The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-05

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round the car, satisfying himself that
there was nothing else out of gear;
and apprehensively cranked up.
Whereupon the motor began to hum
contentedly; all was well. Flushed
with this success, Maitland climbed
aboard and opened the throttle tribe.
The car moved. And then, with q
swish. a gurgle, and watery whoosh!
1t surged forward. up, out of the river,
CALAMITY up the slope.
At the top the amateur chauffeur
shut down the throttle and jumped
out, turning to face the girl. She was
by the step almost before he could
offer hand to help her in, and as she
paused to render him his due need of
thanks, 1t became evident that she har-
bored little If any resentment; eyes
shining, face aglow with gratitude,
she dropped him a droll but graceful
courtesy.
"You are too good!" she declared
with spirit. How can thank you?"
"You might" he suggested, looking
down into her face from his superior
height, give me a bit of lift-just a
couple of miles up the road. Though"
he supplemented eagerly. "if you'd
really prefer. should be only too
happy to drive the car home for your"
1.-TWO miles. did you say?"
He fancied something odd in her
tone; besides, the question was super
fluous. His eyes informed with puz-
element, he replied: "Why, yes-that
much, more or less. live"
"Of course" she put in quickly, "In
give you the lift-only too glad. But
as for your taking me home at this
hour, can't hear of that"
But
Besides, what would people say?"
she countered, obstinately. "Oh, no."
she decided; and he felt that from this
decision there would be no appeal;
Il couldn't think of interfering with
your &. arrangements"
Her eyes held his for single in
slant, instinct with mischief, cleaning
with bewildering light from out a face
schooled to gravity. Maitland expe-
rienced a sensation of having grasped
after and missed subtlety of al
fusion; his wits, keen as they were, re-
coiled, baf1led by her finesse. And the
more he OWNED that she was playing
with him, as an experienced swords
man might play with an impertinent
novice, the denser his confusion grew.
But have no arrangements" he
stammered.
DON'T" she insisted-as much as
to say that he was fabricating and she
knew It! I'VE must hurry, you know,
because There, I've dropped
my handkerchief! BY the tree, there:
Do you mind"
"Of course not" He set off swiftly
toward the point indicated, but on
reaching it cast about vainly for any
thing in the nature of handkerchief
In the midst of which futile quest a
change of tempo in the motors i'm
patient drumming surprised him.
Startled. he looked up. Too late;
the girl was in the seat, the car in
motion-already some yards from the
point at which he had left it. Dis
mayed, he strobe forward, raising his
voice In perturbed expostulation.
Butt say"
Over the rear of the seat a gray
gauntlet was waved at him, as tanta-
LIKING as the hooking laugh that came
to his ears.
He paused, thunderstruck, appalled,
by this monstrosity of ingratitude.
The machine gathered impetus,
drawing swiftly away. Yet in the still
ness the farewell of the gray girl came
to him very clearly.
"Good-by!" with a laugh. Thank
you and good-by-Handsome DAM"