The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-07-26


Floyd Was Seated on One Of tn.
Waiting Room Benches Reading 4
Magazine.
gauntlet, with perfect ease. No one
could have guessed how unconven
tional and slight had been their intro
duction.
"T am going to Massa chusetts," Stan
ton answered as composedly.
"To Massachusetts? But 80 are
wei At least, We had everything ar
ranged to motor out to our country.
place, until twenty minutes ago our
chauffeur was taken violently ILL.,
Now suppose we must go by train"
she broke the sentence, her large
brown eyes sweeping Floyd with de-
liberate question and scrutiny.
"Miss Carlisle, Mr.. Floyd, whom you
Saw beside be for many hours at the
Beach motordrome," Stanton made the
presentation.
Her face cleared swiftly, he could
have said it was relief which shot
hcross her expression,
"Your mechaniciant Is It possible
You also are going 10 Lowell, Mr..
Floyd?"
eyes, since my next work is there"
Floyd replied, unsmiling and laconic.
II was evident he and Miss Carlisle
disliked each other at sight.
She turned from him indifferently.
''Mr. Stanton, am going to make
you selfish invitation. Our place is
about seventy-five miles from New
York; will you not try our new motor
car and give me the honor of being
driven there by you? You could go on
to Lowell with us tomorrow morn
ing, or, If you insisted, finish the jour-
ney by train after dinner"
Amazed, Stanton looked at her. Once
Pgain he mentally asked himself what
she could want Of him.
Thank you; have arranged to
take this train," he declined.
Decidedly"
Decidedly, Miss Carlisle"
She bent her head, patting her
small tan shoe on the platform. She
was even more handsome than his
night glimpse Of her had shown, with
an ivory-tinted, cultivated beauty
whose one defect was GOODNESS.
"Of course, can not urge you," she
slowly rejoined. But stroll back to
the depot with me, pray; had some
thing to say"
my train," he began.
us my train also, since you will not
take me in the motor-car. We have
time enough; l inquired Of the con-
ductor, a moment ago"
Floyd bowed and stepped. aboard
the train, leaving the two to walk
back together, followed by the maid.
81 wanted to ask you Of the race"
Miss Carlisle said, when they were
quite at the end of the long platform.
The speech remained unfinished,
There was a shouted order, the cough
of the locomotive mingled with the
ring and jangle Of tightening coup
out of the shed. Stanton wheeled with
an ejaculation, but halted without at
tempting useless pursuit
How very unfortunate!" murmured
Miss Carlisle, putting aside her tan
silk wells. How very stupid of the
conductor!"
Stanton turned from the departing
train to the TRANQUILITY regretful girl,
his straight dark brows knitting. For
the instant he could have been GER
tain that she had done this intention
ally and by a pre-arranged plan. But
at once reason reclaimed him; he re-
called her breeding. her fathers high
position and wealth, her composed
worldliness, and ridiculed himself.
"Since I have made you miss your
train, and missed my own, / can only
repeat my former suggestion" she
added, as he did not speak. why
should you not come with my father
and me in our car? It is only three
or four hour trip, and you will be SO
much nearer Lowell, at least. I am
sorry our chauffeur Is Ill, so / am
forced to ask you to drive. or course,
II you fear firing yourself for race
day after tomorrow"
Stanton started to speak, then alb
ruptly shrugged his shoulders. After
all, why not?
Thank you," he returned. 81
scarcely think a seventy-five mile
run will incapacitate me-"
you will conner" Her amber eyes
cleaned wildly. You are too good.
Let us find my father and the car. 1t
10 at least car worthy Of you-a
better than the Mercury, confess to
thinking"
"A foreign machinef"
mo. an Atalanta Six. Martha, find
papa In the station and ask him to
come out to the car"
They emerged by a side exit into
the noisy, dirty, sunny New York
street.
rs It not well designed. well
swungr she challenged. at Is fast
on the race track-you know that. ID
II not handsomef"
She spoke eagerly, with more ami
nation than he had yet seen in her.
Stanton ran q careless glance over the
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