i
10
Vitagraph Company
From the Popular Novel of the same name
by C. N. and A. M. Williamson
Star o? This
MR. EARLE WILLIAMS
MISS EDITH STOREY
Next Week Another Story and New Picture
Copyright. 1(14, br th Star Company. All Forein BurhU twmi
CHAPTER XII.
Tbc Car and the iirl.
Christopher and his uncle naa JU"
. . . . ...
been to look at the cars that were, to
,t ,!,, in the orcat "freak
rare." as tho coming event was popu-
larly called, and for which Scarlet
- A.nnH AntAMll at the
ibumitrr " ,i,,cu j .........
Important relative's request
The Koyal Automobile club, under
whose auspices the race was to be run,
had taken temporarily a big new
garage to house the competitors, and
ever since early morning, when the
cars had begun to assemble and to
put themselves on view, devotees of
motoring had been pouring In and out
Kveryone was interested, for not only
was a well-known millionaire offer
ing a f 10, 000 prise and sever cups
for the encouragement of originality
among inventors, but most of the mo
tors themselves were worth seeing. As
fur the old man who held Christopher
Race's destiny in his hands, as the
driver. of a car holds .his steering
wheel, h was Interested for several
reasons, though his Interest had come
as a surprise to Christopher.
Now tie was talking excitedly as
they walked together into the big,
whit and red and gold .restaurant
near the garage, which for the last
day or two had been practically given
over to the motoring world, and where
he was to be his nephew's guest at
luncheon. '
. "Well.lCbrls,"' he said, as they sat
down at the table Christopher had en
gaged, fyou win that first prise and j
there's nothing of mine you can't havei
now or in future." .
. Chrlstooher laughed. "Aren't yoit
giving yourself away a bit, uncle? You
weren't going to let me know my fate
' until next month, when the year o(
probation will be up." , "''
" "It was you' who set the limit and
made the stipulation," the elder man
reminded tho younger, watching the
champagne as It bubbled into his
glass. "You've been pretty plucky this
i last year,' and shown that you've good
stuff in yon better stuff than I
' thought when you. were fooling your
time nway and running 'into debt.
Win tltjs prize. ' my boy, win it, antf
I shall ay, 'Here's my successor a
!, young man who's done something for
The, wnr(d tu talk of,., and done , it
.Hlcne." - . .. ; i
"First prize It must bef Second or
third won't do?" Christopher wanted
to know. i-1' t- "' a-
"Decidedly not Worse than noth
ing!" protested his uncle.. "Think .of
our name 'Race.' A man with that
nme, If he does go in for a thing,
must win the .best there Is, or lose
nil. What puns they could make on
i i r wsnT wv n-WMmfouiHW,
therefore. Christopher had to take
only a few steps to see his uncle as
far as the door. - As Mr, Race went
but, two ladles came -in, ' passing by
the old man and the young one ap
parently without a glance. . But it
they did not pay the smallest atten
tion' to him, j Mr. Race was seized
with the most lively and compelling
interest, In one or both of them. He
started, stared and peered through his
gold-rlmmed ee-rflasses, his Hps, Just
parted for a last word with Christo
pher., remaining topen. t ' L .
.Even when the two ladles had pasted
and their backs were, turned to him,
. the old man stood lost In admiration
or emotion of some sort, while Chris
topher looked at him in surprise.- His
uncle, during his knowledge. of him,
had alwaVa'aosed as more ,pr less of
a woman-hater. .
. "What's the matter,' uncle'?" asked
the young man, with rather a humor
ous light in 'his eyes, i "You seem
rather struck.'' . i. 1
"Lord bless my oull'( exclaimed the
"old man. And with no other answer,
and not so much, as a glance for his
I nephew, whose very existence he
seemed to have forgotten, Mr. Race
inarched out of the restaurant look
ing like one -who 'had seen' a ghost). ,
- Sir John Maverick, now at the tablei
' smiled, as Christopher came back. He
had caught the 'expression in his old
' friend's face and in the eyes that
peered at the two beautiful women
from beniaa their glass windows...
1 "I didn't know Mr. Race was a la
flier man inthese days," he said,
But
that tousle, are 'attractive enough to
mak a Don Yuan '-out of a Ploge-
B, i ' " i -i 1 "
' "I shouldn't have thought even they
,'. would -have! that "effect on sucfi a
hardened old yntcu my uncle," said
, Christopher k . ', : '
. i "I remembyAjmy father; saying that
' ,.lr. Race hadrhakj a grout disappoint
ment in love as a youni, or a fairly
' unjr, man, ' remarked Hlr John, ''and'
that It was-quite a, romance."' ''
' ,'Tve heard of lt,')returned.-Cl)risto-,
pier, "The lady JmeA hlm, Jim afraid,
and married i someone, else., Unci
- .lames and 1 1 rwarly Erased' to be
..friends becatse he had an Idea of
' sending me oh a wild-goose chase aft
' er tire fartillf; to and and marrjf the
i; daughter. kicked at the proposi
tion and Ifwver. learned the young
womiia s name. Anyhow,' (neither, of
- these -1adiei4 is hearty old ,.r-nough'. to
t haro been tic heroine of Uncle James'
'. Vs stor jr. "j; One i' a glrl.f and iitfle
ather oau Vne must over.,-84."
4 MThe g l-I never saw before'V said
,Sir John, '.'but the Woman S,know"by
ilghu and I suppose you . ,ro7
,'Vhy.' li s Madame du, Ouesciln, he
i. famous'l"nch sportswoman. , Sh can
drive r ng motor ,liHe ike a .de
mon ir ' angol very handsqme
woman, it canrt qultengo lntd ue
. same et jwith the girl. In ?". S
i"The Just slttinn down at ittlfc
table b Bd you," murmured Chrjfe
toDher.. a -low, warnin c tone.
. "fllfwh e flas probabl -un ove to
eee in-p i-sh, uno me tri opmor-.
row." s' Sir Jon, "ilngj his
i' voice, "i t I thought tne '( looked
- Rnglleh i I suppose they h, v frlends
v who ar eowpeting. By ttt'-sy, if
' 4, it isn't indik -reet to- ask. wjiat par.
tlcular featurw ,haa your oaf? Of
a-ourae "I've heard of some of ydur ex
plotb th It but I got the Idea that
it either mo c nor less'tnan an
exo .tonally gooer touring-car; and
it n -st be a year fold, is t tK M
i irej-you coming In. wlthf T' tth' g
kew'erj" . .i, f, ( J .',f"'f
. "No. it's my Starlet Run jr,',' n-
, f vrred Christopher. If f ; i i ?
an to try and touch -V
( finished, laughing, ''r--
. I. ti i o.nd among thff ;irta
in. that trw:r ''"he way this morn
' lr and, -thtiugh B.tirHi,ltunner isn't
I- haps, in IfirBt youth. :nd "etiii't
k er itself that rs a- monstrosity,
. pt'ttta sweet a "ruoner;' as it-to scar
Jet and the proportion of engine, power
-It 'manages to transmit to thooad.
Episode
as CHRISTOPHER RACE
as DOROTHY HERBERT
wheels is so enormous that I have the
highest hopes for it.
i ncn. i w inn 3,,j iulhi . in quid.
gaid Sir John Maverick; "but If I were
competitor 1 think I should be
bit shy of tho freak that, from all
accounts, outfrcaks everything else.
"What, the gyroscope freak V In
quired Christopher, a suspicion of a
sneer in his voice,
As he asked this question the two
ladles who had lately come In turned
! quickly, as if on Impulse, and looked
round for the first time.
."The gyroscope freak," echoed Mav
erick. "It's just an the cards that that
particular freak" is going to revolu
tionize automobllism. I would not
care to bet high against It.
"I wouldn't care to bet high on It"
laugher Christopher. "There will be
a monstrosity, if you like, judging
trom what one hears. But It doesn't
look as If the gyroscope would 'gyre'
tomorrow."
"You mean because the thing Isn't
with the lot in the garage?"
"Yes, If It were ready It would be
there, getting all the preliminary
'ad.' that was to be got"
"You think old Dick Herbert won't
run his car?"
- "I should think It's premature to
call It a car. My idea Is that It's
proved a big disappointment"
"I wonder. Poor old chap I It won't
be the first he's had."
"His is a mere name to me." an
swered Christopher, "associated only
w"h the failure of the compressed-air
business; so, naturally, I don't expect
much now. And If he's old he may
well funk tomorrow." .
There was a sudden brisk movement
! at the next table, so brisk that it at-
tractod Christopher's attention. The
younger of ,the two ladies had twist
ed round in her chair, sitting with her
arm flung over the back, her flushed
face turned upon her surprised neigh
bor. ' -.
"He funks nothing," she said, in a
low but Intensely angry tone. "It's
sheer Jealously which makes you talk
like that You ought to be ashamed
of yourself. ' It's disgusting. - To call
your sneers at a brilliant Inventor and
his Invention bad taste would be too
mild." , ,,
"Dorothy I" protested handsoms Ma
dame du Ouesciln, with her charming
French accent But the girl, flaming
in beauty and rage; like a wind
blown poppy, would not listen. .
"Beware of the monstrosity tomor
row,'.' she went on, her voice quiver
ing. "Like a monster, it may devour
you and all your self-conceit When
you're swallowed up, when you're Just
simply nowhere, perhaps you'll be sor
ry tor speaking as you have of a man
IUfcEtobdV4iwbertbefeIn.i,hls
back."
Christopher was overwhelmed by the
torrent of her wrath, and, vexed as
he was at having inadvertently given
offense to such a beautiful young crea
ture, he was half-Inclined to laugh. in
the midst of his astonishment, so ex
traordinary, so almost childish was her
tirade. ,
"I am Indeed sorry," he Ventured,
"to have ' unintentionally distressed
you.". , . -, t. , -s ; -v. .
"You havfr not 'distressed' ; me,"
broke Jn the girl. "You wouldn't have
the power to do that You have an
noyed me, for I hate jealousy and in
justice, and I felt bound to protest
that's all." . . .
''Allow me to say (hat I think you
exaggerate my offense," pleaded Chris
tophers "I said .nothing " , ir. . t
-j;You call It "nothing t"' l
..utfiiug acMuai mi. nvrireri or
Invention,) and would not have
dreamed of doing so. If you can re
call what I did Day I believe you
would have to admit that as you pro
claim yourself a friend of justice. But
I don't ask you to admit anything. On
the contrary, I apologize for my in
dlscretlon In . expressing any doubts
whatever of any . Invention, without
stopping to think that the absent in
ventor might have present friends," As
he made this apology, worded with a
plce , of boyish.' malice, to which, he
was ,tempted- by the girl's onslaught,
Christopher's eyes twinkled a little,
though his faoe was. perfectly grave
and expressive of regret' That twin
kle was as the glitter on the last drop
of water In an overflowing cup. The
gin) gave him an indignant look from
net. great .eyes, and, without deigning
to. bandy further! recriminations,
turned a well-shaped and, slender back
upon him.,.,.. , , '
. - Hr companion asked the witter for
the Mil end three minutes later both
ladles had trailed their graceful frocks
out of .the restaurant rt'i, . Vvi
The great freak race' was i;a start
from .Regent's, park find finish, . after
a rounrtabouti thousand-mile 'ruri at
Kdinburgh. ' ft was not to be a speed
test,! nevertheless elaborate "prepara
tions had been 'taken to protect the
public; and there waa-aitaclt under
standing that for this occasion- there
would be no, police traps. vScoulatoldJ
"".sy, n'v Auiomooiie ,chid ana oiner
ot-ganrMttons1 were to' tie ,tationed - at
all. dangerous spots to warn care to
go? slowly, and . any chauffeur driving
to the publto danger would at onoe be
stnwk off th list of competitors, ' j
,'Jiarly oa the morning fixed for th
start, the automobiles began to move
out of thef big garage ;and - take up
thelH allotted places. An "enormous
crowlL assembled to- criticise or ad
mire, them. Never before had been
seen etch a dollectlon of fearful and
Woadcrtul cars. . ; . ......
Scarlet Runner looked strictly con
ventional among all. Its queerly.ehaped.
rivals, as alliarriuiHements for the oil-'
drive were. of course, under Its hortv.l
sum i sni vroinary eye .nnstopher
mce'a ear' proclaimed no -special fea-l
turoeiritllng'lt Ijr- rank among . the
TheVfto: immensely . In'front of
mntuiumm was vacant Wo freak
had yet come to take it; aadVomelals
organising (he race 'flitted -nervously
by, now end th, to1 glare at the un
tidy ran caused bv Somebodv'e larril.
nesa. Very soon the leading-oar wnuM:
be. sent oft, the others following hi;
twe-mlnuta intervals; Jnit the rcmaln-J
ina- aimer waasiipping away without
bringing nv arrival to oil tha.viu-annvi
Chrlstooher -wae Bittlnr 1n hts cur
ready to mqve uji when his.turn should-
Tome, wnea,M w-o-o-nr of aaton-,
Mment fnun the crowd, Sounding like
lint sudden Indrawing. of a breath.
made him turn his head to-glance cu-i
fwuaifl HiroDi, i,ot ine cause oi tne ex-,
An amazing vehlcle-lf" vehicle -It
e6uld be, fcalled was gliding, silent
and snake-like, towards the empty
place lUairom oi ocanei winer; lu
THE BEE:
shape It suggested a gigantic cigar;
In color it was black, and Its Joint
less metal casing glittered in the win
try sunlight Halfway down its length
the great cigar was cut out into a
nick, and in the nick sat, very up
right and alert, the slender figure of
a woman. 8he wore a leather Jacket:
her hair was covered by a kind of
curtain descending from hefleather
cap, and fastening under her chin;
and her eyes looked through goggles
In an elfin mask, which protected and
concealed the whole upper part of
her face.
"A woman!" was the whisper that
went round the crowd, and Christo
pher heard one hurrying official say
to another: "Only arranged last night
for her to do it Old Dick Herbert's
hurt his right hand and so she "
Race caught no more, but he in
stantly sprang to the conclusion that
the trim figure in the strange car
must be that of the famous woman
motorist he had seen yesterday, Ma
dame du Ouesciln, the pride of sport
ing France. -
Everything combined to focus the
attention of the crowd upon the new
arrival. A woman, apparently young,
certainly brave and skilful, was to
conduct the car during a long and try
ing race, and that appealed to the
chivalry and romance latent in most
men's hearts, even those who are most
matter-of-fact. Besides, the car It
self was so astonishing that, when it
was in sight, no one would look at
any other. .
The thing had no side wheels, but
from under the metal casing two cen
tral wheels could be seen revolving,
one placed behind, the other, In a
straight line. Running as it did upon
these two central wheels alone, the
marvel was that the vehicle could keep
upright Only while It was moving
could It possibly do so, after the man
ner of a bicycle, thought the inter
ested spectators, most of whom had
heard of this new Invention without
really believing it But when the gy
roscopic car had slid into its place di
rectly in front of Scarlet Runner,
and had oome silently to a standstill,
It still remained upright on its two
oentral wheels. Those who were com
pletely ignorant of the real nature of
the invention regarded It as a kind
of motor miracle; but Christopher and
others who had read with intelligent
Interest of the machine which was be
ing made, understood more or less
what was happening. They knew that
the cigar-shaped vehicle was kept on
Its feet, so to speak, by the two small
gyroscopes spinning In sealed cham
bers, one on each side of the car, and
driven by the current from a small
electric battery.
A shnut of applause arose, in re-!
sponse to which the trim chauffeuse
nodded gayiy, as II sne took part or
the tribute for herself. Then, doubt
less with the feminine wish to "show
off" what her car could do, she
jumped lightly out to speak to an old
man who came toward her. She had
touched a hidden spring and a step
had dropped from the side of the car
riage, enabling her to alight with ease.
This was another score for the car,
but there was -better to come, for,
sudden as was the displacement of
weight the vehicle only swayed
through a small angle; immediately
assuming its upright position again.
A new burst of applause arose, and
the-throng, pressing from all quarters
To gaze a-the marvel, nearly broke
down the barriers put up to prevent
Interference with the competing auto
mobiles. This time the young woman did not
bow, for she was talking earnestly to
the old man who had come to her with
one of the officials. He had his right
hand swathed In bandages, and Chris
topher was sure that he must be Rich
ard Herbert, the Inventor of the now
popular favorite.' - j
tie was minaing complimentary
thoughts alike about the Inventor, car
and chauffeur when the masked young
woman raised her voloe to a tone loud
enough, for him to, hear. "Yes," she
said laughing, "we are the freakiest
freak of all. And I'm glad, for this is
a race for , new inventions, and the
newest ought to win. I really don't
see what that poor old, uninteresting
red thing is doing. In this ,galere, do
you?" ' v -i-
Jt was the voice oi tne girl wno naa
attacked Christopher In the restaurant
yesterday,, and so far from being .re
pentant she was now gratifying; her
desire for revenge toy attacking' his
isar," - , .Jf , '
.. Abuse of Scarier Runner was to
Christopher what a red rag is to a
bull, or a" sneer at her first baby to a
young ir-other. ' i - s
vicious nuie vixen;- ne saiu 10
himself, turning a color to match his
car. And instantly a furious desire
to, beat this girl in the race swept oyer
him. ne knew, that it was cniiaisn,
petty, what you' will that is stupid
and wrong-headed, to care in tne least
tor ner staos. out ne was an angry as
If she had stuck her hatpins into one
f Scarlet Runner's beautiful fat tires.'
can. beat her ana an tne rest or
them, and I will. Women shouldn't
come into this sort of thing." I can't
stand . mannish girls," he thought
This one shall see what the 'poor old,.
uninteresting red thing" can do any-,
LOW. ' '- ( . f ' i
As he thus resolved the freaks were'
busily getting away. , The girl' - had
hopped up into the gyroscopic car -once
more, an official observer from, the
Scrub by her, Bide, and- then, - with
scarcely a sound- from the engines, the
black, cigar-shaped ear-shot ahead like
a shark: chasing its nrey. - two min
utes later came Christopher's turn, his
jown ','obeeryerv; having- by this time)
mounted to the seat beside him. They
Were-off to' cover the .first mile of the
thousand which 'would complete the
teat. - And not one man but was his
own chauffeur.'- . ' . .
Through London and the streets of
suburbia that lies between town and
country the long line of strange-looking
automobiles many built for the
running of this race ran 'slowly
enough. Serpentining In and out of
traffic. The order had been given mat
no competitor must pass another "un
til open spaces had been reached,
therefore Christopher was compelled
to keep at the enemy's back He had
out too many -opportunities ior oo-
sen-lng the bljf car and its chauffeuse,
of 'seeing the eaae with which the oar
wormed In and out among big ve
hicles, ,how neatly it could whisk
round a corner, swinging outwards.
(lot Inwards as other motors must; how
sturdily It kept upright M its almost
ntdden wneeis, ana now tne scares oi
people in -the street followed it as .If
It were a magic thing.j v ' . v s ,
Whatever the result of the' race
might be it began to look as if the
gyroscopic oar was ta success and had
come to stay, . ''
Of its Dane Christopher' had bean
able., to form no estimate until open
eouiury -was reacnea, oucvinen. ii snoi
forward with tne speed -of sWnewly
diecovered . comet Opening Sbarlet-'
Runner's throttle he also leaped ahead,
keeping close on the enemy's heels:
he realized with delight that, even
without acceleration, he was homing
bis own In the race which seemed now
to be beginning. a - . i
Soon the .gyroscope, with Scarlet
Ruuner close behind, gained upon the
other tears ytat had started before
OMAHA, TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1917.
them". And always the cigar-shaped
car gained upon those that had started
in advance, passing them one by one.
Always, too, Scarlet Runner gave
chase, never outdistancing the gyro-
scone, but never getting far outdis.
tanced itself. Sometimes Christopher
had the queer black thing well in
sight sometimes he lagged a few miles
behind, according to tne road Burrace;
for the gyroscope had the great ad.
vantage of running on a single track,
Inequalities of the road mattering lit
tle; besides, less surface was presented
to the wind.
The-Clgar, as Christopher began to
call the Herbert invention, and Scar
let Runner had started in the race fif
teenth and sixteenth, respectively; at
the end of the first day the former
was already ninth, the latter tenth.
But Christopher was beginning to
doubt his power to keep continually
close to the enemy, much less to pans
ahead, and he tried to console himself
by thinking that- his dangerous rival
ought not to have been admitted as
competitor In this race. The thing was
too much like a racing car.
The first night halt was in an im
portant Midland town, where all the
automobiles were driven to garages
and locked up, so that the driver could
not touch his car without the knowl
edge of his own official observer. Most
of the competitors stopped at the larg
est hotel in the place, and Christopher
had the doubtful pleasure of seeing
the fair chauffeuse (very smart and
pretty in her dinner dress) being con
gratulated in the dining room by a
number of her chivalrous rivals. Ma
dame du Guesclin (for whom he had
mistaken the girl before the start) had
arrived by train, . to chaperon her
friend and here the latest news.
The race was to last five days,1 the
competitors zigzagging about England
to fill up the allotted distance before
finishing at Edinburgh, and for the
Cigar and. Scarlet Runner the second
day -was almost a repetition of the
first Both passed other cars, but
Christopher could not pass Miss Her
bert, try as he might
- On the third day the two were well
In front of all pursuers and they were
breastirir a steep hill when the gyro
scope seemed to lose power and- falter
a little on the ditticuit incline., - per
haps there was a temporary failnre of
petrol pressure; perhaps a fault of Ig
nition, but whatever the explanation
Christopher was quick to seize his
chance. With a few gay notes of his
musical siren, he flashed past,, leaped
to the summit of the hill and swooped
down on-the-other side. But deslpte
tne ligntning speea at wnicn ms ma
neuver was accomplished Christopher
had had' time to glance at Miss Her
bert as he tore by. ,
. Up till now she had been distin
guished for her neatness, but -it was
as if excitement and anxiety had
somehow disarranged the - girt.- A
curling lock -of hair the color of a
copper-beech leaf had escarped from
its leather covering to fly in tho wind
like a flag signalling distress. Her
mask,, unfastened on one side, was
hanging from the' dust-covered cap
by a cord, and the beautiful young
face ( was pale and strained. Christo
pher suffered from a brief spasm of
compassion, and his delight in tri
umph 'was dashed for a moment, but
he said to himself that the winning
of the race meant far more to him
than it could to her. She would have
no mercy upon him, nor did he want
It
He pressed Scarlet Runner for, all
she was worth, and was happy in
maintaining the lead throughout the
rest of the day. Naturally it fell to
him to start first the next morning an
advantage he expected to use to the
utmost but it Is an old story that
prtde comes before a fall. ' ' -
For once Scarlet ' Runner did not
work loyally, with her master. The
red car's heart beat sluggishly, and
ten miles .beyond the last halting
place , he heard a horn-blast la his
ear, pulled a little to his near side,
and saw the Cigar dash by in an in
sulting cloud of dust. So swiftly flew
the- gyroscopic tear that it tossed up
a-tornado of tiny whirling stones,
which gave. Christopher iRace ail, he
oould do to keep Scarlet Runner
straight, so" did they bhscure' his
view.' Nevertheless,. on the principle
that disagreeable things.. are always
the easiest to see, ha was able to make
out,' in, that swift bird-flight, -that a
small gloved hand threw him a mock
ing salute. - .-.- ' t
As if conscious of her wrongdoing,
no. sooner had the Cigar 'swept out
of sight and the coud subsided, than
Scarlet Runner .picked up - strength
and energy, leaping forward like a
hound that strains at his leash. There
were still some hours left Of this last'
day. Who could tell what the good'
car might fet dp 'to-retrieVe her for
tunes? i V-: - t. -m
.The morning fled. Christopher came
to the next control without bavin
had another glimpse of the; gyroscope..
xnere ne learned .mat me enemy
must be at least five miles in advance
rit i.. . - .. . i . ,., .
v ., .. wmj V J. I", J, M Willi-,
(n ,uAh a - I, ,
w, - amuo accui s.u vvvry
onev . y - '.
"Pretty and Joung as she Is, that
girl seems to have, had not one fem
inine grace whlch tei't of the body,"
he said venomously, ."What bad form
to wave her hand as she passed me!
But you can't make a woman under
stand how to play the game." ' ' , ,
"I think you do her Injustice, ' J
turned the pbserver, -whose nam' was
McLellan. "t believe she's a very
nice girl, really but- her father is her
idol. She'd do anything for him, peo
ple who knflw..her..sayj linearly
broke her. heart,.. when that' other
Invention .of. .his., proved a- failure a
few, years-agov" when--she was IB or
Old -Dick" 'Herbert practically
brought Mef;;op"vy 'hand. , -He war
middle-aged, whan , .he, .married her
mother, iwho died at the, girl's birth
and the two have been tverytljing to
each other since. She learned motor
driving and something of iriechanlcs
to please her father, because he knew
he was Inventing -this gyroscopio car.
and she thought) as he was old, a lit-,
tie practical chauffeuring' might como
In handy in the family. A friend of
theirs told me the othe day that this
girl-Dorothy I think her name is
has nearly ueeo? up a-legacy left her
by some relatives as a dot in having
this car built . It must have cost a
good bit of money, and they have next
to nothing to llve-on-M the car wins
first prize a big syndicate has prom
ised to take up the invention-, I untSer
stand, and will manufacture, for the
market. That'll mean fortune as well
as fame for Dick Herbert, so you
see lt Isn't exactly unfentinlne In the
girl to want to win the race." - . ,
"I see," said Christopher; and "hd
did See several things. Having an
almost uncomfortably strong sense -of
Justice, he understood In this flash
of enlightenment exactly how Dorothy
Herbert the father-worshipper, must
have felt when she heard him freelv
discussing her-ldol and his Inventions
with the organizer of the race. Well,
at least she was, going to have her
revengel It Was hard on him: buj
suddeuly he realized that he did not
grudge tt to htt as ha,. had done five
minutes ago. j, ,
J'Look!" , 'exflalmrf 'McJlIan.
abruptly breaking a- long silence.
"What's that we've .Just oome insight
' - . .
of down there, under the third hill?"
"By Jove! It's the Cigar!" cried
Christopher.
There it was, a mere flying speck,
seen far away across broken and un
dulating land, as Scarlet Runner,
with heated pneus, topped a com
manding hill.
At first there was doubt In Chris
tophers' mind. It might be the Cigar;
it might be some automobile not con
nected with the race at all. But curi
ously soon doubt merged Into cer
tainty. There was no mistake about
that queer, long shape; therefore,
since he was going at his top speed,
the gyroscopic car must have slowed
down. Something was wrong; clearly
something was wrong.
Assuredly Christopher was gaining
on his rival, and gaining rapidly. He
could see the outline of Miss Her
bert's slim figure, with the broad back
of the solid official observer by her
side.
Scarlet Runner was at her very best,
but until now, that best had not been
enough to defeat this conquering en
emy. Christopher felt like patting the car
as if she had been a mare, and chir
ruping words of encouragement
"You've got a chance yet," said Mc
Lellan; and Race's heart leaped.
He was hot on his rival's trail now
so near that to his surprise and al
most horror he could see that the
snaky gyroscope was slowing, and
rocking strangely from side to side.
So far he and Miss Herbert were
the two drfvers who had not had to
make any involuntary stops. Others
had had two or three each. Now, he
alone had had none; for even as he
thought It became clear that the gy
roscope was in trouble.
It stood sturdily upright but help
less on Its sturdy little legs, and as
Christopher came up the girl had Just
gone down,, utter dejection In every
line of her ' figure and the droop of
ner once proud head. Something in
himself, which he did not understand
and could not account for, made him
disconnect the old force-pump, and
put on the brake. Scarlet Runner
stopped, pulsing, by the side of the sad
ugar.
"What on earth are you about?"
growled McLellan. "Don't you know
you ve given away your race?"
"Can't help it Think something's
wrong with me, Christopher, mut
tered, a misleading answer. For if
something was wrong with him, there
was nothing wrong with his car.
He got down from his car and
walked towards her.
"Can I do anything for you, Miss
Herbert?" he asked correctly, raising
nis cap, as if he had come across
stranded motor on an ordinary road
excursion. , . , r. , ...
The girl was gazing at him in aston
lshment ' Her mask was off and her
charming face, white to the lips, was
bathed in dusty tears. Oh, no, there
was nothing mannish about her now
But Christonher had fnrrnttpn that
he had ever accused tier, in his mind
She looked so young, so forlorn, s
broken-hearted, that her brave at
tempt to rail and Ignore her tears at
sight of him seemed doubly pathetic
to cnristopner.
"Do anything for me?" she echoed,
In astonishment so profound as to re
veal, how entirely she had regarded
him as the Implacable enemy. "I
don't understood. I'm en nanne.
You've beaten me. Please go on. I
I can't start again, that's all."
Her voice wavered and choked. She
turned away - her face to hide tears
thaf'would begin to- fall again to
water the dead ashes of her hopes. -"I
should like to help you If lean."
said Christopher.. ,
But out why 7" asked the girl
almost suspiciously.1-"I've been most
nornoiy rude to you not that you
didn't deserve tt But, anyhow, I
don't deserve anything of you now,
except except hatred.'!
. "You haven't exactly put yourself
out to please me,'' returned Chris
topher dryly. "But why.shonld you?
-And I'm not doing this to please you.
it s oecause l can t do anything else.
What do you" thlnk's the matter?"
he inquired. , ', , , V . tt -
"Oh, short-circuit somewhere, and
the gyroscopes won't spin," she an
swered Desperately. "If they don't
turn tne oar can't Keep upright when
in motion. You're awfully kind
quite incredibly -kind, heaping coals
of fire on my head.- But you can't do
anything for me, except to go qn and
leave me to my fate.'! , ,4 r '
"Let me see Jf , J. qan't 8o some
thing," the young man patiently per
sisted. "Dog can't eat dog, you know."
There was nothing . concerning
mechanism, or, accumulators, batteries
and wires that Christopher Race had
not studied and - learned by heart.
From remote days of early Benzes and
Lorlginal Leon Bollees he had wrestled
with these things by the roadside un
til knowledge, of . their myriad eocen-t
trlcties had eaten into his very being.1
Now it needed no Very profound re
search to dtscoyer what had happened
to the Cigar.- One accumulator was
exhausted, a Miss Herbert would soon
have: found but when she had had a
chance to examine the-inner workings
of her; car. There had been short cir-
cuiungsuirougn, a .oaaiy insulated
wire. , i ,,;., ' . , I'-j--'
" "Accumdlator.-used-ud." announnAii
Christopher." ;'; 7 ' ' -
"I was afraid so. Oh, poor father!
What will become of me?" walled the
girl, hva very small,', heart-broken
voicet y-4 - -' w-J.-f
"I have aUspare one," 'Christopher
said.- J'You're very welcome to it" .
"No,'ehe' cried, "I wouldn't take it
from you. I couldn't possibly. Oh,
you don't know how you're making
me feel, , offering me' the chance to
win-the race from you, when already
It was as good as yours;- And you
of all people!' l-", , , '
"Don't say any more," cut In -Chris-
topher.-; "I want you to have the ac
cumluator.t 1'hen we-can -.start fair
again, when- you have your, chance.
1 Bhouldot-enjoy a win bow unless
you had that- Chancer. No credit, to
me, you-see. If we linger here sums
of the others will be on us, and neither
of us will win. What?. It won't take
a minute to fit." - j -.' i.
The temptation was too, great for
her. She' let him run back to his car
(which she? couldn't help remember
ing that she had called a "poor, old,
uninteresting red. thing") and. take
from under the seat that spare accu
mulator which might mean, salvation
for her. and defeat for him. , ,
Then he began working with ouirk.
deft fingers at the Cigar, while the two
official observers, who had seized the
opportunity for cignrets, looked, at
their ston watohes. and made, a hastv
Jotting or two in. theinhotehooks,
"There!"H'exclaimed -i ChristopehK
You've plenty ef power foF your gy
roscopes again.. See, they're spinning
round.jlikesnad,. '6w -ydu- cap get
As no spoke the girt- sprang to-her
seat, the observer fallowing 'her ex
ample, as M'Lellan climbed expectant-!
ly back into Scarier Runner, "I can
never thank you enough for for thei
coals of fire,". Misa Herbert-said, her
hand on the steering wheel. "But
I'm going to let you start first un
why don't you go. We mustn't wait.
I almost think I see a car coming in
the distance behind.
"No, you mustn't wait," echoed
Christopher laconically.
He was standing against one of his
own driving wheels, looking up at her
with an odd expression in his eyes, as
if he were suddenly very tired. She
was no longer white. A bright color
stained her cheeks, but It was Chris
topher who was pale under dust and
tan. He felt rather dejected, for he
was In the act of doing a hideous
thing wounding his best friend. Also
he was throwing away 10,000 pounds
and a fortune from his uncle just be
cause a girl had cried and looked for
lorn a young girl, brave and loyal,
who had impoverished herself for r.er
father and was fighting for him now
against all odds.
Christopher had quietly, stealthily
taken a penknife from his pocket and,
with his hand behind him, had driven
the little blade deep Into Scarlet Run,
ner s tire. Poor, faithful Scarlet Run
ner, who had served him so well, and
whose heart was throbbing still with
the desire and power to bear him on
to victory! Yet he couldn't take that
victory, and see the girl lose. He had
hated her, but he didn't hate her
now. He simply couldn't be the cause
of making her fight in vain.
"I said we mustn't wait. And you
must go first she repeated.
"8orry," said Christopher dully,
with a lump in his throat as he hoped
that Scarlet Runner would ' forgive
him. "I'm afraid I can't obey. 1 ap
pear to be hung up, too. Tire down
I see."
Dorothy Herbert stared at the flat
tening rubber and M Lelian whistled
faintly, making a sound rather like
the escaping air which gushed from
the tires wounded Inner tube.
"It would be quixotic of you to wait
for me now," went on Christopher.
"Fortune of war. But I don't give
up yet. It won't take me long to re
place this tire, and I have a fighting
chance still. But theres no fun for
either of us if you don't start at once.
I beg of you to go on.
Hesitating, half reluctant half
eager, the girl let herself be hypno
tized by the command in her late ene
my's eyes. Almost mechanically her
foot pressed the clutch lever; a touch
on another lever drew up the support
ing metal legs. The car moved for
ward. Once the .driver looked back,
masklcss; a few seconds later she had
dropped over the brow of a hill.
"I suppose 'I shall have to record
this er stop .against you," said
M'Lellan, as Christopher renewed the
inner tube and forced on the cover by
means of the new American tool which
had served him bravely not long ago",
on a certain eventful journey to
Barnet.
'.'It's my duty to do that All the
same, I well, I think it's about the
finest thing I've ever known a man
to do jolly lot finer than the record
you might have made, if you hadn't
done it"
"There are some 'things you must
do you don t know why," grumbled
Christopher, once more taking his
seat
Far beyond the outskirts of Edin
burgh crowds began to line the road
way on either side cheering, enthu
siaatio crowds, prepared to give the
winners a hearty Scotch welcome,
Then, thicker and thicker grew the
press in. the southern suburbs. It
seemed that Lowlands and Highlands
had banded together to form one huge.
shouting throng.
"Put on a spurt,- master!" roared
a tall soldier in kilts. "The lassie's
no far ahead o' ye the noo!"
Christopher smiled, but not very
gaily. He was beating down the temp
tation to lessen the distance between
the cars, and he had conquered it just
enough to give that smile.
At last he struck the superb line of
Princes street, and far away at the
other end he could see a crimson ban
ner, which marked the winning post
Speeding-towards that flutter of red
(yet not so fast as it might nave gone
if the chauffeuse had chosen) was the
gyroscope. . , , . -.
The air rang with applause as the
snake-like oar, with the pale girl driv
ing, passed beneath the nag; and
Christopher, hearing, oould not have
analyzed the feelings which surged in
his breast . j ,
. Wo hflH tlmnrt hfi nn srfhnu wttt
fhe followed, and he came in at the
finish precisely as he had started, ex
actly two minutes behind . the. car
which set out before him. ,--
Those who did not know doubtless
thought he ought to be glad and proud
to win the second prize, an exceed
ingly handsome gold cup; but Chris
topher knew, and it he had not -known
he would have become unpleasantly
certain when he saw his uncle's face.
The' old man had come by train to
Edinburg to meet the winner of the
first prize, who, from telegraphic ac
counts, he had , little doubt would be
his nephew. - - - , T i-
He -had taken a suite of rooms at
and had ordered the most elaborate
dinner the chef could produce, to be
accompanied by plenty of the most exn
pensive "champagne.- - And: behold, hie
Joyous preparations: were wasted
. This was bad enough, but, a tew
words from M'Lellan (to whom he
had been introduced - on the day of
me start) 'made matters worse. The
two met . in the hall of the Jiotel
where Mr. Race -was' all but dancing
with rage as he waited to berate the
failure who was putting up Scarlet
Runner in the garage. - A few words,
Well' meant on., M'Lellan',8 part, . and
spoken in praise of . Christopher's
chivalrous -generosity," gave y the old
man some Idea of the .true staje of
the case. - ". ..' - 3L
- Unable to trusf . himself longer' in
the society of his fellow-man, he
stumbled upstairs to the private dining
room, ' where the flower decorated
table completely-maddened him. He
had lett wora for his nepnew to fol
low, and when Christopher arrived he
was in the act of throwing a large
hunch of hothouse roses into the fire.
IV'Don't do that, uncle.. It's murder,"
said the young man, -whose . mother
had taught him to. respect the rights
of flowers'" -i-
I-t-I - want" to - 'commit t murder!
stammered Mr. Race, -.too-furious to
be coherent "I'd I'd like to murder
you and smash up your beastly car.'!
"Come, isn't that iramer hitting a
man when he's down?" suggested
Christopher. "I didn't enjoy getting
beaten, you know." . '
"Oh, dldn t you, Indeed? : Then why
did' you let yourself .be beaten?"
shouted his uncle. "You needn't think
to decelve'me, I know what you-did.
You'd play Quixote, would you ? Well,
you'll find It an expensive part to keep
p.s. Perhaps you didn't think I meant
what I said; but I did, every word of
It 1 You've chucked away, 10,00
pounds, of good money , you , might
have had for the taking, and 100,000
besides which I'm not going to leave
to a love-sick fool." - ; ,
'Love-Sick fool!" echoed ' Chris
topher surprised. "What r do you
mean?"..- . . . . .'
"Perhaps i you 'didnit, -know that
M' Leila b. saw you stick a knife Into
your tire because you'd -fallen in love
""" ". '"'"-...
. V. 1 V..- 1 . ! '
onntUd you sock a, knife into itZVOsf M.r.ot,lppd vlctoanlir
cried a horrified face at the do.,,'tfiJBl()3i! nck.i '
seen the door-wfuchr ,J& not lyien
olosed gently piished Open. ',..0 -'
" Dorothy Herbeet.'had lain hi wait
vainly outside for someone who' had
deliberately (but from the best inten
ii ei, nui man ana nfirn Bunw 4r
tions) avoided meeting -her. Then she
had inquiredL and learned that. , Mr.
ngTpom
Rade had a private sitting
No. 19 on the first floor, fhe had
asked to be taken there, not knowing
iukci miu. iiwms lira ausiy
had been seized with a terrible Idea.
The man who had made a great sacri
fice for her was being reproached, she
thought, by some official conrected
with the race for giving it away. She
. . n . J Lll I , .. . . I- . 1
uiuat uumu 1, 1 II I . - - Dm lUUUJSU
she had suspected something, she had
not known what (effectual means be
had taken to give her a long start at
the end.
As both men turned to look at her
and zhe saw the elder's fierce old face,
dark fed with anger, her spirit rose.
"You shall not talk to him Ilka
that; I don't care who you are!" zhe
exclaimed. "It's nonsense to say he v -t
. ... u tsvui in j iwuf u;c, ivr i iu .
the girl he allowed to beat him. Why. .
he hates me and I deserve it He '-
did the noble, chivalrous thing you're
scolding him for, simply because I was
a woman, crying mere in the road,
and perhaps because he know how
milh It mnomt tnm ha a win
tamer is mcnara iierDen
"I don't care who your father is,
child, but for heaven's sake, who was
your mother?" falter Mr. Race, in a
changed voice, staring with eager eyes
at the girl, "I saw you in London the
day before the state. You were In a
restaurant. I you arc the image of
someone I once knew someone I
once loved who went out of mv life
and disappeared."
"They say I am like my mother who
name was Dorothy Lindell."
'T thOMfrht Bn" .v.l.lm.1 4k. A
man. "You are Dorothy Lindell over
again. She was the only woman I
ever cared for, though she was almost
young enough to be my daughter. She
promised to be my wife; but before
time came she ran away, and left a
note saying she couldn't make up her
mind to have me; she'd only consented
to please an aunt of hers who'd
brought her up consented because I
was rich. I never saw her again, and
I hated her for a while: but she was
not the kind a man could hate long,
no matter what she did to him, or
now nara ne was. I foreave her, in t,
nme so morougniy mat last year -when
an old friend told me Dorothy
had died, leaving a daughter and a
husband somewhere on the conteinent,
I wanted my nephew here to look up
the child. So you're the girl Chrito- .
pher Race risked" ruinlnr himself '
for?" -. ....'-'
'I'm the girl to whom he's behaved
like a knight of Klnr Arthur's table." ;
Dorothy Herbert answered. -
"Then I wish he would be a love.
sick fool. Anyhow, I forgive him '
now.- I wouldn't have had him do : '
different. Do you hear that, Christ
Shake hands." ' ' '
Christopher shook hands. And even '
uiu un ucfiau w realise mat,
perhaps, after, he was what his uncle 1
called him. ' He had often, been in
love, but never wholly la love until . ,'
could it be possible he -was? now.-.
But then he had never known such a '
girl, and if he did not regret refusing
uis.ienoer request oi last year, it was - -because
by granting It he might have -4 1
never have won DorothyTJiideTre
daughter. . - , ,,
After all, they ate the elaborate din.
ner and drank the expensive cham- v
pagne, and Mr. Race sent down for
more roses many more rosea. be- ,.
cause Dorothy Herbert- the winner of '
me race, and her friend, Madame du
Ouesciln were his guests. - j :
By tne time the -evening was nve
Christopher did not. woadervany .mono :"'
about the matterf but was quite sure,
and once for all, that be was a love- -
alclr fu.1 . WhAM, Kl. i. "7..
him -of "It aeain in a Verv rilfTArent
tone he.confessed. No scolding fol-
iowen. nnwuiur
"She'll get a rich husband If Mrs,
takes you," the old man said. "But--t ' .
I don't believe she'll be marrying you
for your money. You've certain at
tractions, and I've an Idea she's aware, '
of them aldeady. It's only fair rou -should
get a prize of some sort, and
I expect she'll see that,. She seems
wonderfdllr fairminded for a worn.
an, and - not conceited, either; so
whether shell think , she's goo,",;
buouku . nun up n, pou.xor mo,'
ten thousand pounds) you flansi , her.!
to say nothing of the hundred thous
and you'd have lost If she hadn't bad
ner mother's race,-who can tell ?" .
Nobody could-tellut Christopher"
futlced.thnt niiARiMn - n,
equivalent,.,, asm JJorotnv answered
... ...... nnj.u uu uw now, 1 ,)
easy for a girl, t "do her best" for
the man she loves: and the chauffeuse,
of the gyroscope thought the" chauf i r ..'
feur of the Scarlet-Runner the tmlV
man in the world except old feck. .'
neruers " t -t, .. - i. .,-,-...
GIRLS INVADE DIVORCE MILL? j
Fair Coeds Seek Enlightenment on-"
M.yh.i.n,iin, ui UB4b
The '.domestic relations court of
New York ' was " grinding its dismal, '
grist of conjugal intolerance when hve !
sweet girl undergraduates sought ta '
: An 'attendant friee! to "shoo" theni '
awayV He told them that persons sn
-1A- ,.nl. ..-11...1. .,4 ...
could not be admitted. ' : , t ,
uw UUI.W Xllllll , B I LUQBBCa ,
'We are much more than , 16."' said ,
one i pf ther-frm!y. We-'re WSr'
serious students, at. Hunter college, - .
We have come, , here to investigate, V
certain problems of" , American f du .
TOrc-. '-' ''- i -r I -f,T
"There are plenty of problem-
here.1? : Hammered --I the " doorkeeper. ' '
but it might be better Jbr you, to reatl ' f
them up, in booksi'V - -w-1
MaKtStrate . Loriiell , : commanded,-,'.: -
that tlie -young, women be admitted. v.
And with grave gallantry is) greeted
them with? a' little address somewhat -
jff'this stSi:;:?? V; v$ jfi, ,
; "In'bidding 6u welcome to ''this 1 1
court I trostji. will permit me. tqf -express
the -Vnpe thzt you have hot! S
come here in search of information on : '
why not to getftnarried." . i '
. I he nnderirraduatea Inokeri ati" nnM f
another ad;bJuiheA,His honor con? &
tinued:. Wh-?'- " . i- 5- -' . -
. "A long coarse' of study applied to '" jk
the cases tn this court anghCwell m.-
fluence some-minds toiA pessimistic M
poini of lew-cpncemuigthe conjugal ,'-'
life;PleStse-rnmh,er,ht hercione -
sees only the sea-mtr. side of marclage. ;
Mav. vour istudv btm Drove trnittul. ' a
and. .many its 'sortfttl sadnejlj leavo -
your fresh young minds unclouded. '
When the court adjourned the tarr (
five sought the .Sagistrate, - thasked: t
him and told hira 'thev would .aDma- A i
again. New York Journal' J 't .
"-.'.--- "Ne
idUsC
Aa ufmal Mrs. MertoanlHened the AiQn4r -
table cQereraatioa wits jpi account ef thw-
'I don't know
about her yU"
aald, "but she (Is
at any rato."
'How did
nd that oatr .aakad Mr. ,
Merton:
Sh ti iilwByi' stBfflnjf i
w i
i back. ;
F3lgn," h sIS. ,
aN(ie Tor friit
I better tor your
child'! chuffh i
than Dr. Kint't Npw
bo thine harmful.
WncTrf .
Quarmntvd.
i (Truistiti. lOo. Adv.
muojT
v
u
