Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-13

Copyright 1877, The DODDs-Merrlu Company
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. Il know a bit about motors. Per-
haps-" ....'
"Then-but why"
She stopped and Maitland forbore TO
encourage her to round out her question.
1t was no difficult matter to supply the
missing words. Why had he not thought
of investigating the motor before insist
ing that he must carry her ashore?
The humiliating conviction forced itself
upon him that he was not figuring to
great advantage in this adventure. Dis
tinctly a humiliating sensation to one
who ordinarily was by way of having
fine conceit of himself. 1t requires
certain amount of egotism to enable one
TO pay the exquisite to ones personal
satisfaction; Maitland had enjoyed the
possession of that certain amount; there
tofore his approval of self had been pass
ably entire. Now-he could not deny
the boor had shown up through the pol
ish of the beau. ....
IntoIerable thought! "Cad!" exclaimed
Maitland bitterly. This all was due to
hasty jumping at conclusions: If ne had
not chosen to believe young and charm
ing girl Identical with an-an adventures,
this thing had not happened and he had
still retained his own goodwin. For
one little moment he despised hlmsen
heartily-one little moment OF clear
| insight into self was his. And forthwith
he begun to mediate apologies. for1nu-
lating phrases designed to prove ade-
ouate 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 trouble:
clogged valve in the carburetor. No
serious matter: with the assistance of a
repafr 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 ON, thank
| your so fervently grateful that ne ieN
more guilty than ever.
Illuminating unhappily on the cud OF
contemplated abasement, he waded round
the car. satisfying himself that there was
nothing else out of gear; and apprehen-
sively cranked UP. Whereupon the
y,o+or began to hum content
edIv: all was we'll Flusneu
With this success, Maitland CLIMBED
aboard and opened the throttle trine'
The car moved. And! then, with SWISH
q surgle. and a watery whoosh! IL sur
ed forward, up, out of the river gailahuy
up the slope.
At the top the amateur chauneur snu'
down the throttle and jumped OUT turn
! IT, to face the girl She was by the
stem almost before he could ofrer mana
! TO help her in, and as she paused 10
render him his due need of thanks, II
became evident that she harbored little IL
anv resentment; eyes shining, face agloW
with gratitude. she dropped him oroh
but graceful little courtesy Ia,
'You are too good!' she declared Win
spirit. How can thank your
.rYou might" he suggested, looking
down into her face from his superior
height. give me a bit OF Ift-Just q
couple of miles up the road. Ihousn;
/ he supplemented eagerly. 'If you'd really
prefer. 1 should be only too happy 10
| drive the car home for you?
1.-TWO miles, did you say?"
IJa eancied something odd in her tone;
besides the question was supernuous' hls
ewes formed with puszlement, he re-
piled: why, yes-that much more or
less I live"
"Of spurse." she put in quickly. TN
give tsu the lift-only too glad. But as
| for yo1r taking me home at this hour'
can't hear of that.
| But
"Besides. what would people say?" she
icountered obstinately. "Oh. no." she de-
cided. and he felt that from this deci-
sion there would be no appeal; Il couldn
think of interfering with your ar
arrangements"
Her eyes held his for a single instant
instinct with mischief, cleaning with be
wildering light from out face schooled
To gravity. Maitland experiences SEN
of
ed a subtlety of allusion; his wits, keen
as they were, recoiled, baffed by her
Anesse And the more he OWNED that
/ she was playing with him, as an expert
enced swordsman might play with an
limpertinent novice, the denser his confu-
sion grew.
But have no arrangements-" he
stammered.
! "Don't!' she insisted-as much as to say
| that he was fabricating and she knew it!
| 1--WE must hurry, you know, because
| chief! BY the tree, there. Do you
mind
"Of course not" He set off swiftly to-
| ward the point indicated, but on reaching
it cast about vainly for anything in the
| nature of handkerchief. In the midst
of which futile quest change of tempo
| In the motors impatient drumming sur
prised him.
| Startled, he looked up. TOO Iate: the
| girl was in the seat, the car in motion
already some yards from the point at
which he had left 1t. Dismayed. he
strobe forward. raising his voice in per-
! turbed expostulation.
| Butt say"
Over the rear of the seat a gray
gauntlet was waved at him, as tantalizing
as the hooking laugh that came to his
J ears.
! He paused, thunderstruck, appalled, by
| this monstrosity of ingratitude.
The machine gathered impetus, drawing
swiftly away. Yet in the stiffness the
farewell of the gray girl came to him
! very clearly.
"Good-by!" with a laugh. Thank you
and good-by-Handsome Dan!'
III.-"HANDSOME DAN"
Standing in the middle OF the road,
| ~ CIo hat fro h.