fsERIAL
STORY J
The FLYING
MERCURY
By
Eleanor M. Ingram
Author of
"The Game and the Candle"
Illustration By"
RJY WJILTERS
iCtojiyrltfbt, mo, bj lktbb-Mtrrlll Oo.)
SYNOPSIS.
The story opena on Ijnng Island, near
New York cllf, where Miss Emily
Kfrenrh, u relative of Ethan Ffrench,
manufacturer of the celebrated "Mer
cury" automobile, luHes her way. The
cur has stopped and her cousin, JJlck
Kfrench, la too muddled with drink to
direct It aright. They meet another ear
which 1b run by a professional racer
named IchI range. The latter fixes up
the Ffrench car and directs Miss Ffrench
Imiw to proceed homeward. Ethan
Ffrench has disinherited his son, who
lias disappeared. He informs Emily
plainly that he would like to have her
marry Jl'-k, who Is a fc-ood-natured but
Irresponsible fellow. It appears that a
nartner of Kthan Ffrench wantlnir an ex
pert to race with the "Mercury" at auto
events, has engeed lestrange, and at
the Ffrench factory Krnily encounters the
young man. They refer pleasantly to
their meotine when Dick conies along and
recognizes the vounflr racer, luck Ilk
the way I.estranye Ignores their first
meeting when he appeared to a disad
vantage. Istranere tells Ktnlly that he
will try to educate her indifferent cousin
as an automobile expert, pipk unoer
takes his business schooling under the
tutelage of J.estrange.
CHAPTER V. (Continued).
, "Well?" Pick at last queried.
"Have Mr. ISalloy do nothing at all,"
was the deliberate reply. "There Is
an etiquette of subordination, I be
lievethis Is Mr. Ffrench's factory,
've done my part and we'll think no
more of the matter. I may be wrong
'Hut I am more than grateful to Miflg
Ffrench."
I "That's all you're going to do?"
"Yes. I wish you would not sit
there."
j "I'm tired; I won't fall In, and I
want to think. We've been a lot to
gether this spring, Lestrange; I don't
Mike this business about the steering
gear. Do you go down to the Beach
Itomorrow?"
"Tonight. Tomorrow I must put In
practicing on the track. I would hare
been down today if there had not
been so much to do here. Are you
coming with mo, or not until the even
ing of the start?"
Dick stirred uncomfortably.
"I don't want to come at all, thank
you. I saw you race once."
"You had butter get used to It,"
Lestrange quietly advised. "The day
muy come when there Is no one to
take your place. This fnctory will be
yours and you will have to look after
your own Interests. I wish you would
como down and represent the com
ipnny at this race."
I "I haven't the head for it."
"I do not agree with you."
Their eyes met In a long regard
Here, In the crowded room of work
ers, the consoles uproar shut In their
onversntlon with a walled complete
ness of privacy.
"I'm not sure whether you know It,
I.i8trnnge, but you've got me all
stirred up since I met you," the young
er man confessed plaintively. "You're
(different from other fellows and
lyou've made mo different. I'd rather
be around the factory than anywhere
jelse I know, now. But honestly I
like you too well to watch you race."
"I want you to come."
"I"
One of the men with a vessel of
white, heaving molten metal was try
ing to pass through the narrow aisle
Pick broke his sentence to rise In
hasty avoidance, and his foot slipped
In a puddle of oil on the floor.
I It was so brief In happening that
only the workmnn concerned saw the
accident. As nick fell backward, le
strange sprnng forward and caught
him. futrly snatching htm from the
greedy teeth. There was the rending
of fabric, a gasping sob from Dick,
and reeling from the recoil Lestrange
was sent staggering against a flying
wheel next in lino.
! The workman set down his burden
with a recklessness endangering fur
ther trouble, active too late.
I "Mr. Lestrange!" he cried.
But Lestrange had already recov
ered himself, his right arm crossed
with a scorched and bleeding bar
where It had touched the glittering
wheel, and the two young men were
standing opposite each other In safety
"You are not hurt?" was the first
question.
"I? I ought to be, but I'm not
Come to a surgeon, lestrange Oh,
you told mo not to sit there!"
Lestrange glanced down at the sur
face wound, then quickly back at the
two pallid faces.
"(Jo ou to jour work, Tetere," he
directed. "I'm all right." And as the
man slowly obeyed. "Now will you
take my advice and come to the race
with me, Kfrench?"
"Race! You'd race with that armt"
"Yes. Are you coming with me?"
Shaken and tremulous. Dick pasted
a damp hand across his forehead.
"I think you're mad to stand talking
here. Come to the ofllce. for heaven's
take. And, I'd be ground up there, If
you hadn't caught me," be looked to
ward the Jaws sullenly shredding and
reshreddlng a atrip of cloth from his
sleeve. "I'll do anything you want.
"Will you?" Lestrange flashed
quickly. He flung back bli head with
the resolute setting of expression the
other knew so well, his eyes brilliant
with a resolve that took no heed of
physical discomfort. "Then give me
your word that you'll stick to your
work here. That Is my fear; that the
change In you 1b just a mood you'll
tire of some day. I want you to stand
up to your work and not drop out dis
qualified."
"I will," said Dick, subdued and
earnest. "I couldn't help doing it
your arm "
Lestrange Impatiently dragged out
his handkerchief and wound It around
the cut.
"Go on."
"I can't help keeping on; I couldn't
go back now. You've got me awake.
No one else ever tried, and I was hav
lng a good time. It began with liking
you and thinking of all you did, and
feeling funny alongside of you." He
paused, struggling with Anglo-Saxon
shyness. "I'm awfully fond of you,
old fellow."
The other's gray eyes warmed and
cleared. Smiling, be held out his left
hand.
"It's mutual," he assured. "It Isn't
playing the game to trap you while
you tare upset like this. But I don't
believe you'll be sorry. Come find
some one to tie this up for me; I can't
have It stiff tomorrow."
But in spite of his professed haste,
Lestrange stopped at the head of the
stairs and went back to recover some
small object lying on the floor be
neath a pool of chilling metal. When
he rejoined Dick, it was to linger yet
a moment to look back across the
teeming room.
"It's worth having, all this," he
commented, with the first touch of
sadness the other ever had seen In
him. "Don't throw it away, Ffrench.
There Is usually a surgeon within
reach of a factory. When Mr. Ffrench
passed out to the cart where Emily
waited, he passed Dick and the vll
lage physician entering. The elder
gentleman put on his glasses to sur
vey his nephew's white face.
"An accident?" he Inquired.
The casual curiosity was sufficiently
exasperating, and Dick's nerves were
badly gone.
"Nothing worth mentioning," he
snapped. "Just that I nearly fell Into
"That Isn't Tight Enoufjh, Doo."
the machinery and Lestrange has
done up hie arm pulling me out.
That's all."
And he hurried the doctor on with
out further rarley or excuse.
Lestrange was In the room behind
the office, smoking one of Bailey's
cigars and listening to that gentle
man's vigorous remarks concerning
managers who couldn't keep out of
their own machinery, the patient not
having considered It worth while to
explain Dick's share In the mischance.
An omission which Dick himself
promptly remedied In his anxious con
trition. Later, when the arm was being
swathed In white linen, Its owner
spoke to his companion of the morn
ing: "I hope you didn't annoy Miss
Ffrench with this trifling matter, as
you came In."
"I didn't speak to her at all, only
to my uncle."
"Very good."
Something In the too-Indolent tone
roused Dick's usually dormant obser
vation. Startled, he scrutinized Le
strange. "Is that why you bothered yourself
with me?" he stammered. "Is that
why "
"Shut up!" warned lestrange forci
bly and Inelegantly. "That Isn't tight
enough, Doo. You know I'm experi
enced at thl sort of thing, and I'm
going to use this .arm."
But Dick was not to be silenced In
his new enlightenment. When the
surgeon momentarily turned away, he
leaned nearer, his plump face grim.
"If I brace up, it won't be for Emily,
but for you. Darling lestrange," he
whispered viciously. "She don't want
me and I don't want her, that way.
I've got over that. And, and oh, con
found It, I'm sotTy, old man!"
"Shut up!" said lestrange again.
But though Dick's very sympathy
unconsciously showed the hopeless
chasm between the racing driver and
Miss Ffrench, the hurt did not cloud
the cordial smile Lestrange sent to
mitigate his command.
CHAPTER VI.
Emily first heard the full story of
the accident that evening, when Dick
tat opposite her on the veranda and
gave the account In frank anxiety and
dejection.
"We're going down tonight on the
nine o'clock train," be added In con
clusion. "Tomorrow morning he'll
spend practicing on the track, and to
morrow evening at 6 the race atarte.
And Lestrange starts crippled be
cause I am a clumsy Idiot. He laugh;
at me, but he'd do that anyhow.
"Yes," agreed Emily. "He would do
that anyhow." Her eyes were wide
and terrified, the little bands she
clasped In her lap were quite cold. "I
wish, I wish he bad never come to
this place."
"Oh, you do?" Dick said oddly
"Maybe he will, too, before he gets
through with us. We're a nasty lot
we Ffrenches; a lot of blue-blooded
snobs without any red blood In us.
Are you going to say good by to me
I won't be home until it's over."
She looked, at him, across the odor
ous dusk slowly slivering as the moon
rose.
"You are going to be with him?"
Dick smoothed his leggings before
standing up, surveying bla strict mo
tor costume with a gloomy pride not
to be concealed.
res; m representing our com
pany. Lestrange might want some
backing if any disputes turned up
Lncle Ethan nearly had a fit when
Bailey told him what I was going to
do; he called me Richard for the first
time In my life. I guess I'll be some
good yet, if every one except Le
strange did think I was a chump.'
I am very sure you will," she an
swered gently. "Good-by, Dlckr you
look very nice.
When he reached the foot of the
steps, her voice recalled him, as ahe
stood leaning over the rail.
"Dick, you could not make him give
It up, not race this time?"
He stared up at her white figure
No, I could not. Don't you sup
pose I tried?"
"I suppose you did," the admitted,
and went back to her seat.
The June night was very quiet
Once a sleepy bird stirred In the
honeysuckle vlnet and chirped
through the dark. Far below the
throb of a motor passed down the
road, dying away again to leave bI
lence. Suddenly Emily Ffrench hid
her face on the arm of her chair and
the tears overflowed.
There was no contclousneat of time
while that Inarticulate passion of
dread apent Itself. But It wat nearly
half an hour later when she ttarted
up at the echo of a light ttep on the
gravel path, dashing her handkerchief
across her eyes.
It was Incredible, but It waa true
Lestrange himself was standing be
fore her at the foot of the low stairs
the moonlight glinting across hit un
covered bronze head and bright, clear
face. -
I beg pardon for trespass, Miss
Ffrench," he said, "but your cousin
tells me he has been saying a great
deal of nonsense to you about this
race, and that you were so very good
as to feel some concern regarding It
Really, I had to run up and set that
right; I couldn't leave you to be an
noyed by Mr. Ffrench'e nervet. Win
you forgive me?"
Like tun through a mist his blithe
voice cleaved through her distress.
Before the tranquil sanity of hit re
gard, her painted terrors suddenly
showed as the artificial canvas tcenet
of a stage, unreal, untrue.
It was like you to come," the an
swered, with a shaking sigh that wat
half sob. "I was frightened, yet.'
"There Is no cause. A dozen other
men take the same chance at Rupert
and I; the driver who alternatei with
me, for instance. This Is our life."
"Your arm "
"Is well enough." He laughed a lit
tle. "You will see many a bandaged
arm before the twenty-four hours are
up; few of us finish without a scratch
or strain or blister. This is a man's
game, but It's not half so destructive
as foot-ball. You wished me good
luck for the Georgia race; will you
repeat the honor before I go back to
Ffrench?"
"I wish you," she said unsteadily,
every kind of success, now and al-
waye. lou saved Dick today of all
else you have done for him and for
me I have not words to speak. But
It made It harder to bear the thought
of your hurt and risk from the hurt,
when I knew that I had sent Dick
there, who caused It."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Some London Statistics.
In a volume of more than 600 pages
the London County Council presents
tatlstlcs of much interest. The met
ropolitan district, made up of the cit
ies, towns and boroughs which com
prise the real London, had a popula
tion of 7,252,963 in 1910, occupying an
area of a little more than 692 square
miles. Only 14.8 per cent, of the to-
al number of Inhabitants, or 670.110
persons, were entitled to vote In par
liamentary elections, and of these 74 6
per cent, went to the polls In the
election of December, 1910, a falling
oft from the S4.3 per cent, which vot
ed In January of that year. In 1809
there were 116,559 births, a decline
since 1SS1 from 34 8 to 24 2 a thousand
of population. The death rate fell
from 19.8 in 1900 to 14.7 a thousand.
Phthisis and pneumonia were respon
sible for more than 13.000 deaths.
More Curlout Than Comfortable.
The Mashukulumbul natives of
northwestern-Rhodesia have a most
wonderful headdress, which Is made
up of cuttings of hair from other boys'
headt mixed with mud and grease.
Sometimes these topknots are studded
with all sorts of curiosities, such as
beads, bits of broken crockery, brass
paper-fasteners (the latter generally
stolen by the native messengers from
the native commissioner's office,
feathers, and so forth. The result
forms one of the moat curious coif
furea In the world.
FOURTH POULTRY SHOW IS BIG SUCCESS
A Fine Exhibit of Feathered Beauties Competition Is
Sharper Than Ever Rock Cockerels More Numerous
Than Ever Some New Species Shown for First Time
,ff it: . i . v qL- rn
l FEW OF THE ARISTOCRATS WHO OPENED THE EYES OF VISITORS AT THE ANNUAL
POULTRY AND PET STOCK SHOW IN PORTLAND.
No. 1 First Prize Sinjrle Comb Brown Itrhorn Cockerel. Warren (iruv. Owner. Jefferson Or. Vn 9Whtiauvon.n t p ttam;Hnn nu.net
Metzirer, Or. No. 3 Two LUrht Brahma Capons. Edward Shearer. Owner, Kstacada. Or. No. 4
Hillsdale, Or. No. 6 Golden Seabnicht Bantams. Sorenson Broa., Owners, Gresham. Or. No. 6 Silver
POULTRY SHOW
DRAWS CROWD
Fourth Annual Exhibit Most
Successful of Any
Poultry, Guinea Pigs, Pigeons, Bel
gian Hares, Etc., Make Most
Interesting Variety.
Class! That is the word. The
Fourth Annual Poultry show of the
Oregon Poultry and Pet Stock associa
tion, held in Portland, December 9-14,
was the best yet. It was the most in
teresting and most successful ever held
n the state.
The entries were very large. About
1500 birds were shown, and nearly 250
individual exhibitors had birds for
scoring and prizes. Beisdes chickens,
which were shown in 33 classes, there
were some fancy stock, Guinea pigs,
pigeons, Belgian hares, etc. The ap
pliances exhibits were also exceptional
ly good and a study of them was well
worth while to poultrymen and those
interested in the business. Modern
coops, up to date feeding apparatus
and all sorts of foods and remedies
Rain and Snow Aid Wheat.
Davenport, Wash. November, as
observed by the station at Davenport,
had a mean temperature of 36.9 de-
grees. which is live and a half degrees
armer than the mean for the same -
month in 1911. Rain or light snow-!
fall on 13 days of the month netted
.42 inches of water, every particle of
fhich went into the ground and aided
greatly in bolstering the winter wheat
J already sprouted. In November of
1911 the rainfall was 1.8 inches,
j brought on by
I that month.
the heavy snows of
j
were shown.
The Plymouth Rocks were most nu
merous of any single class. In the
Rock section there was a really remark
able collection of cockerels the larg
est and best ever gathered in the
west, and the birds were particularly
fine. Entries were made from every
part of Oregon and Washington was
well represented. Birds from Idaho
were also present, and California,
too, had representatives. Following
the Rocks, the Wyandottes were per
haps next in number. Then came
the Leghorns, and then the Rhode
Island Reds and Orpingtons. The
showing of games was not as heavy as
in some past years, but the represen
tatives of both pit games and the big
Cornish birds was fair. There was not
a large representation of Minorcas
either, but excellent birds, both black
and white were on exhibition. Among
the Mediterranean group the Anconas
and Andaluians were noted. A good
showing of Hamburgs, too, was noted.
For the first time in a Portland show
the Sicillian Buttercups have been
entered. This is a new breed. The
combs are cupped, and supiwsed to re
semble the flower for which the birds
are named. These birds are Mediter
raneans, and appear to be larger than
most of this group. They are of gold
en plumage with a peculiar dark mot
tling,. Their owners claim a heavier
bird, a better meat and quicker growth
than any other fowl in the group, and
a very large egg production. They
are attracting no little attention
among the lovers of new breeds, and
Bandon Women Plan Club.
Bandon, Or. At a well-attended
meeting of the women of Bandon it
was decided to form a woman's aux-
iliary to the Bandon Commercial club.
Mrs. L. P. Sorenson read to the meet-
ing an article from the Oremnian nn
commercal clubs for women, which
reading did much to enthuse those,
present. A box factory is beinir built
near here by George Geisendorfer. The
bulk of the boxes will be spruce. All
modern machinery is beinir installed
and the factory will be one of the most
up-to-date on the Coast. j
Sicilian Buttercup Cock, A. N. WetterborK Owner.
- Laced Wyandotte. Isaac Staples. Owner. Portland.
they are handsome in bearing and
plumage.
H. H. Collier, of Tacoma, has the
scoring of the American breeds, in
cluding the Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode
Island Reds, etc.
Judge Miller Purvis, of Windle,
Idaho, scores the Mediterranean birds.
Many fine birds were entered in the
show a year ago, and it is a matter of
doubt if this year shows any finer
birds from an individulal standpoint;
but, on the other hand, the entries were
larger this season, and the grade of
birds on the whole higher; there were
fewer birds of inferior appearance,
and competition was very keen and
close.
Attendance was very good, and a
notable influx of school children is one
of the most encouraging signs the
management has observed. The edu
cational value of poultry exhibitions
was considerable from an intensely
practical standpoint.
The accommodations were excellent,
and the room at East First and Morri
son streets was large and well venti
lated. Twenty-five silver cups, as well as
the Page trophy and many articles of
beauty and value, were given as
special premiums and sweepstkes.
Following is a partial list list of
j prizes awarded :
The Corn Products company of New
York is accused by dealers of making
written contracts for rebates in viola
tion of the Sherman anti-trust law.
Oregon Exhibit Admired.
Portland "People here are showing
active interest and are eager to learn
about Oregon and its opportunities.
! is the messaee comine to the Portland
Commercial club from O. E. Frevtae.
! in chare- nf fti Portland hihit at
the Minneapolis and Chiraov, Land
shows this year. "Much interest is
shown bv the lare-e crowds that at-
tend the daily lectures and picture
shows. Personal talks with people in
the mva-rU havo Wlnnl the fact
that in almost every case the minds of
inquirers are turned toward the farm.