
driver of the car would be willing
to drive back and see II the purse
still lay where she left 1t.
Cabin Camp
Ahead, John saw the lights OF
wayside cabin camp. He drove up
to the oil station where an all-nignt
attendant came TO greet nm.
Want a cabin, sir ?"
John got out He had the I'M
nulse To open the back door OF his