Evening star., 1909-04-25
CHAPTER XVI.
A Painful Journey.

JOY started on her long journey in
very agitated frame Of mind. though the
habit of her life and her concern for her
lover enabled her to so bear herself that
she appeared calm. To start with. she
was full OF fears-some of them natural
others of that class which is due to the
restrictions and conventions of woman's
life. She was by means expert
driver. She merely had some lessons
and was never i'll an automobile by her
self before. Moreover. she was not only
in country strange to her but even the
road to Dumfries on which she was start
ed absolutely new to her. In addition
To all. she was-as an American-handi-
capped by the difference in the rules Of
the road. In America they follow the
French and drive on the off side: in Eng
land the on rule is correct.
She had no option. however. She dared
not make any difficulty even ask ad-
vice or help for such might betray her
and she might not be allowed to proceed
bearing as she could muster, but with a
sinking heart. she started on her journey.
praying inwardly that she might not
meet any untoward accident or difficulty.
for she did not know anything about
mechanism. the use of the wheel and
the levers i'll driving was all that had
been embraced i'll her lessons.
At first all went well enough. The road
machine well in hand. As far as Balma-
clellan she went slowly. carefully. climb
ing laboriouSly up the steep ZgZag road.
and presently she began 10 feel in good
heart. Sine did not know the name of the
place; had never heard Of ii. But it was
somewhere, one stage at least on the way
home. When the village lay behind her
she began to put on more speed. With
the apprehension gone of not being able to
get on at all, she began TO think of her
objective and of how long was the jour
ney before ii could be revealed With in
creased speed however. came fresh fears
The import anCc Of the machine began tC
be manifest: such force and speed needed
special thought. The road changed sc
rapidly that she felt that she wanted an
other pair OF eyes. The wheel alone. with
its speed and steering indices. took all at
tention She hardly dared 10 look uI
from il. And yet If she did not know
how could she know the road TO take; how
could she look out for danger. Happl,
the mere movement was tonic, the rust
through the air braced her. Otherwise
she would have been shortly in state al
panic
Very soon she began TO realize the diff
hculty OF driving on an unknown road
when one is not skilled in the art ST
many things have 10 be considered all a
once and the oEuS OF choosing pecpetually
is of nightmare shadow. The openings o
bye-roadS and crossroads are so mucl
more important than is suspected tha
and country roads generally wind abou
SO that distant landmarks. which cal
guide one in general direction, come ant
go with emban assing suddenness. A
first every cart-track OF farm-road mad
such doubts. and even when she got Il
understand sucn minor trends she 90
confused over bye-roads of more impor
tance Crossroads there were before long
right or left making short cuts for thos
VINO knew. These she mad to pass: sh
could judge only OF her course by the ex
ceuence of the main road-not always
safe guide in remote agricultural districts
one thing told in her favor. the mag
nificent bracing air of that splendid high
hung moor through which she passed
Ry the time she got to Corsock. however
she was beginning to feel the strain sc
yerely. She was hot and nervous an
wearied; only the imperative need of get
ling on and getting on quickly. enable
her 10 keep up at all. At Corsock sh
s,nuped to ask the way, but found
bard 10 understand the I4owland S~otc
In WHICH directions for her guidance wer
even The result was that she starte
afresb with a blank despair gripping a
her heart Already she felt that her ef
fort 10 reach home in time was destine