A RUNAWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 90

A RUNAWAY.

By Aemigeb Barclay.

"Won't you get" in while you're waiting, miss?" asked the motorman, opening the door of the tonneau.

"Perhaps I had better. It will look more as if the car belongs to me," laughed the girl. "I won't be long, miss," said the chauffeur gratefully. Then he touched his cap, hurried up the deserted road, and was soon out of eight.

Iris, in the course of a walk, had come upon the man vainly endeavouring to remedy 6ome defect that had brought the car to a standstill. He lacked something in the way of tools, was due within the 'hour at a town twenty miles off, had so pathetically expressed his need for help that she had not only directed him to the nearest blacksmith, but had volunteered to -look after the handsome automobile in his absence.

She 6ank back on the luxuriously yielding seat with a novel sense of comfort. Her experience of motoring had hitherto been homoeopathic ; now, for the first time, she felt she could appreciate something of the delights of 'the favoured few whom she had so often regarded with envy as they flashed past her. Though the sense of motion was lacking to complete her satisfaction, she was so occupied 'with it in imagination that she failed to notice the hum of an oncoming car, and before she was aware of it, it had pxilled up, and one of its occupants was addressing her. "Can we be of any assistance?" asked a pleasant voice. Iris started. "Thank yon very much. I hardly know " she hesitated. Tom Palmer, the owner of the pleasant voice, laughed genially. "You take it philosophically," he said. "Have you broken down?" • "I — I suppose co," admitted Iris helplessly. "You're not alone, surely?" "Oh, no. The man. has gone to the blacksmith 'e for some tools. I'm waiting." "Can't we do anything? It may save time." With that Palmer and his friend Kennedy descended and began to investigate the derelict car. Iris left her eeat, and, with an air of proprietary interest, looked on while they inquired into things beneath the bonnet. Presently one of them went to the starting bundle and gave it a couple of turns. The fly-wheel responded, "Thai's all light, I think," observed Tom. "It was only a choked petrol feed. We'll try her.'! . He got into the driving-seat, and Iris, with " newly-awakened" interest in the proceedings, mounted beside him. "Shall I take you a» far as the blacksmith's and pick up your man?" asked Tom.

"Oh, if you would," she returned. "It will save him walking back, poor fellow." He let in the clutch, and, preceded by the other car, they started. For a minute or. two Tom~was occupied by the peculiarities of an unfamiliar engine, then he turned bis attention to Iris.

"1 say," he began enthusiastically, "this is a clinker of a car! The road's clear; do you mind if I let her out?" "I've done very little motoring," she hesitated ; "and I don't quite^ know whether I ought——"

I "Oh, that's all right," he assured her with a confidence" that was stimulated by her attractive presence. "This is only a I crawl, and you motor's a tip- topper!" With that he pressed the accelerator, and me car shot forward. It had qualities of flexibility, silence, and ea&e of running, and neither was quite conscious of the pace it was making. As for Iris, inspirited by the rapid movement through the. soft evening air, she abandoned herself to the novelty and pleasure of the moment. The car in front had a good start, and where the road wound it occasionally disappeared from view. When once they had a straight run, and Tom. realised that it was in sight no longer, he went still faster in the hope of catching up with it. Iris quite forgot the object of their drive, and failed to appreciate that they had long since passed the turning that led to the forge. Without knowing it, her mind was absorbed by the seductive charm of rapid motion. "I wonder where he's got to?" pondered Tom. "I would have bet anything he couldn't go at this pace. We must catch him." "Oh, but what about the man?" exclaimed Iris suddenly. "I'd forgotten all about him." "Good Lord! So had I!" He looked at her with a laugh of frank contrition. "Oh, bother the man !" he went on.' "After all, what does it matter?" "But it does matter. What will be think?" "You don't pay him to think, do you?" asked Tom with amusement. "I — I pay him! He's not my man!" she exclaimed. "Not your man?" he echoed blankly. "No. He — he's the car's man." "What do you mean?" asked the young fellow in bewilderment. "Why," confessed Iris with a sudden rosy flush of shame, "I forgot I was only minding it !" He stared at her open-mouthed while she faltered out a hurried explanation of the situation. The story appealed to his sense of humour, and, perhaps, an innate appetite for adventure. "Weil, I'm — West!" was his comment. "It's too funny for words !" * "It may be funny to you," retorted Iris miserably ; "but what will he think when he comes back for his car? It's — it's stealing!" The- thought unnerved her. "Suppose I were had up for it?" "Oh, come !" he laughed. "I wish you wouldn't laugh," shechided. "1 think it's very serious." Her dismay sobered him. "I didn't mean to chaff," he said penitently. "Besides, you know, it's only a question of turning and driving back. I don't suppose tne man will be really anxious. It's a hundred to one he's enjoying himself a glass of beer somewhere. Look! there's a- town of some kind ahead. My friend is J bound to be waiting there for me. Do you mind if I go on? It only means another few minutes." \

"Very well," assented Iris dubiously. "In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose." By Jove, you are a sportsman !" he declared with, admiration, and added a little tenderly, "You're not afraid to trust yourself with me?"

".No," she admitted, flushing. Her heightened colour stirred him. "I'm glad of that," he said gravely. A little further on they flashed past a signpost bearing the words "High Cheston, one mile." Tom, thinking to reassure the girl, repeated the information. " "High Cheston !" she cried, in a tone of stupefaction. "Then we're twenty miles from home! You must turn back! At once !" Without more ado he steered the car into a field gateway, stopped and reversed. His head was turned as he prepared to back, and he was accordingly unaware of the approach of two policemen who were coming towards him at a run. As his hand 1 went to the clutch lever they were upon him. One of them held a telegram and, as he barred the way, he glanced from it to the car's identification plate. " One moment, please," he said in a tone of authority. "Have you come from Elsworth, mias?'' "Yes; why?" answered Iris with surprise. "And we're Just on our way back there," supplemented Tom. "Very likely," returned the man drily; "but I'll trouble you to come to the police station first." "What the— what do you mean?" demanded Tom with, asperity. "My instructions are to detain a young lady in a green car^numbered A 07433. I suppose you admit this is it?" - " Wfao gave yiou such instructions?", asked Tom, with a touch of hauteur. " I ain't under any obligation to answer questions," replied the constable, resenting Tom's tone. "And the young lady don't need no telling." "You don't mean that I'm taken — in charge?" cried Iris aghast. - "That's about it. We'll trouble you to oojne to the station." The man's' tone wasi uncompromising. Without another word he got into the car, while his colleague mounted the footboard by Tom's side. "If you'll let me explain — — " began the latter in a fume.

"You can dio that to the chief constable," interrupted the man behind him. "This car's been stolen, and that's all I've got to say." Tom began a heated 1 altercation, but the constable, impatient to be off, was impervious to his arguments and Iris's tears ; and there was nothing for it but to yield fco force majeure. Iris wa* too scared to say much to the man whom she regarded as responsible for the predicament she was placed in ; but he was none the less aware of the poignancy of her feelings', and though on the way to the police station he made repeated attempts to reassure her, he saw that they afforded her no relief.

Accompanied as they were, their progress through the town was a, bitter trial, and when on entering the police station

they were confronted with a charge of robbery, their discomfiture was complete. Tom did his best to ridicule the accu-a-tion, accepted all responsibility, and protested against thoir detention. But the grim person of authority cut him short. As far as he was concerned the facts were clear. He had information to the effect that the car had been stolen, and they were in possession of it. That was all. Tom felt impotent. He could not refute the charge ; they knew no one in the town. To the girl ' it meant disgrace, to himself humiliation. He began to lose his presence of mind, and the rest was like a troubled dream in which the only reality was the girl's choking sobs. He was barely conscious of hearing a short order, of feeling a tap '"upon his shoulder. He found himself walking along a stone-flagged, echoing corridor. There was a jingle of keys, the rasp of shooting bolts ; facing him was a row of cells. He had just time to see Iris disappear into one of them, when he was pushed into and a heavy door closed upon him with, a clang. Iris stared, appalled, at the four bare walls of the cell. Her thoughtlessness had not only brought her into trouble, but had*nvolved an innocent stranger in undeserved disgrace. She was assailed by a thousand doubts. What assurance had she that he did not think her the despicable criminal the police deemed her? Suppose he had formed that opinion of her? The very thought was torture! He had been so considerate, so chivalrous, and now Self-commiseration merged in pity for the man who / was thus generously bearing the burden of her fault. Her own troubles ceased to absorb her; her thoughts of him grew tender. Momentarily she forgot her prison walls. The oppressive silence was abruptly broken. The cell door was flung open by a constable, and behind him stood the subject of her thoughts. He strode in and seized her two hands in his. " You poor little girl ! " he exclaimed. Half dragging her into the comparative freedom of the corridor, where stood the miss-ing Kennedy, lie impetuously ..explainedl the latter's belated arrival. It was a story of a wrong turning, a chapter of accidents, but he was now here and! had bailed them out. Temporarily, they were at liberty. Tom tucked her arm under his, and' led the way out of the hateful building. She was too overjoyed' at her release to resent its appropriation, and accompanied him meekly. Outside in the street there was a hurried consultation. The motorman was expected, and they still had to answer his charge. Their dilemma still remained! unsolved. "What can we do?" lamented Iris. " ~\/t^ie>4- i*n +rt Ti« rt.9 "

Must we stop here? " The two men grew seriously reflective. "Why shouldn't we go and meet him?" asked Tom with inspiration after a pause. '" He must come along the Elsworth road "

"By Jove, yes ! ' exclaimed Kennedy. ' "We'll bail the beggar up and give him — bring him to reason, I mean." Iris exhibited nervousness at the idea of being brought face to face with" her accuser. " Must we ? " she asked plaintively. " Don't be afraid. I'll look after you," said Tom reassuringly, as he helped her

into the car. It was anodyne to two oi- the three to feel the fresh air in their faces once more as they dashed off ; the clash o£ gears was. like music to them. Tom drove with Iris beside him. They talked little, but she, with confidence restored, regarded him with a new interest. Kennedy, in. the back seat, might have been a thousand miles away. They were suddenly recalled to themselves by finding the road blocked. It had grown dusk, andt a little way ahead was a trap drawn across it, and in the trap a standing figure in a peaked cap. As Tom shut off power the man in the cart jumped to the ground. " Hi ! Stop ! "he called, and came towards them aggressively. It was the motorman, and Iris knew that he had recognised her. "Two more in it, eh?" he said cuttingly. "Might have guessed it was a regular gang ! Now, then ! " "So," returned ' Tom promptly, /'you're the dfereputable. scoundrel who leaves his employer's car to look after itself while you go- off and bemuse yourself with beer! ?> It- was a random shof, but it hit the mark. The motorman looked startled. " You absolutely reek of beer.! Tom went on, seizing his advantage. "What have you got to say for yourself?" The man's confidence completely left him ; he murmured something inaudibly. " And so, with the object of excusing your unjustifiable and disgraceful conduct, you have the impertinence to bring a vile charge against a lady w!h> " Tom paused as though unable to express feelings adequate to the occasion. "I want your name and address," he continued: loftily. "This matter is not going to end here." i To add' to the man's embarrassment, [ Kennedy got out and stood over him menacingly. " Can't you speak? " thundered Tom. His disconcerted victim began stammering. "I— l only did " "Ye gods ! " interrupted Tom. " And! this is the sort of man people trust with valuable property ! " He turnedi to Kennedy. "Which had we better do— give him in sharge, or communicate with his employer? " The threat .galvanised the man to speech. Whether it was the beer that he had flown to for consolation in his loss or a fear of those in authority over him for his delay, he pleaded abjectly for indulgence. From Iris there came a murmur of "Poor fellow!" and Tom, affecting to ba influenced by her compassion, seemed to relent. He read the man a short homily on his transgressionSi and! then, in curt tones, ordered Kennedy to convey him to High Cheston, and there

: see that he immediately withdrew hnJ obnoxious charge. The relief the man exhibited at this apparent lenity was comical. He scrambled' 1 into his cart, and with Kennedy mounting cuard over him, -whipped ap his horse mi ■ his hurry to be gone. There was an embarrassed Silence when Tom and Iri» found themselves- alone. BotK were conscious of a desire to prolong ■ the little while they had together. Ten* - > suddenly realised that it was quite pos- • sible to grow fond of a person under oeri tain circumstances in a "remarkably short > space of time. . " I suppose you'll never forgive me foy , landing you in this mess" he said a littfe , awkwardly. j "You haven't," she declared. "You r vft r got me out of it !" J "And got myself into one I" sfghedl Tom. There was interrogation, in her upturned face. " i -" I wouldn't have forgone it for worlds,'* . he went on. I Something in his tone warned hst I against showing curiosity at the state* ! ment. | "It was all my fault," she murmured* "I let you run away with me — at leasts ' I mean " She stopped in confusion. "I wouldn't have forgone that either,'* [ he put in quickly. | "You know I couldn't help it," she pro- | tested. , "Neither could I. It was Fate." ; "But the same thing might have nap* pened even if you hadn't turned up." [ "Not the same thing," he debated. "Fni glad it wasn't somebody else," he added, with a thankful note in his voice. I "So am I," she said, softly. ; ' "Do you mean that?" he asked eagerly. He searched her face, but it was too~ dark for him to see what he wanted to read there. rhey had been moving all this time, and. now they sighted lights a little* 1 way ahead. "Why, we're home!" cried Iris, "How quickly we've come." "We're not there yet," he said desperately, throttling down, i Iris laughed a little nervously. **• Am, I still a prisoner?" , j " Yes. For stealing — a heart \" I "Is that a crime?" she asked mischievously. "It depends. Do you plead, guilty?" i "No," she gurgled. "Extenuating circumstances !" ] "Then you do admit the charge?" "I don't admit anything. Besides/* she whispered, "exchange is no 'robbery 1" Then she went on hastily : "It must be almost ddnner time! They'll wonder' what can have become of me.- 1 really think you had better come in — to- explain , to my aunt about — the motor-car.'* "And other things," supplemented Tom. as he took her hand in his.-nM-A.P.