The guardian., 1940-08-17
The Fortunate
Accident
90
By JANE OSBORN
Mcclure syndicate-WNu Service. ]
Mcclure syndicate-wNU service.)

M ARTHA was preoccupied as she
A'A drove home from the office
that Saturday afternoon. For Mar
tha, who had been driving her little
car only six months, it was quite nee
essary to concentrate all attention
on the road ahead and the gears
before her. But Martha was think
ing of Samuel Stevens. Samuel
Stevens was the youngest of the
young lawyers who frequented the
old law offices at which Martha was
employed as stenographer.
That morning Samuel had some
what falteringly asked Martha to go
to an important football game that
afternoon, and with her dainty head
held rather high Martha had de-
clined the invitation. Samuel, look
ing decidedly hurt and embarrassed,
had mumbled out something to the
effect that he had only asked her
because he happened to have the
tickets and it seemed a shame to
waste them.
Martha felt a species of annoy
ance at this rather ungallant speech
of his. Also she felt annoyance with
herself for having declined the in
vitation so heartlessly. Driving
home, as she saw the cars bearing
toward her carrying overcoated men
and fur clad women, obviously 60
ing to the great game, she felt a
quick eagerness to be one of them.
She saw again the confused, hurt
expression on Samuel's plain face.
But she did not see approaching be-
hind her on the car track to the left
the 'fast trolley line" Her mirror
reflected the trolley well enough but
Molly was too preoccupied with
thoughts Of Samuel to look at that
important little reflector. Then sud-
denly she did see ahead of her a
break in the pavement. There
was not time to stop-for she was
all but upon the break in the pave
ment before she saw it. A sharp
turn to the left occurred to her as
the best way out of her difficulty and
as she turned she chanced to look
at the mirror and there bearing
heavily and rapidly upon her at the
back was the enormous dark form
Of the fast-line trolley.
Martha put on her brake quickly,
felt a sickening jolt, heard break
ing glass and grating metal and then
shut her eyes and waited. When she
opened them in a second the peril
seemed to have passed but she
trembled on the verge of fainting
and dared not slip from her seat.
Il couldn't stop on a ten cent
piece" the motorman told her.
"What the blazes did you think
was going to do?"
Il die It expect you to do any
thing" Mar said with tears in
her eyes. 'Lut I'm very much
obliged to you for doing what you
did" Meantime strong-armed men
were showing and lifting her little
car away from the front of the troll
ley. windows broken and she's
kind of stove in," remarked one
man with grin, "but I guess she'll
go. FOOLS luck-ain't it?" And the
conductor none too courteously was
asking Martha to produce her Ii
cense.
Then Martha felt strong steady
hand upon her arm. "Excuse me-"
said clear voice beside her, "but
l happen to be this lady's lawyer"
Martha looked and saw the calm,
strong face of Samuel Stevens. He
seated her again at the wheel, took
the number of the trolley car and in
parting shook hands with the motor
man. He had been going home on
the trolley when the accident oc-
curred-not caring to go to the
game without her.
Passengers piled back into the
trolley which was soon rolling rap
idly on. Then Martha pressed for
ward her light car and breathed a
sigh Of deep relief to know that Sam
uel was at her side. e
II saw it ALL" said he, "and have
the names of witnesses. The trolley
wasn't even scratched but there's
about hundred dollars worth of
damage all told to your car. Fault
of the county, road should have
been repaired or barred. They'll
settle. I'll attend to that. Of
course you ought not to have turned
to the left that way"
II know it," said Martha, "but
wasn't thinking-that is l wasn't
thinking of the road or anything.
was just thinking of you" Then
suddenly Martha felt weak and ex-
hausted. She drew her car to the
right out of traffic and stopped. "I
can't drive any more just now,"
she said, and then she felt the enor-
nous satisfaction of resting her
head against Samuels shoulder and
shedding tears on his rough coat
while without the slightest hesitation
Of embarrassment SamuePs strong
arm encircled her.
'Ive only done what any man
would have done-for any woman"
said Samuel. But l wish | could
have done lot more. Because l