Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 November 1917 — In Pawn [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Pawn

By George Elmer Cobb

“Stop that car!” The automobile was coming slowly down a rutty country road, when the urgent mandate caused its driver to halt precipitately, wonder and surprise manifested in his handsome young face. “What’s the trouble?” he Inquired. **This!” spoke the sturdy, sternlooking man who had suddenly sprung out from among some heavy shrubbery, and he leveled the shotgun he carried squarely at the automobile. “Step out, or I’ll spatter that windshield of yours all over the road.” “And this!” supplemented his fifteen-year-old son, jabbing a four-pronged pitchfork in the direction of the front wheel. “If dad misses, I’ll let out all the air you’ve got.” “Is it the man?” questioned the farmer of the lad. “He’s the man,” bobbed his son decisively. “I’d know him by that peaked cap he wears anywhere.” . “Step out!” ordered the farmer. We were waiting for you.” “What for?” demanded Hector Lane, artist. “Because you took that road three hours ago, without knowing that the bridge was down at the creek and that you’d have to come back over the same

route. You stopped over in the field this morning to cook your breakfast, lidn’t you?” “Why, yes, I did,” came the prompt reply. “And kicked the embers of your campfire around loose and careless. After you’d gone some live sparks set the stubble on fire and ran up to the two poultry houses. If you’ll look, you’ll see no houses there now.” Hector Lane stepped out of the machine voluntarily now. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he scanned two heaps of charred timbers. “I fancy I did the work, farmer,” he acknowledged. “It will cost you four hundred dollars,” observed Setrf Payne. “We l !, well, and I haven’t got forty in oriole world,” recklessly laughed the automobilist “Bad fix, isn’t it? Well, don’t look disappointed, or get mad. I acknowledge the corn, and of course I’ll have to settle.” “How?” snapped out PaynA “Why, I have a friend in the city who will send me the money. I’ll get to the village and telegraph him at once.” “Not? "With the machine!” declared the farmer. “You’ll leave that as security. You’re a stranger to me and I take no risks.” “Father!” broke in a new voice, sweet, laden with reproach. As its owner, fair, gentle-eyed Myrtle Payne, the stranger gazed with awakened interest. He heard her whisper: “H 6 Is a gentleman, you can trust him,” and secretly appreciated her trustfulness. “You’ll report back?” muttered the farmer distrustfully. ' - “The minute I get in touch with my friend,” declared Lane, and sped on his way.

“He’ll' never come back,” growled Seth Payne. “He will,” confidently dissented Myrtle Payne. He did. Hector Lane drove up to the farmhouse within two hours. There was a quizzical smile on his open, pleasing face. “Anywhere you can store the auto?” he inquired. “What for?” asked the farmer. “My friend has gone on a long trip; I have no other resources. I’ll leave the machine in pawn with you till I pay your bill.” “Well, you are a square one, just as you said,” observed Payne, turning to his daughter, who blushed, his own harsh features relaxing. “Dinner

l nearly ready, Myrtle? Ail right,” as she nodded assent, “Come in, neighbor, and we’ll tuik it over.” Hector Lane, winner of hearts, in his frank, jolly way captivated all hands with his recital of how he had invested his sole thousand dollars in the automobile, and had started off on a protracted sketching tour. Then he was Invited to stay all night Bright and early the next morning he joined the farmer attending to his stock. “I’ve been tb'nklng, Mr. Payne,” he observed, “and I wondered if you wouldn’t take me in pawn, as well as the automobile. Here’s the facts: I overheard you tell your wife you were short of working hands. Hire me. I need a little of roughing it to get me in trim for winter studio work. Then by fall, if I don’t get action with my friend, we’ll sell the automobile and square up.” He had a persuasive way, he was a prime fellow, for, accommodating himself to his environment, every evening he declared he was as healthy and hungry as a bear. Every morning he went gayly to his tasks. Between times there was Myrtle, modest, brighteyed Myrtle. Evenings and holidays the automobile was called into requisition. Hector taught Myrtle how to run it. It got to be almost considered as family property. One day Payne said to Hector: “See here, we’ll 'call It square on those two old sheds that burned down. You’re a man, every Inch of you, and I cancel that debt. You can leave, machine and all, any time you like.” “Farmer,” responded Hector cheerily, “I don’t want to leave. This is the life! Why, Pm built up like a trained pugilist, and if you don’t object. Til stay another month,” and here the crafty young schemer stole a glance at Myrtle, daintily trimming the garden border, and whispered to himself: “Two months, a year, if Myrtle acts as If she’d like me to.” Myrtle was wont to take the automobile afternoons for a trip to girl friends In the district. Hector had made of her an expert at the wheel. One day, nearly at dusk, a strange automobile drove up. “Oh, father!” yelled Ned Payne, rushing into the house all excited. “There’s been an accident; the automobile is all smashed up, and some strangers have brought Myrtle home all bandaged up!” All hands rusheef out to the road. A stranger, a well-dressed, impressivelooking man, was assisting Myrtle from his automobile. Myrtle w’ore a bandage over one side of her face and one arm was in a sling. She was pale and shaken up, but instantly called out, reassuringly: “Don’t get frightened, mother; I’m only scratched up a little.” “She is a heroine!” cried her escort in quavering tones. “Oh, madam! Oh, sir!” he added with fervor, “she risked her life to save my two little children from certain death. I shall bless her to the last moment of my existence!” The thrilling story came out in sections. It appeared that a light automobile'operated by a nurse, with two

little children in the rear seat, had got stalled directly in the middle of a railroad track, w T ith the fast mail coming not tw o hundred yards distant. Myrtle had discerned their peril. She took a fearful chance and drove straight up against the little machine, sent it spinning off the tracks, but the shock hurled her own machine sideways into a ditch and she was thrown out. Mr. Davenal insisted on purchasing outright for an extravagant sum Hector’s automobile. Hector felt it his duty to be very tender and attentive to the family invalid, Myrtle. Those two drifted swiftly under the potent influence of love’s young dream. And the day of the wedding Mr. Davenal made a present of the handsomest residence in the village to the happy pair.

“Step Out!” Ordered the Farmer.