The Arvada enterprise., 1921-08-04

I
whenever she liked. Phyllis Benton
was a very nice girl, and very nice
girls are permitted lot Of latitude.
A persistent honking behind aroused
him from his reverie. and he pulled
into the side of the road.
| An open cream-colored ROlls-Royce
drew level. with five people on board.
and he looked up as 1t passed. There
were three people In the back-two
men and woman. and for moment
his eyes met those Of the man near
est him. Then they drew ahead. and
Drummond pulled up to avoid the
thick cloud of dust.
With a slight frown he stared ut
the retreat ting car; he saw the man
lean over and speak to the other
man: he saw the other man look
around. Then bend in the road hid
them from sight, and still frOwning.
Drummond pulled out his case and
lit cigarette. For the man whose
eye he mad caught as the Rolls went
by was Henry Lexington. There was
no installing that hard-Ilpped. cruss
| face.
Presumably, thought Hugh, the
| other two occupants were Mr. Peter
son and the doubtful daughter. Irma
Presumably they were returning to The
Elms. And incidentally there seemed
I no pronounced reason why they
shouldn't. But. somehow, the sudden
| appearance of Lexington had upset
him; he felt irritable and annoyed.
| What little he had seen of the man
| he had not liked; he did not want
to be reminded Of him, especially just
as he was thinking Of Phyllis.
He watched the white dust-cloud
rise ever the hill In front as the car
topped 1t; he watched 1t settle and
drift away in the faint breeze. Then
he let in his clutch and followed
quite slowly in the big cars wake.
There had been two men in front
the driver and another, and he won
dered idly II the latter was Mr.. Ben
ton. He accelerated up the hill and
swung over the top: the next mo-
ment he braked hard and pulled up
just in time. The Rolls, with the
! chauffeur peering into the bonnet. had
stopped in such 4 position that 1t was
impossible for him to get by.
The girl was still seated In the back
Of the car. also the passenger In
front. but the two other men were
Standing In the road apparently watch
ing the chauffeur. and sitter . while
the one whom Drummond had recog-
nized - darlington came toward him.
I'm soery." be began-and then
paused in surprise. "why. surely its
Captain Drummood!"
Drummond nodded pleasantly.
The occupant Of 4 car is hardly like
~ to change In q mile. Il her he re-
marked I'm afraid forgot to
wave a. you went past. but got
your smile all right Are you likely
to be long. because II %. I'll stop my
engineer
The other man was now approach.
Ing casually. and Drummood regarded
him casually. "A friend Of our little
Phyllis. Peterson" said darlington. ~
he came up.
"Any friend Of Miss Benton's IL.
I hope. ours" said Peterson with q
smile. you've known her . long
time. I expectr'
quite 4 long time" returned Hugh.
1--WE have jazzed together on many
occasions"
(Which makes It all the more I'M
fortunate that We should have de-
layed you" said Peterson. II can't
help thinking. Lexington. that that
new chauffeur Is q bit Of 4 fool"
II hope he avoided the crash all
right" murmured Drummond politely.
Both men looked At him. The
crash" said Lexington. There was
no question Of a crash. We just
stopped"
Really" remarked Drummond. ~
think. sir. that you must be right in
your diagnosis Of your chau6eur's
mentality" He turned cOurteously to
Peterson. when something goea
wrong. for fellah to stop his car
by braking 70 hard that he locks both
back wheels. Is no bon. ~ We used
to say in France. thought. judgins
by the tracks In the dust. that you
must have been 10 imminent danger
Of ramming Q traction engine. ven
der II I could help your man." he
continued. I'm bit Of an expert with
. Rolls"
How very kind Of you." said Peter
son. "rll 70 and see" He went oveI
to the man and spoke q few words.
isn't II extraordinary" remarked
Hugh. how the eye Of the boss gal
vanixes the average man into activ
ity. A. long. probably. ~ Mr.. Peter.
500 had remained here talking. tina,
chauffeur would have gone on tinker
ing with the engine. And now-look
in q second-ail serene. And yet
DARE say Mr.. Peterson knows nothing
about II really. Just the watching
eye. Mr.. darlington. Wonderful thinl
the human optic"
He rambled on with . genial smile
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