The Winslow mail., 1923-02-23
CHAPTER III-continued

"Say! Let me find you one! I've
a brain-wave! ~
What do you mean?"
$50 shares with me!'
Shares? ?' echoed Aimee She was
conscious of a curious little thrill.
"Share What?'
"See here!" said Billy, eyeing her
keenly. "When we were doing fifty
five on the Sphinx, you never wilted-
never turned hairn'
"Of course not. 1t was gorgeous"
He came nearer, intensely earnest.
"Know anything about motor en-
gines?' he said quickly.
"Tve often taken down the old bus
at home, on a wet day, and reas
sembled it."
where was that?"
"At the place where 1 had a job,"
said Aimee
Great p he cried. you're the thing
I've been looking for all these months.
Now, listen to the brain-wave. I'm
over here to sell the Sphinx. There's
a big deal on in London. But what
wants quiet spot where / can
develop some of the gadgets with no
crooks around to steal em. Get meY
Eyes, go on said Aimee, catching
his enthusiasm
'I'm heading now for little town
called Stanhoe, thirty miles south Of
here. Stanhoe's quiet as the tomb.
I've struck it before. There's an old
mill l b'lieve l can get hold of, and
fit up as a garage and workshop"
"Yes, 1 see!" said Aimee eagerly.
"Come on into it with me-cOme to
Stanhoep said Billy explosively.
you'll catch on to the Flying Sphinx
in a minute, an then popularize her
as lady's mount The finest mount
for girl ever put on the market.
There isn't one yet. You can do it
You've got the nerve-an' the grit
III teach you to tend an drive her.
VIII you come?~
'Will a duck swim!" cried Aimee.
"Of course I'll Gomez
Fine partner p cried Billy, fling
ing out a big brown hand.
Aimee took it, and received shake
that bruised her fingers.
"Take your perch, old chap!" said
Billy, straddling the Sphinx. ''Off for
Stanhoe!'
They whirred down the long slope
with the westering sun broad on their
right above the fir-trees. 1t was a
roughish ride on the carrier. There
was no pillion-seat; Billy was evil
IDENTIFY not accustomed to carry pas
sengers.
Say" said Billy, over his shoulder,
81 didn't catch your name, did I?'
"Aimee-Snooks," replied the pas
senger on the spur of the moment, as
well as she could for the wind whis-
tling in her teeth.
"Snooks p
Aimee laughed. 1t was very like
Scroope and quiet as musical
"Near enough p she gasped "But
old chap will do, Is that Americana"
American? Gee, no! It's the only
English l know. Let it go at that
Amy is too feminine for partnership.
And now Wen let her out This" said
Billy joyOusly, as he opened the
throttle wide, sis what the doctor
ordered!"
The Flying Sphinx, freighted with
the partners, roared down the hill
and devoured the miles to Stanhoe.
On the outskirts of the little mar
ket town of Stanhoe was a cyclists
ract-hnncn q
had tea under Iaburnum tree on the
lawn. Billy locked the amazing
motorcycle in a shed, by the proprie-
tors leave, and the pair walked into
the town on foot.
Two more utterly insouciant and
care free young people never entered
an English village on an April day.
No jot of doubt, of fear, or hesitation
assailed them. Billy, intensely mas
culine though he was, appeared to
be possessed of virgin mind. Such
thing, though uncommon, is by no
means nonexistent among the sons of
Adam. 1t may be that the air of the
Colorado foothills favors its growth
His possession of it called for no com
ment from Aimee Her mind was of
the same color.
1t did not enter into their heads for
a moment that anybody could put a
dubious construction ON their asso-
citation with each other Had such an
idea dawned, they might possibly have
turned and parted company on the spot.
Aimee left Billy suddenly and ad-
dressed an inquiry to an elderly man
who stood beside farmers cart. In
a moment she rejoined him.