Page:Top-Notch Magazine, May 1 1915 (IA tn 1915 05 01).pdf/110

 test you in the primaries, I think it is up to you to give me the chance."

First Nathan Wiggin looked astonished, and then slowly his face turned red.

"Was that whut brought you inter these parts?" he asked.

"That was the principal business. Glover was so hard to handle that I was delayed until it was only possible for me to get back by train in time for an important meeting to-night."

Judge Wiggin's embarrassment was painful. "Governor," he said, "circumstances alter cases. I'm ruther sorry circumstances interfered with that important app'intment of yours. But whinin' never stopped a blister from smarting, and it's too late to dodge after you've been jabbed by the business end of a hornet. Although I've said I'd never set foot in one of them gas-wagon contraptions, considering who's invited me, if you'll agree to proceed circumspect and decorous within the town limits, and promise to land me back here safe and sound, I'm going to take you up."

"Done," accepted Governor Bradley. "Come along, judge."

Back to Turner's grocery, where the bigger part of the curious crowds still hovered around the touring car, they went, the governor walking arm in arm with Nathan Wiggin, greatly to the wonderment of the staring throng.

"I want you to sit on the forward seat so that you can watch the driver operate the car, judge," said the governor, opening one of the forward doors. "Get in!"

The incredulous and bewildered spectators gasped when the judge complied without a murmur to this invitation. Lem Dodd had said that Bessie Wiggin had gone crazy, and now it seemed that Bessie's father was ready for a padded cell.

"Wull, what d'ye think o' that?" mumbled old Abner Nutter, poking his thumb into the ribs of Joshua Philbrook. "The jedge—goin' bubble ridin' arter he's swore a hundred times that there wasn't money enough in the United States treasury to hire him to set in one o' them ber jiggered things. I've heerd him say it with my own two ears."

"They've hippynotized him," was Philbrook's opinion. "Nothin' else explains it. He ain't in his right mind."

"Perhaps you'd better let Hitchens drive, George," said the governor, addressing the injured young man. "I declare, you're pale! Sure you're not badly hurt?"

"Somehow walking makes me dizzy," was the answer. "Still, I'm feeling better. I think I'll step into this store and get a drink of water."

Having become suddenly anxious, the chief executive followed him into the store. Hitchens, fretful and none too well pleased with the governor for wasting so much time on Wiggin, left the latter sitting in the car and mounted the store steps.

Aware that the accusing eyes of his fellow townsmen were upon him, Nathan Wiggin gave his attention to the mechanism of the car as displayed before him. He examined the levers and pedals, squinted at the clock and the speedometer and the gasoline gauge. He wondered at the numerous contrivances of push buttons and small levers on the dash. He even bent forward and curiously moved one of the latter from one side to the other. About that time a bold urchin who had climbed on the running board released the emergency brake.

It was a cry of warning from somebody in the crowd that made Judge Wiggin aware that the car was moving. It had been standing on a gentle incline, with its nose pointing down the long main street, and had started as soon as the brake was set free.