g %
fsERIAL^i
1 STORY J J
p????I r
. STANTON
n WINS n !
By !
Eleanor 1*1. Ingram |
Author of "The Game 1
ami the Candle." "The C
Flying Mercury." etc. g
. Illustrations by
?
Frederic Thornburgh
c
\
I
Cui? rlglil IjU. '1 oo Uubbtt Morrill Cuuipu.Q7
1 E
CHAPTER I.
I
The Man Who Dared.
The official starter let his raised
arm fall and leaned forward, peering J
across the blended glnre and darkness. c
"What?" he shouted, above the pul- *
eating roar of the eleven racing machines
lined up before the judges' .
stand. "What?"
There was a flurry around the central
car, whose driver leaned from his
seat to stare down at the man who
had slipped from beside him to the
ground. The great crowd congesting
the grand-stand pressed closer to the
barrier, staring also, commenting and
conjecturing.
"The mechanician of the Mercury Is
off his car!"
"Fainted?"
"Fell?"
"The automobiles hadn't started; he
mu6t be sick."
The referee was already pushing his
way back, bringing the report from
the hastily summoned Burgeon
"Heart disease," he announced right
and left. "Stanton's mechanician just
dropped off his seat, dead.
But Stanton himself had already
swung out of his car, with the energetic
decision that marked his every
movement.
"My man Is out," he tersely stated
to the starter. "I've got to run over
, to my camp and get another. Will
you hold the start for me?"
The question was rather a demand
thnn a request. There was scarcely
one ?mnnn thn ? *
...V -ont uuuit-lK.t; WI1U
would not have felt the spnrklo gone t
,'rom this strong black wine of sport
they had come to sip. If Ralph Stanton
had been withdrawn from the twentyfour-hour
contest. He had not only
j fame as a skilful and scientific racer;
ho had the reputation of being the
most spectacularly reckless driver in
America, whose death could be but a
question of time and whose record of
accidents and victories verged on the
appalling He kn*>w his value as an
attraction, and the starter knew It.
although preserving impassivity.
"Five minutes," the 'official conceded,
and drew out his watch.
Already a stream of men were running
toward the Mercury camp with
the news. Stanton sprang into his
machine, deftly sent it forward out of
the line, and shot around into the entrance
to the huge oval Held edged by
the Beach track; a mile of white ribbon
bordering a green medallion.
The row of electric-lighted tents,
each numbered and named for its own
racing car, was in a turmoil of excitement.
But moat agitated was the
group before the tent marked "9,
Mercury."
"Durand's down and out?give me
another man," called Stanton, halting
his noisy, (laming car. "Quick, you?" '
But no one stepped forward from
the cluster of factory men and mechanics.
Only the assistant manager |
or the Mercury company responded
to the demand:
"Yes, go; one of you boys. I'll make
It right with you. You, Jones."
"I'm married, sir," refused Jones
succinctly.
"Well, you then, Walters. Good
heavens, innn! what do you mean?"
For the burly Walters backed away,
actually pale.
"I'll dig potatoes, first, sir."
"Why, you u3ed to race?"
"Not with Stanton, sir."
There was a low murmur of approval
among his mates, and a drawing
together for support. Stanton stepped
down from his car, snatching off his
mask to show a dark, strong face
grim with anger and contempt.
"You wretched, backboneless cowards!"
he hurled at them, his blue- tr
black eyes flashing over the group. *
"Do you know what 1 r.nd the company
stand to lose if I'm disqualified tl
for lack of one of you Jellyfish to sit <-i
beside me and pump oil? Isn't there
a man in the camp? I'll give fifty dol- Pi
lars myself to the one wha goes, a ft
hundred if I win." r<
"I'll promise twice that," eagerly If
supplemented Green, the assistant w
manager. He hnri nrivma
w ? uv i a UU "
Stanton. tc
Not one of the clustered workmen
moved. ei
"Damn you!" pronounced the driver,
bitterly and comprehensively. "I'll repeat
that offer to the man who will ol
go for the first three hours only, and
meanwhile we'll send to New York le
and find a red-blood< d male." ir
The men looked at one another, but'
shook their heads. w
"No? You won't? You work your
miserable bodies three months to earn al
what I offer for three hours. What's hi
the matter with you. don't I risk my ui
neck?" He turned, sending his pow- at
erful voice ringing down the line. Ji
"Here, hunt the paddock, all of you? si
/
wo hundred dollars for a man to ride
he next three hours with me!"
"You can't take a man from another
amp, Stanton," protested the frantic
rtfV ^en. "He might trick you, hurt
lm- *;Br."
His appeal went down the wind unteeded,
except for one glance from the
acerls gleaming eyes.
"He won't trick me," said Stanton.
The crowded stands were a bulk of
iwaying, seething Impatience. The
>uddoek was in an uproar, the Mer:ury
camp the center of Interest. Hut
to volunteers answered the cnll. The
rnntlng machine, its hood wrapped In
ets of violet llame, headlights and
ail-lights shedding vivid illumination
iround the figure of its Unfiled master,
julvered with impotent life and
itrength. ltaging. Stanton Btood,
vatch in hand, his fuce a set study in
tcorn.
Suddenly the harsh rasp of the ofil.U1
1-1
,v. muAuu Huureti anove the hubbub,
vnrning, summoning.
"Four minutes," panted the despalrng
assistant manager. "Stanton?" !
Some one was running toward them,
tome one for whom a lane was opened
>y the spectators from other camps
vho had congregnted.
"Get aboard," culled ahead a fresh
roung voice. "Get aboard; I'll go."
"Thank Heaven for a man!" snarled
Itanton, as the runner dashed up.
'Why, it's a boy!"
"Floyd," Mr. Green hailed hystericaly.
"You'll go?'
"I'll go," assured Floyd, and faced
he driver; a slim, youthful tlgure In
t mechanic's blue overalls, his sleeves
oiled to the elbows and leaving bare
lis slender arms; his head, covered
ike a girl's with soft closely cropped
:urllng brown hair, tilted back as his
iteady gray eyes looked up at Stanon.
"You? You couldn't crank a tnxl:ab,"
flung the racer, brutal with disippointment
and wrath. "You'd go?
V boy?"
"lm as old as the driver of the
singer car, and scant live years young;r
than you?I'm twenty-one," flashed
he retort. "And I know all there is
lhout gasoline cars. I guess flkiu're
jig enough to crank your own motor
iren't you, if 1 can't? You've got
liirty seconds left; do you want me?"
Met on Ills own tone, Stanton
rasped, then caught his mask from
he mnn who held It.
"Why don't you get on your
clothes?" he demanded savagely.
'Are you going to race like that?
lump, you useless cowards there?
an't you pass him Ills things? Teleilione
the stand that I'm coming, some
me."
There was a wild scurry of preparaion,
the telephone bell Jingled madly.
"Jes Floyd is one of our new factory
\
X
'11 w
\
T"" Stanton Stood, Watch In Hand,
ten," hurried Mr. (Jreeu, in breathless
xplanation, an Stanton took his seat.
He's a gas-engine wonder?he knows
tern like a clock?he tuned up this
\r you've not, this morning?"
The klaxon brayed again. A trim aparition
In racing cosiutne darted
oni the tent to swing into the nar>w
seat beside the driver, and Stan>n's
car leaped for the paddock exit
ith a roar answered by the deafentg
roar of welcome from the specta
>rs.
"Seven minutes." snapped the startr
a a M ? ? l -?
, .... ,nc ...iivui j ? ih-cwu in i?ne.
Stanton shrugged his shoulders with i
ipreme indifference, perfectly aware !
r his security, since the start ha.1
at been made. But his mechanician
aned forward with a little gnrgle of
resistible, sunshot laughter.
"Don't worry," he besought. "Really,
e'll get In seven minutes ahead."
His mocking young voice carried
bove the terrific din of the eleven
uge machines, atid Stanton turred
pon him, am a red and irritated at ihe
udacity. The starter also Btared,
ist as a flashlight flared up and
lowed fully tne young gray eyea j
111 3 ill!
I
r v
*
' dancing behind the goggles, the red
young mouth smiling (below the mask
the shining young cjurls which the
cap failed to cover. He stared, thee
slowly relaxed into a smile, and went
forward.
"The talking done'while I'm up. Is
done by me," stated Stanton forcibly.
"Remember."
"Don't you ever need a rest?"
queried Floyd.
Stanton opened his lips, and closed
them again without speaking. His
trained glance wen^ to sweep his opponents.
gaging their relative positions,
their probably order on the Urst
turn, and his own best move. The
successive flashlights on either side
were blinding, tli?e atmosphere was
I cu?u<.uuiiis ?iin uie cxniiuBi gasolene
t and acetylene funhes. It was as familiar
to him as the odor of sawdust
to the circue dweller, as the strong
salt wind to a hnibitant of the coast;
the unusual elenjent lay in the boy
beside him. Mati, he refused to
acknowledge himj.
The sharp crack of a pistol, the fall
of a flag, and the whole struggling,
flaming flock sprang forward toward
the first turn, Wheel to wheel in
death-edged contiest. And Stanton for
got his mechanician.
The Mercury Jed the first circuit, as
usual. It was very fast, and its pilot
took the clmnceB more prudent drivers
avoided. Still, the lead was less than
the car's own length, two of its closest
rivals hanging at its flanks, when they
pnssed the tumultuous grand-stand
Just ahead lay again the "death
curve." There was a swift movement
beside Stanton, the isendcnt linen
streamers floating from his cap were
deftly seized and the dust swept from
his goggles with a practiced rapidity.
"Car on each side an' one trying tc
pass," the clear voice pierced the
hearing. "No room next the fence."
Stanton grunted. The boy knew
how to rise in a speeding machine,
then, and how to take care of his
driver, he hoted. Nevertheless, he
meant to take that fence side.
And he did. As the other drivers
shut off power to take the dangerous
bend more slowly, Stanton shot for
ward ut unchanged speed, cut in aheud
and swept first around the turn, tak
ing the inside curve. The spectators
rose with a universal cry of consterna
tion; the (Mercury swerved, almost
facing the j infield fence, skidding appallingly
ilnd lurching drunkenly or
two wheels, then righted itself undei
the steering-wheel in the muster'f
hands, anfi rushed on, leading by a
hundred f<>et.
The people cheered frantically, the
band crashed into raurnns nmotn
Stanton's) mechanician got up to lent:
over the I hack of the flying cur and
feel the rear casings.
4
Hla Face a Set 6tudy In Scorn.
"You're tryln' to tires," he Imparted ,
his accents close to the driver's ear. ;
That was the IIrat time that Stnnlor !
noticed that Floyd llsj>ed and blurrec
his final "g" in mom* nts of excite
ment. It might have sounded effcin!
nate, if the voice had not been with
out a tremor. As it was
At the end of the first hour, tlx
bulletin boards shtmoii <?> \t.
* "I J
five lapH ahead of Its nearest rival
And then Floyd spoke again to hii
d river.
"What?" Stanton questioned, abov?
the noise of the motor.
"We've got to run in; I'm afraid 0'
the rear inside shoe. It won't stanC
another skid like the last."
Stanton's mouth shut In a hare
line.
"I will not," he stated. "Oet bad
in your place. You can't tell."
"I can."
Stanton deigned no reply, sliding
past one of tho slower cars on th<
back stretch. To go In meant to los<
the whole time gained. As th*y tool
the back turn, Floyd again lear.oi
over.
<TO bK CONTINUED.)
J
I
I '
< INTERNATION/
^Kj||jj3Bi^^BMwETOHBB 1
Photograph of the International Jo!
1 of three Americans and three Canadlai
ner. Sitting, left to right: F. S. Streete
TOURlsfsrs
1
More Than 20,000 Americans :
i
Are "Doing" Panama. i
<
Interesting and Curious Throng Spend ,
Their Time RMing Over tho I
Isthmus In Slghtseo- i <
ing Cars. I '
' I
Colon Pn nnnrn T"H., * '
, - ....a.... A uu I uau U1 1UUP
lBts to the isthmus is in full blnst. *
No doubt, tlio record will go higher '
than last year, or any year, but there
are no signs that It will total the tig- ^
ures given in the forecasts of the 1
steamship managers working their
special brand of enthusiasm. Panama
was to see 40,000 Americans "doing
the canal;" the tourists probably i
will exceed 20.000, but that number j1
puts a strain on the accommodations
I there. |
And who are the tourists? NaturJ]
ally they are mostly well-to-do clti7.ens
out for a holiday "taking in"
the cannl. They are not the fashionable
people in Its New York sense of
; the word. The lnttor havo barely, !t
would seem, heard of it. They can J1
only move in little certified ilocks
The great bulk, however, is made
j up of successful business men and L
' their wives and families, for whom
nothing Is too good. IV
A surprising number, too, are farmers
who have been fattening on prosperous
seasons In fat lands.
On our steamer we had men and ;
women from Illinois?Peoria, If you K
^ I',
Sightseeing Car In Panama.
8<
please?Michigan, Indiana, Ohio. 1 el
Iowa. Rhode Inland. Massachusetts, c<
Now York, New Jersey, (Colorado, tl
Virginia. Pennsylvania. One Rhode it
Islander was In his ninety-first year.
Everybody has made preparation | ei
for tropical temperature crash, nl- s'
pacr. ?nd Immaculate linen suits H
among the men and every wonderful l?
and expensive dress and waist con- ra
celvable In lace and linen and light ei
fabrics, with reserves of silks and
satins and Jewels for gala rights. cc
All of which may be preface to a el
few words on the marvel of the worn- d<
an tourists. Probably their greatest tb
labor Is writing postal cards. if
When not writing postal cards they dl
are fnklnc cnnnahntu I ...... u;
__ _ 0 .|/U..vrvu. IVTl (llljr Ull?1 ??
fay "Look at that," and a hundred of hi
tho pestilential machines are pointed sa
In the direction indicated. After the hi
shot the invariable question Is, "What
was It?" pr
The girls of all ages are, however, as
pleasantly fluttery and positive about nc
this modern Industry. on
"I don't bother a bit what it is," "t
said one. "I Just snap It. Stand a be
moment, please," and another art sin on
is added to her beadroll. Of course he
their paradise is tho sightseeing at
train. And what Is a sightseeing 'u
train?
You must know the passage from eh
Colon to Panama across the Isthmus he
brings you within measurable view wl
of the whole canal-?Just enough to on
Irritate you. Hence excursions three w<
In number are provided to widen and Mi
deepen your knowledge. These ao
trains start on alternate days from P?
Colon and Panama. The first takes Pu
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QY^ir
Bnt Boundary Commission, which was <
Bis. Standing, left to right: H. A. Pow
Br, James A. Tawney and T. C. Casgral
Bon to tho rmnt tH"1? l?^u-nnn ^
hind the other?at Oatun on the Atlantic
aide and to the great Gatun
Jam and spillway; the second takes
you to the Pedro Miguel single lock
ind the Mirafiores double locks at
the Pacific end; tho third takes you
iown through the nino miles of
r*ulehra cut. The train consists of
hree show cars with the cross seats
anged in rising tiers. On the low- ;
st level stands a guide, who talks
;ently through a megaphone, retailing
ho wonders which tho audience Is
vltnesslng?three cars, three megajhones,
three lectures.
Tho trains by using the working
racks are enabled to go close to the
ocks. and so forth. The train stops;
he lecturer quits, having invited tho
ludlence to alight and to take a close
ook, and everybody is on foot, scram>llng
to the front more or less decoriusly.
for they are n polite and good i
inturod folks. Thus you pass over j
llzzy heights in safety; you gaze
lown or look up; you snap everylilng
with your camern and, exclaimng
everything from "My!" to "How
icrfoctly wonderful" you pass on to
he next wonder.
)EAF MUTE SITS ON JURY
flystery of a Philadelphia Court Unexplained,
But New Trial la Grant- '
ed When Discovery Is Mads. *
Philadelphia. Pa.?A new trial was I
ranted in common pleas court after 1
; had been discovered that a deaf '
nute had sat as a member of the Jury
urlng the hearing of an ejectment ]
ult. How the man became a member t
f the Jury and why he sat through i
lie trial, unable to hear or speak, is 1
mystery which none of the court at- i
iches could explain. t
:hurch with s
Yflethodist
Conference Is Unable to
Solve the Problem of Extending I
Usefulness of Institution. t
New Haven.?One of the smallest f
(lurches in this country is the Parker t
Conn.) A. M. E. Zion church of Meri- j
i'iit its membership numbering but
iven regular members with an aver- c
le attendance at church of about 8
fteen persons.
The smallest of the congregation ^
as always been a puzzle to those Invested
In the church. It has been .
rganzlcd sincce 1890. but never '
'ems to grow any larger despite the
Torts of revivalists and well known ?
>lored organizers who have visited
in church for the purpose of building
up.
During Its twenty-two years of existice
many preachers have been as- B
gned to the pastorate, but owing to
le smallness of the congregation of
te years it ha3 been Impossible to ^
due enough money to pay the preach'
for his services. n
At the lust mftCtlliB nf tlwi MullmHInt
" t
inference the question of the Parker
lurch was discussed at length by the t]
dogates. Scheme after scheme for e
e building up of the Impoverished f
easury, and the congregation, were
scussed, but none seemed feasible. a
'. ('. Andrews, a lay preacher hold- e
g a pastorate in Providence on a n
lary, then cama forward and offered i
s services as a preacher.
leaving his family behind, the ;
eneher went to Meriden, where he ! ^
sumed cuarge. inasmuch as ho had
> income, it become compulsory upi
him to provide a roof for himself.
curing Borne old boards and timrs,
the preacher built a small room 0
i the rear of the church. For weeks e
labored from morning to night until J
last ho had for himself a cozy ^
ime at no expense to the church. k
Determined still further that the n
urch would not have to support him, c|
cast around for a suitable position tj
hereby he could earn enough to live C)
i. Mr Andrews was not afraid of n
>rk. and prominent business men of
priden who had heard of his efforts 81
d his sacrifice secured for hjm a n,
sition with the Meriden Qas com- j tl
ny as a porter. H
COMMISSION \
I?I
KlliiPl
*5 :|
' to*
jrganlzed last January and consists
ell, C. A. Magrath and Qeorgs Turn.
PEARY SEES U. S. TAKE ARCTIC
Rear Admiral Believes Government
May Try to Make Use of Polar
Lands.
New York.?Rear Admiral Robert E.
Peary predicted the United States government
would send an expedition to
the arctic to see If use could be made
Rear Admiral R. C. Peary.
Df the large tracte of unexplored terrl*
lory there. ?
The admiral added that he would
not head such an expedition, he said,
because he felt too olt*. now to make
more polar exoloratlons.
Raold Amundsen, who expects to ex?
?lore the arctic In the Fram, would
:ake "a big chance" he allowed his
ihlp to be frozen In the Ice and drift.
Vlr. Peary believed. The ship might
'emain frozen In four or five years
ind drift anywhere.
EVEN MEMBERS |
Here six days In, the week the
>reacher tolls as a porter. In the af
i.uunn uuu evenings ne gets out aad
vorkH among" his parishioners, perormlng
nil the duties of a minister,
mch as visiting the sick and offlclatng
at marriages and funerals..
Hent on performing service to his
:ongregation, Mr. Andrews, however,
ihuns all publicity ,and performs his
;ood deeds without making known his
vork. . v
'UTS HENS IN GYMNASIUM
it. Paul Poultry Man Increases Number
of Eggs With Artificial Garden
and Other Devices.
St. Paul.?Hens should have a gymasium,
proper training and hn occalonal
change of diet in order to <break
gg laying records, according tp Samel
12. Mahan. a local poultry dealer,
ir. Mahan recently established in collection
with his chicken coop a gymasium,
where daily each hen is given
wo hours of exercise. ,
He declares that as a result of this
raining the average production of ^
ach hen has increased in nlhe days
rom 55 to 85 per cent.
A feature of the gymnasium is an
rtiflcial garden bed, where the hens
xercise their muscles but find no
ourishment.
VOMEN NOW SMOKE CIGARS
iut In Reality They're Only LeafCovered
Cigarettes, and 8old on
the Continent.
Ixmdon.?Englishwomen are develping
the smoking habit more than
ver.
Of course they do not as a rule get
eyond cigarettes, but recently a petit
rand of cigars has been put on th?
larket. It Is something like the thin vjj
igarettes which one buys on the con- /
nent for a couple of centimes, ex- ^
r-pt that the flavor and strength are
ore akin to the Egyptian cigarette.
It is a leaf-covered cigarette, with l
ifflcient pungency to make the fall I
xiokers think they are doing some- 1
ling daring in lighting up what looks I
ke a cigar. -I