The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-06-08
Accidents Happen
BY MOSES ScHERE
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
w "Huh3 Oh-Mvrf1a Eoetar

"W Ho is she?"
w Huh? Oh-Myrtle Foster.
Nice girl"
"Pll say she is. don't think met
her."
mo? I'll introduce you. Came
here alone, too"
Phil Roberts found himself star
ing, but it was so good to stare at
her that he didn't stop. She sat
across the table half-hidden by the
big flower center piece, and
through it her hazel eyes cleaned
like jewels. She was all chestnut
and mellow wine colors in that dress
and with that hair. He managed
to look away, but only to peer care
fully out of the corners of his eyes
up and down the long table. Every
body was busy. He sighed happily
and gave himself up to long, con-
tinued staring. What skinl What a
forehead! What eyes! What eyes!
She was looking right at him.
He sought an introduction in a
hurry.
"Al's parties are always elaborate
but sometimes little dull. thought
it would be duller than ever for me
because I had to come alone-but
it's not any more"
She looked pleased and, while she
didn't say it, she was thinking the
the same thing. She had been watch
ing him as he talked. She liked his
even teeth and his broad mouth
with the quirk in the corners. His
hair was almost the color Of hers,
with clean shine in it. And such
pleasant manner
"Oh-ho," said someone behind
her, "we'n have to put a stop to
this
They looked away from each other
for the first time to find everyone
looking at them and Al holding a
watch. '"Ten minutes in one corner
is long enough for people who have
just been introduced. Come on-cir-
culate!"
He couldn't say more than few
words to her until the party broke
up. AS he held her coat. cts over
much too SOON"
She nodded
"But you'll let me take you home,
won't you? My cars right outside"
$50 is mine I guess I'll have to
go home with myself. Tonight, any,
way" she added, and his heart
jumped at the way she said it.
"But maybe it won't start" she
! continued. Better wait till see. I
had little accident on the way
here"
'Too bad. Much broken?"
She's been suffering ever
since" Her face clouded. can alb
solute nitwit in big coupe dashed
] ahead of the light You know how
icy the streets are today. Well, my
brakes held, but the wheels didn't.
l spoiled his right running board and
he mashed my lights and punctured
my radiator. l was sorry at first,
but he was so nasty-talked about
woman drivers and said l should
have my eyes looked after-that l
told him l was sorry l hadn't put
on full speed and knocked the stuff
ing out of him. Well! You should
have seen how angry he gotl Went
off in a cloud of snow and left me
sitting and freezing in my roadster
waiting for someone to come along
and help me straighten my fender
so that l could steer. 1t was too
dark for us to see each other. Who
ever he is, l hope his radiator
freezes tonight"
Roberts felt cold chill come over
him. He drew himself up. "The
light, my dear madam, was green
on my side for full ten seconds
before l entered the intersection.
Myrtle looked at him, startled.
She had heard that sentence and
that tone Of voice once before. The
same cold chill fell upon her: "It
was you'll"
They stood and glared at each
other. Then she turned and marched
straight out, and he gathered up
his coat and hat and left with a look
| 81 AL AObo CAiclb GNGl yOllG IIlONGu OlL
of his way.
Then one day he saw her again.
She was driving that roadster Just
ahead of him. His heart jumped,
then settled down to pounding. He
followed her without thinking-with-
out knowing why. AS they drove, he
could see her face reflected in the
rear-view mirror of her car-glory
of perfect skin, pert nose, sweet
lips, wisps of that chestnut hair.
Her eyes we're looking at him
Looking at the reflection of his own
face in the mirror as it came to
her from behind And so their eyes
met and held each other, separated
by fifteen feet and each looking into
the same tiny glass that held for
the moment all the world.
The two cars moved down the
street. There was a traffic light on
pole in the middle of the street.
The light showed red. A policeman
shouted.
Her car went right on and knocked