The Press., 1907-01-16
The Regeneration Of
Chiffon Forester
By Constance D'Arcy Mackay
Copyright, 1905. by E. G. PARCELS

Olivia Forester descended from hel
auto and looked about her helplessly
As far as she could see the road
stretched away dusty and desolate. II
was the haying season. Farmers were
busy with their crops and passersby
were few. Ollvia's car stood half In
and half out of the wayside ditch, and
it was beyond her power to move it.
There was nothing to be done but walt
II deliverance in any guise approached
she could readily signal it, for she
stood on the crest of a hill.
Below her the countryside lay like a
green map. The clear air Knocked dis
lance and brought things wonderfully
near-the cluster Of houses that formed
Oakdale village, beyond these the gray
gables of her own home and still far
Their away the shining roof of VIII
loughby manor.
1t was at the latter that she looked
with the most interest, for the For
ester Willoughby feud, beginning about
a land line, had continued for two gen.
erations. The elder Willoughby had
died, but Broughton Willoughby had
returned from college and the manor
was reopened.
The villagers, who took a lively In
terest in the two families, declared him
to be a fine, sensible young man, nor
was Olivia a whit less popular. Peo-
pie liked to wait for her smile and
nod as she galloped past. Recently
her motor had taken the place of her
horse, a course of which her father
heartily disapproved, for he hated mod
ern innovations.
His role of hostile neighbor was only
one of many idlosyncrasies. Trains
filed him with a horror unspeakable.
1t was his boast that he had never rid
den In a sleeper. He loathed the bus
tie Of city life and chung tenaciously
to his New England homestead, whose
inaccessibility rendered it doubly dear
to him. Olivia often leased him by
saying she was sure he would like to
keep her at home beside a spinning
wheel.
Anything" he cried, would be bet
ter than what you have chosen! With
such a hideous, snorting thing as that
how can you expect to come to any
thing but grief? And, though Murray,
the groom, is an excellent-what do
you call it?-chauffeur, you insist in
going about the country alone. You
are a modern, Olivia, and wash my
hands Of your .-s.
Yet now, as Olivia was experiencing
her first breakdown, she recalled her
fathers words with a twinge Of ap-
prehension, and 1t was a relief to hear
another machine approaching, relief
which turned to CONSERVATION when
she saw It's occupant. Young Will
loughby coolly ignored the embarrass-
ment Of the situation.
'I beg your pardon" he said pleas
antly, "but can / be OF some assist
anceT
Thank you," answered Olivia con-
fusedly. 1T won't move either way,
and 1 can't find out what's the matter
with It." Nor could Willoughby when,
after twenty minutes work, he man.
aged to get it from the ditch.
There doesn't seem to be any help
In sight," he observed cheerfully after
looking up and down the road. "Will
you let me take your motor in towY'
Olivia hesitated. But what had a
family feud to do with breakdown?
eff you will be so good" she MUIR
INJURED, and, gathering her dress about
her, she stepped into her own car.
She leaned back with a sign of relief
At least she would not have to talk to
him. Then the absurdity Of the affair
struck her. She realized how she
would look Whirling through the vii
lage streets as IL taken captive by Will
loughby. Instantly her pride was up
In arms. At the edge of the village
she called to him, and he slowed down
81 think" said Oli~'' 81 would rath-
er you left me here. I'm sure some
farmers team will be passing and take
me the rest Of the way, and am most
grateful to you for the assistance you
have given me-"
''It was the greatest pleasure" said
Willoughby and. raising his cap, was
gone.
But Olivia was sure that the farmers
team which came to her aid a few mo-
ments afterVard was Of his sending,
and, though she told herself it was the
uneventfulness of her life that made
the afternoons occurrence seem of SO
much Importance, yet she took pleasure
in mentally recalling each incident. In
deed, so much did Willoughby occupy
her thoughts that she was scarcely sur
prised when a few days later, scudding
home against wind that presaged a
storm, turn in the road brought Will |
loughby into view. He was on his |
knees In the middle Of the road, appar-
emily investigating his gasoline tank.
'"The sparker doesn't connect" he |
said in answer to her question and |
quickly accepted her offer Of assist
plete reversal of the parts they had
played before. Now it was Olivia's |
motor. that went CALAMITY ahead, while
and his car trailed In the
rear. They were still some twenty
miles from Oakdale, the wind was
steadily rising, and few great drops
Of rain began to sall.
Now" thought Olivia as they sped
forward, 81 have Cancelled the debt.
We are square. There need be no fur
Their exchange Of courtesies." Yet even
as this crossed her mind her motor
>ame to a sudden Earring stop. Both
'he and Willoughby alighted.
Its the aspiration pipe" he said,
-rying to keep note Of mirth from his
Toice. "I'll have to have another try
Mt my machine. Perhaps by this time
Its changed its mind. There, you seey'
and his car began putting with an
alacrity which might have awakened
Olivia's suspicious, but she had no
chance to analyze her emotions.