Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 172, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1912 — A Mistake and a Miss [ARTICLE]

A Mistake and a Miss

By ARTHUR W. PEACH

(Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary Press.) The manager of the Avenue Garage turned with an anxious face from the telephone. He looked across at the neat, well-dressed young fellow lounging in his office. “By George! I’m in for it! I agreed to have my best driver here for a party this afternoon, and I haven’t got a man on the place; and here’s a call from the best customer I have. I can’t go myself.” The young fellow straightened up. "Look not so worried, Gleason, why wouldn’t I do?” The manager stared, then his anxious face eased. “Hilton, if you will do this for me, I’ll be your slave for the next decade. But if you go, remember you aren’t driving that big speeder of yours, and forget, too, that you are the only son of a multi-mil-lionaire, and remember that you aren’t to talk unless you’re asked to. But If you will help me out —I will remember It, I assure you.” “Oh, I’m game; it’s a new kind of a lark; and I will remember.” A little later, as he seated himself, In the big touring car, in a snug chauffeur’s uniform, he turned to Gleason. "I guess 11l keep the goggles on, so if I should happen to meet some of my friends. Now where is it?” “1987 First avenue ” “What! Why, man alive, there’s where a girl lives whom I have been trying to convince that I am Just the right age to marry. Jephosapbat! I don’t know —about —this ’’ “Well, don’t take the chance then

Hilton sat N up. “Tpke a chance —I never let one go by. ’ So long.” The big car murmured out of the roadway Into the smooth avenue and he sent It humming down the broad street He knew that he would have to play his cards well to escape detection. for the eves of Alice Vernon, gentle and blue as they were, were keen. If she discovered him masquerading at her expense, he thought to himself, it would be one long goodnight with an exclamation point In • heavy type. He drew his heavy goggles far down over his eyes, sunk as much of his six feet as he could into the seat drew the hat down until It hid the kinks In his hair, and drew up In front of the residence of Senator Vernon. A maid had evidently been on the watch, for In a few minutes the trim, girlish figure of the girl he loved came lightly down the broad steps, and was handed Into the car by the footmap. Hilton thanked hiß stars that she gave him not a glance. His hand went to the brakes, then paused on her order. Hilton swore softly and tenderly under his breath; for coming serenely toward him was his most earnest rival, Sidney Farland. Hilton wondered what was going to happen; he found out. A sweet voice behind him said: “Good morning, Sidney, I am going for a little spin out and back; are you going down?” Hilton hoped to heaven that he never appeared so eager for an Invitation or accepted one as eagerly as Farland did. They rolled off, Farland chatting be- , hind In his eager, impetuous way, and ' Hilton, himself, humped down in his seat feeling like swearing Impetuously. It was a pretty how-do^you-do—acting as chauffeur for a sweetheart and a rival.

He listened to the merry chatter behind him, and the gall in his thoughts grew bitter. He, himself, even came op for a topic of conversation, and she •aid little, Farland very industriously went on to amplify Into little details the miserable story that he had heard was. going the rounds about him—all a lie. Hilton was sure he had found out who was industrious in spreading It; but the thought did not serve to sweeten his viewpoint on life. As they drew near the streets lead- 4 Ing to the business section, Hilton was to hopes that Farland would ask to be dropped, but far from it, and the next thing he knew, she was asking him to go with her on the spin. They whirled out onto the smooth state road. It was a glorious day— Just the kind of a day to make hearts beat faster, especially hearts that are In love. Hilton heard the voices behind him grow a little lower after a while; under the rules he should have been busily thinking of other things; but his conscience did not trouble him, and he listened with all the power of hearing be could muster. There was no doubt about ft, he said to himself. Farland was going to propose to her. The thought sent a chill through him. Alice had not been very Unrt toward him the last few weeks, and he had beard that Farland had « good show. Softly be heard the voices running on behind him. -AH there is to It, Alice,” Farland was saying. “I care more for you than any other girl In the world. lamin a position to prove that One thing la certain: There Is no one else who does love you as I do,” he added earnestly. ▲ tweet dear voice feald: "WeU. I

have ethers, you'know. There is Glenn Hilton?” “Pooh! He?** Alice, he cares for nothing except a clear road and that big French racer of his. Besides, there are other reasons why he—doesn’t—- “ Yes, I know. Really, I care very little tor him. He is so sure—so sure, though, that I care for him.** . Hilton groaned as he beard the last. But he listened. “You don’t suppose our chauffeur is ill, do you? I just heard him make a funny noiSe.” - “No, he was clearing 'his throat Alice, please look at the matter seriously. It it the biggest thing in the world to me. Give me a bit of encouragement” . ; _ “Sidney, as I have said, I like you, and it wouldn’t take much to change the i and the fl for o and a v— —no — wait, not here!" Hilton shut his teeth. His ppdnd was firm. If she started to give Farland a definite answer, he would chuck the machine into the ditch. There was silence a moment, then she said: “Sidney, I guess I might as well say ” Then she screamed, and Farland shouted. Hilton brought the big car up in the ditch with a jerk, and immediately fell to rubbing his right wrist. “Pardon —but —I have a cramp —in my wrist.” He moved around, doubled up, and gasping. "I guess—you’ll have to drive —this—car —back, sir,” he gasped to Farland where the other stood evidently swearing under his breath. “This—puts—my-r-ann — out—of commission!” "Well, get in—confound it!” Parland said. Hilton, still bent over with anguish, climbed into the seat beside the driver’s and Off they whirled. 'Not a word was spoken, but Farland looked at him once as if he would like to have cracked his skull; and Hilton was thankful that the big goggles hid his face. When near the business section she asked Hilton if he felt better, and Hilton Immediately agreed, with the resjult that they changed places, Farland going into the back seat. But Hilton knew that Farland had missed his opportunity. • At the corner from which they turned up the Avenue Bhe ordered Hilton to stop so that Farland might have a shorter distance to go to his office, as she phrased it; and Farland left, after receiving permission to call that evening. Up the Avenue to her door they sWept. He brought the machine to a standstill and sat quiet staring straight ahead. The footman came hurrying down, and to Hilton’s surprise was ordered back.

When the door closed, out of the corner of his eye he saw the dainty figure step around beside him, and a bomb greater than any that ever exploded in a man's knowledge blew up right there. “Glenn Hilton, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” Sad music, please, he said to himself, then to her—“ For heaven’s sake, Alice, don’t scold me; I’ve suffered aa I never did before.” Her face was calm and cold. ‘1 did this to help out Gleason; there wasn’t a man available up there. I didn’t khow you were going to ask Farland; and I didn’t suppose you would recognize me!” She looked at’ his begoggled face still coldly, though there was a strained appearance about her expression. He went on hastily, "But I’ve learned the truth.” Then she laughed as If Immensely pleased. "Why, foolish, I knew it was you from the moment you appeared and whirled that car up as only you canr then those little teeny, kinky curls under your cap—a woman’s eyes can see. Tou didn’t fool me a moment" Them her face softened, strangely, wonderfully. '‘lt was foolish of you to run the car into the ditch when yon did for I was going to say—" “What?” he gasped. She slipped back from the machine to the steps. Something in the glint of her eyes, the poise of her figure, made him grip the wheel tight “Just opposite what I shall say to you,, If you will come up tonight thirty minutes after Farland.” Then she disappeared. 0 A few motor-cops eyed the big touring car that came down the avenue keenly, and peeked at shining instruments, quickly; at the garage corner, a few pedestrians breathed prayers of relief where they did not curse volubly ahd *6ulfully; a moment later the manager of the. Avenue Garage was begging for mercy as a big six-foot pounded him In the back, and called him endearing names, punctuated with words erf gratitude.