Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-05-29

| She interrupted his train of thought
with cry of despair. What will
they think"
| Il dare say" he ventured hopefully,
Il 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
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. Il know bit about motors
| Perhaps"
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 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-
ture. Distinctly a humiliating sensa-
ton to one who ordinarily was by way
of having fine conceit of himself
1t requires a certain amount of ego
tism to enable one to play the ex-
qUisite to ones personal satisfaction;
Maitland had enjoyed the possession
of that certain amount; heretofore his
approval of self had been passabIy 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 conclu-
sions; if he had not chosen to believe
a young and charming girl identical
with an-an adventures, this thing
had not happened and he had still re-
tanned his own good will. For one lit
tie moment he despised himself hearth
ly-One little moment of clear insight
into self was his. And forthwith he
began to mediate apologies. formu-
lating phrases designed to prove ade-
quate without sounding exaggerated
and irsincere.
BY this time he had reached the
car, and-through sheer laundering
1uck-at once stumbled upon the seat
of trouble-a c1ogged valve in the car
bureter. No serious matter; with the
assistance of repair kit more than
commonly complete, he had the valve
clear in a jiffy.
News of this triumph he shouted to
the girl, receiving in reply an ooh
thank you'll" so fervently grateful that
he felt more guilty than ever.
Illuminating unhappily on the end of
contemplated abasement, he waded
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 trife.
The car moved. And then, with
swish, a gurgle, and watery whoosh,
it 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, it 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 1 thank you?"
You might" he suggested, looking
down into her face from his superior
height, "give me bit of a 1ift-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"
Two miles, did you say?"
He fancied something odd in her
tone; besides, the question was super
f1uous His eyes informed with puz-
element, he replied: why, yes-that
much, more or less 1 live
'Of course she put in quickly, I'll
give you the 1ift-only too glad But
as for your taking me home at this
hour, 1 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 a single in |
slant, instinct with mischief, cleaning |
with bewiIdering light from out face |
schooled to gravity. Maitland expe- |
rienced a sensation of having grasped |
after and missed a subtIety of al |
fusion; his wits, keen as they were, re-
coiled baff1ed 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 |