Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08
CHAPTER XII.
A Race for Life.
TO grief

The vicar declared that he met Evelyn
upon the road to Derby, going Ike vol
cano at thirty miles an hour" but this was
q mere figure of speech, for her little car,
being Of no more than ten horsepower
could not possibly accomplish such speeds;
nor would the winding roads about the
hall have permitted them to q larger motor.
A reckless driver, If recklessness were love
of the delight OF fast travel. Evelyn loved
horses too we'll to brighten them; and rarely
old a coachman complain or such wayfarers
as she met upon her journey do anything
but applaud her. Indeed, Derbyshire had
no more enchanting picture than that OF
this dark haired girl, superbly gowned. as
she sat at the wheel of her crimson car;
while Bates. the proud chauffeur, gazed
disdainfully, from the dicky behind, upon all
the world, as though to say, You can't
beat her" And this was the more noble on
Bates part because Evelyn had twice de-
posted him in the ditch since the car came
home. The horrid thing viii go round the
corners so fast had been her lament after
these mishaps. Bates added the pious pray
er that he might go round with the car on
the next occasion.
Sometimes of course, it would be Eta
Romney who drove and not my Lady Eve
Ign at all. These were mad, wild moods and
came mostly at twilight when the gloom of
cay CrGpL upon the nSlQS ana tlS sun went
down In crimson splendor. Then the wild.
mad dash down tempting hills would scare
the loiterers and send the jogging laborer
to the shelter of the hedges. Then cloud
OF dust enveloped the flying car, and the
figure at the wheel might have stood for
Melpomene with vine leaves In her hair.
"A rare 'un she be-" the countrymen would
say; went by me like a railway engine,
dang 'un. her did"
Evelyn had been into Derby on the day
the vicar narrated the misfortunes of his
straw hat. Having done little shopping,
she set out for the hall q few minutes after
the hour of u. by which time the day had
turned gloriously fine with light wind
from the east and bank of white clouds
high beneath the azure, which promised
welcome interludes of shades. She had q
journey OF twenty-three miles before her
(for Melbourne Hall lies far from the little
town OF that name and knows II not) and
leisure enough in which to do 1t. Business.
she knew not OF what nature, had carried
her father to London nearly week ago.
She would be alone until tomorrow, her own
tailer. she said with pout the mistress OF
hours by which she could profit so little.
Her mood, indeed, had become one OF cyni-
cal indifference. tempered by the reflection
that this was the first visit the earl mad
paid TO London since her escapade. What,
she asked If word of that story came to
| hts ears even now? The weeks of safety
inspired a sense OF security which circum-
stance hardly justified She paled and
| trembled when she asked herself what such
| n passionate man her father would do
| II the truth were discovered by him.
Here, truly, was no impulse to the de-
| lights OF speed or to that reeklessness
| which the vicar chided Evelyn drove slow
| ly, her thoughts vargrant and Maynard.
| her attitude that of one who has not pleas
| ure awaiting her at her journeys end. She
! had traversed over twenty miles OF the dis
| lance and was Just looking out for that
| well-known landmark, the spire of the viii
| lage church, when startled cry from the
II ata-
| ton and called u3on a self-possession which
| rarely failed her.
"A horse AID carriage-bolting behind us.
yorr ladysht,-put her on the fourth-my