The Irish standard., 1908-08-29

him amazing enough. it was to dis
cover upon the drivers seat the girl
in gray.
His brain benumbed beyond further
J capacity for establishment, he accepted
without demur this latest and most as.
founding of the chain of amazing CO
medicines which had thus far enliv-
ened the nights earlier hours; and
stood rapt in silent contemplation,
sensible that the girl had been un-
aware of his approach, deadened as
his footsteps must have been by the
blanket of dust that carpeted both
! road and bridge deep and thick.
On her part she sat motionless, evi.
IDENTIFY lost in reverie and momen-
tarily, at least, unconscious of the en-
barrassing> predicament which was
hers. So complete, indeed, seemed her
abstraction that Maitland caught him.
self questioning the reality of her.
And we'll might she have
seemed to him a pale little wrath Of
the night, the shimuer of gray that
she made against the Skinner Of light
on the water-a shape almost trans.
parent, slight, and unsubstantal-
seeming to contemplate, and a. still
O. any mouse
Looking more attentively, it became
This was the first time that he had
| seen her so. But her countenance re-
NAMED so deeply Swallowed by the
visor of mannish motoring cap that
the most searching scrutiny gained no
more than dim and scantily satisfac-
tory impression of alluring loneliness.
Maitland turned noiselessly, rested
elbows on the rail, and, staring,
framed a theory to account for her
position, If not for her patience.
On either hand the road, dividing,
struck of at tangent, down the
banks and into the river bed. 1t was
credible to presume that the girl had
lost control of the machine Temperate
ly and that it, taking the bit between
It's teeth, had swung gayly down the
incline to its bath.
Why she fingered there, however.
was less patent. The water, as has
been indicated, was some inches below
the tonneau; 1t did not seem reason
able to assume that 1t should have in
terfered with either running gear or
motor.
At this point in Maitlands media.
tions the gray girl appeared to have
arrived at decision. She straight
ened up suddenly, with a little reso-
lutte nod Of her head, lifting one small
foot to her knee, and fumbled with the
laces of her shoe.
Maitland grasped her intention to
abandon the machine, with her deter
mination to wade! Clearly this would
seem to demonstrate that there had
been breakdown irreparable SO far
frail feminine hands were concerned.
One shoe removed. its fellow would
follow, and then. {. Out of sheer
chivalry, the Involuntary witness was
moved to earnest protest.
DON'T" he cried. hastily. II say,
don't wade!"
Her superb composure claimed his
admiration. Absolutely ignorant
though she had been of his proximity,
the voice from out Of the skies evil
IDENTIFY alarmed her not at all. Still
bending over the lifted foot, she turned
her head slowly and looked up; and
"Oh!" said small voice, tinged with
relief. And coolly knotting the laces
again, she sat up Il didn't hear you,
you know"
"Nor l see you," Maitland supple
mented, unblushingly, until moment
ago. I-er-can l be of assistance?"
Cant you?"
Idiot" said Maitland, severely,
both to and of himself. Aloud: II think
l can"
II hope so"-doubtfully. TITS very
unfortunate. Z. was running
rather fast. suppose. and didn't see
the slope until too late. Now" OPEN
ing her hands in gesture ingenuously
charming with its suggestion of help
lessness and dependence, Il don't
know what can be the matter with the
machine"
I'm coming down." announced
Maitland briefly. Wait"
THANK you, shall"
Size laughed, and Maitland could
have blushed for his inanity; happily
he had action to cloak his embarrass-
ment. In twinkling he was at the
waters edge, pa'lsing there to listen,
with admirable docility, to her plain
tive objection: But you'll get wet
and-and ruin your things. can't
ask that of you"
He chuckled, by way of reply, slap.
ping CALAMITY into the shadows and
courageously wading out to the side of
the car. Whereupon he was advised in
tones of futtered Indignation:
"You simply wouldn't listen to me!
And I warned you! Now you're soak
ing wet and will certainly catch your
death of cold, and-and what can do?
Truly, I am sorry"
Here the young man lost track Of
her remark. He was looking up into
the shadow Of the motoring cap, dis.
covering things; for the shadow was