The Huttig news., 1908-10-17

tuiVd hiOtR
 Don't say that. I'm a clumsy lout Put" He held her gaze inquirngly. "But may I ask"
 "Oh, of course-eertainly I am was-bound for Greenpoint-on-the- Sound"
 Ten miles," he interrupted.
 The corners of her red lips dropped; her brows puckered with dismay In- stinctively she glanced toward the water-bound car.
 What am to do2" she cried Ten miles! I could never walk it. never in the world You see. I went to town to-day to do a little shopping. l As we were coming home the chauf 1 feur was arrested for careless driving. He had bumped a delivery wagon over it wasn't really his fault. I telephoned home for somebody to bail him out and my father said he would come in. Then I dined. returned to the police station and waited Nobody came. i couldn't stay there all night I 1 'phoned to everybody I knew. until my money gave out; no one was in town : At last in desperation, I started home alone"
 Maitland nodded his comprehension. Your father-?' he hinted deicately.
 Judge Wentworth" she explained, hastily. We've taken the Grover place at Greenpoint for the season.
 T ee"-thoughtfully And this was the girl who he had believed had been in his rooms that evening. in his ab- seace! Oh, clearly, that was impos- sible. Her tone rang with truth.
 She interrupted his train of thought with a c-y of despair. What will they think"
 T dare say" he ventured hopefully, T could hire a team at some farm house"
 But the delay! It's so late al ready"
 Undeniably late; one o'clock at the earliest. A thought longer Maitland hung in lack of purpose, then without a word of explanation turned and again began to wade out.
 What do you mean to do?" she cried. surprised.
 See what's the trouble he called back. T know a bit about motors. Perhaps"
 "Then--but why" She stopped; and Maitland forbore , to encourage her to round out her question. It was no difficult matter to supply the missing words. Why had he not thought of investigating the motor before insisting that he must carry her ashore?
 The humiliating conviction forced itself upon him that he was not figur- ing to great advantage in this adven- tnre. Distinctly a humiliating sensa- ton to one who ordinarily wassb by way Of having a fine conceit of himself. II requires certain amount of ego tism to enable one to play the eX- ql; site to ones personal satisfaction; aitland had enjoyed the possession of that certain amount: heretofore his approval of self had been passably en- tire. Now-he could not deny-the boor had shown up through the polish of the beau.
 Intolerable thought, "Cad!" ex- claimed Maitland, bitterly. This all was due to hasty jumping at conelu- sons if he had not chosen to believe young and charming girl identical with an-an adventures. this thing had not happened and he had still re- tained his own good will. For one lit tie moment he despised himself hearti- ly-one little moment of clear insight into self was his. And forthwith he began to mediate apolo yies, formu- lating phrases designed to prove ade- quate without sounding exaggerated and insincere.
 By this time he had reached the car. and-through sheer laundering luck-at once stumbled upon the seat of troub!e-a clcgged valve in the car bureter. No serious matter; with the assistance of repair kit more than commonly complete, he had the valve , clear in jiffy.
 News of this triumph he shouted to the girl. receiving in reply an Oh thank youl" so fervently grateful that he felt more guilty than ever.
 Illuminating unhappily on the end oi contemplated abasement, he waded round the car. satisfying himself that , there was nothing else out of gear; and apprehensively cranked up Whereuron the motor began to hum , contentedly; all was well. Flushed with this success, Maitland climbed aboard aud opened the throttle trifie The car moved. And then. with a ] swish, gurgle. and watery whoosh it surged forward. up, out of the river gellantly up the slo.e. At the top the amateur chauffeur ) siut down the throttle and jumped out, turning to face the girl. She was by the step almost before haMcould offer a hand to hen her in. andsHs she
 aa Q seader him his due need oi tfa Is t became evident that she har bored little if any resentment; eyes sh'n'n~. f2oe ~@iow wi tn gratitude ss ~fr h,m droll but graceful , courtesy.
 You are too good!" she declared I with spirit How can thank you?"
 You might," he suggested looking