The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-05-26
Chapter 43
Rough Riding

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.~ Rough Riding
A SEY jumped in behind the
= wheel of Kay's battered coupe,
and grabbed at the key she
stretched out to him.
"Asey, he's out of sight" she
said. Il can't see any tail light
come to think of it, there never
wds any tail light. Here, I'll pull
the choke"
The little car bounced off as
though someone had given it a
swift kick from the rear.
"Asey," Kay said, you couldn't
catch a bicycle in this thing! II
won't go over forty. The tires
don't mind that door, it just seems
open. It's really closed. It's sprung
or warped or-Asey, can you see
him."
"Yup," Asey said unexpectedly,
See there, way ahead by the
SCHOOL,"
How'd you know it's the right
carr"
Headlights, no tail light, an
the rate he's goin'. YeSsiree, that's
our mani"
Maybe he is our man, but you'd
better give up any idea of catch
ing him, right this minute" Kay
said. "You can't!"
"Give up nothin'," Asey said.
AT least we can trail him. He's
, clever, Kay. Keeps his radio goin'
70 miSlead uS-in fact, he nights
well have brought a brass band,
for all / caught on. An Slashin' my
tires-yes, this's our man. Now,
hang on tight. got to catch up
enough to see which way he turns
up at the forks"
He pressed his foot down on the
accelerator, and Kay began to I'M
derstand that ASey meant exactly
what he said when he told her to
hang on. The little coupe was hurl-
ing itself forward in a series of
leaps and bounds, and it quivered
TREMENDOUSLY, as though it were
frightened to death.
fright" Asey said. $50 he thinks
he can fool me, does he? Huh.
Keep hangin' on. We're goin' to
have fun"
The speedometer jiggled past
the last figure, kept on Juggling
past the zero, and arrived trium-
phantly at ten on its second trip
around. S erenely and rather
proudly, it stuck there.
Hey" Kay had to howl to make
herself heard above all the noises
Of the car. "hey-Asey! This-this
thingl This car! 1t was six years
old when | inherited it at the of
fce. Six years if day. And the
tires"
Her knees hit against the dash,
and she braced herself to meet the
bumps.
Corn Field
THEY were on some side road or
L other. To her left was the CEN
ter of BillingSgate; she could see
the yellow star on top of the mast
at the midway, and as she watched,
il .blinked once and went out.
we amt ridin'," Asey said
We're flyin'-whee! Look out for
your head!"
@Red lanterns!" she howled ac-
cusingly at him. Red lanterns!
The sign said Road Closed!"
I'VE amt on the road"
They weren't. They were bill
lowing nonchalantly, but at a
slightly slower pace, along the
edge of corn field.
After several moments the car
lurched back up on the road again.
A bayberry twig Slated against
the windshield.
That was just little bad strip
there" Asey said soothingly. 81
knew about it. Honest, l did"
Sure" Kay said. "Of course.
Mayo the omniScient. Asey, hate
TO bring it up, it withers me, but
are you just driving for fun, or
do you know where our friend is?
I haven't seen the slightest trace
Of any car ahead"
He amt ahead" ASey told her
as he cut around a puddle. Hes
to one side"
"Indeed!"
sYup, he's takin' the high road,
an we got the low road, but We'll
get there b'fore him"
We'll get to heaven before
him., Kay said, eff that's what you
meant"
wonder how he missed your
car"
Probably just had yours in
mind" Kay said. casey, you must
understand about the tires - my
heavensl"
They skidded in a puddle. and
the coupe turned completely
around twice.
NOW there" Asey said, continu-
ing his unabashed way, sis where
this thing beats even my roadster.
The Porterd only of skidded half
around, leavin' us facin' the wrong
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