The Motor Girls

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rth girl was Mary Downs, a little millinery model and helper, to whom Cora had promised a ride in the new car. It was Mary's initial spin, and, as Cora cr

Mary?" asked Cora wi

l with a happy little laug

want to tie my hat on more securely. I

," remarked Mary. "They are very pretty,

all conversation. Then, as Cora climbed in and adjusted the throttle and sh

boys to meet u

ific grinding of the cogs that betrays the inexperienced hand. The Whirlwind leaped forward, and the girls clu

more you thought it was but a pretty little catch in her voice-in the accent-after the manner

akes any mistakes apparent to Belle," she added with an arc

nd," murm

nt pleasure. She was not accustomed

ed Cora as the Get There swerv

car, with Walter beside him, swung

at Cora as she slowed up the big car, and

h the expression that makes that sort of

!" exclaimed Belle. "Seems to me

lly and not mechanically speaking

reak glided s

arade," re

ggested Cora, her dark eye

ined. As for Ida-well, Ida was credited with "running after Walter," and t

ce!" chimed in Bess. "

d Jack. "That is,

, before the occupants of the yellow

assented. "I would

girls," suggested Walter. "They

d isn't tuned up yet, as the two runabou

" said Sid quickly, but, someh

that the girls should not be penalized by giving the drivers of the two runabouts a start. For, in spite of their small size a

ra. "We'll let you ha

test the Whirlwi

ed disdainfully away, as if the landscape held more

ard girl?" asked

was the whi

tor car," went on the little milliner, with that

Bess kindly. "I guess you imagine she meant something lik

Mary, "for, when folks do a thing through thoughtless

ner's model was on an equal footing with

ady for the race. We'll not ins

y to the middle of the r

lter in as even a tone as he could command. "It wil

ack. "A runabout can go

a ought to beat, and yet with t

of girls," almost snee

re

spoke Jack. "That wil

a girl to drive

ather ruefully a

he drawled. "S

"She knows considerable about a

aving Bess as a rival

a

on Cora's brother, as

red the Get There.

en up his seat to Jack, who moved to make room for

er. "Three such pretty girls in it all alone are an unequal

have matters so arranged that Walter would be with her. Cora saw the

re going to do the mascoti

ss rather difficult of accomplishment in a small seat. "Do anything you li

ary, the little model

a peach, in her cheeks. The two other girls were not slow to observe his inter

?" called

r seat at the wheel, which Sid had relinquished to her. The lever was

hen Walter called fro

ready

me," murmured

h pedals were released, and the three cars moved forward. There was a grinding of gears, as Ida threw in a higher speed. Her h

e now fairly flying along it. Bess clung desperately

work so hard at it. An auto is like a ho

aid to open her mouth lest she s

wagon!" Walter sudd

vement. Ida was nearer to it than the others, and as she passed it she swung safely to one side, g

ht she had her machine going at full speed, but either it had not "warmed up" yet, or she

eemed to awaken from a nap. He appeared to remember something he had forgotten and pulled his horses to one s

med. Mary. "We

Cora, though he

topped him by a shake of her head, and then braced herself for wh

p! Don't t

ack on their haunches, and the wagon came to a stop. There w

in thankfulness. "

t not as bad as the other one was. You

road, from the shelving gutter ba

e take the wheel?" as

strange so

w, of course, that you could run it more safely than I could, but somehow

ted Walter. "But I thought I might help you. Lo

"But I wonder why I don't go faster. Oh, no wonder. I'm on second speed.

forward. It was going at a greatly increa

we leave you

ed Jack. "I thought some

. "Forgot I had it." Her vo

more gasolene and advanced the

t a bridge, which was

fair driver beside him. She was m

ight," dec

'll win," ex

d it coming and looked around. Then he caught the

Walter. "That'

. "I'm not afraid to let

chine. He was angry, an

to Cora. "The race is

't!" ret

Jack. "He's steering right in front of

st to them for Sid's violation of the rules, Ida tried

e exclaimed. "I wa

angrily. "I'm go

ratic motion imparted to it, due to the struggle betwee

" spoke Ida in a tense whisper, and

. But the change was not skillfully enough made, and the next moment the

as far to the right as it would go. There was a grinding sound as she threw on the emergency brake, and the pow

'll collide with us! Do

, did the only thing possible. Instead of putting on brakes and trying to stop, she pressed the accelerator pedal, and the little car shot forward at a momentarily increased speed. Between them Ida and Sid managed to st

indered machine banged into the Streak, for, in spite of all Cora

able, Cora had quickly shifted the wheel, and but a glancing blow had been struck. A mud guard was torn

n a strange voice, "we

rply, "and no thanks

gan Sid, the color f

suddenly exclaimed Walt

ified to this. A piece of the broken fence rail had jammed into the

ved Sid ruefully. "We'll h

d Walter, for the girl had leaped out

e reached up to the steering wheel, tou