New Britain herald., 1927-11-23

tor, hls lips puckerod up in cheerful whistle.
 Presently he stopped Hhistlin, and began to hum the tune Of tn "Cheric," waltz which happened {, be popular at that time.
 After a minute or two |, slammed down the hood, wiped hi
 hands on q spotless handkerchief and jumped back into the taxicab It started at once.
 Lily moved over 10 the "jum1 seat' once more. Well, you certain. ly knew what was the matter witt it, didn't you?" she asked, socially The engine Of car is a complete mystery to me, Do you like to tin ker with them?"
 | He nodded, and seemed to fairly light up. Do 1? You bet l do. An automobile engine is the post inter- esting thing on earth 10 me. . l like a car the way-the way Charlie l Chaplin likes the movies Lily laughed. You're an expert, then" she asked, chaffing him.
 To her surprise the driver nodded his head vigorously. Always been crazy about cars" he said. Ever since I was 6 kid. and had a red tin auto that wound Up with key 1 I'm working on an invention Of my own right now. It's Q whiz,'
  ness for an instant. Then Lily watching his face in the windshield mirror, saw him frown. He lapsed into a grim kind of silence as if he 1 had made up his mind he was talk ing too much.
 What is your invention?" she asked.
 But if he heard her, he gave no sign of 1t. He never said another word all the rest of the way to the | big Lexington house far out on Montpelier road.
 As he swung the cab into the gravel driveway, Lily did thing that she would not have believed herself capable of doing an hour be- fore.
 She put out her hands. in their satiny kid gloves. and slipped the card from its isinglass pocket, the card with the name Patrick France, and his photograph upon 1t.
 She had just time to slip 1t into her hand bag when he opened the door and handed her the fare slip. She did not tip him, as she certain ly would have tipped any other cab driver In Christendom. She had feeling, somehow, that he wouldn't take a tip from a woman.
 And when the orange colored cab backed out of the drive and started back to town, she stood watching 1t from the top of the stone steps and wrote its mum ber-"1 5"-on a page In her little gold-leather address book.
 Late that afternoon Staley Drum mond came to see his brde-to-be.
 In his eagerness he came at four Instead of five. and he came bearing gifts. He brought Lily a box of white orchids, delicately marked with color. He brought her a five pound box of candy and glazed fruits, He brought her five new nov els, and a box of silk-tipped cigarets.
 Mrs. Lexington met him in the hall and gave him a motherly kiss. although she couldn't have been more than 10 years older than he.
 There's no one Cyrus and l would rather welcome into our family than you, StaIey," she said warmly 50 warmly that If Lily's welcome was little cold he did not notice it.
 She came downstairs, pale and bright eyed in a black satin dress that was perfect background for Staley's white orchids. But after dinner she took them off and put them In a bowl of water. They were too lovely 10 wear, she said.
 They made me think of you when I bought them" Staley said, hold ing her in his arms and kissing her tenderly as if she were some frail bit of statuary that would break in his arms if he held her too tight or kissed her too hard.
 They sat down on the big deep couch before the fire and he held her hand-the hand that wore his ring like q glistcning tear-drop--in both of his. He told her how she had made every dream of women that he had ever had come true.
 I'm happier at this moment than I've ever been before" he said to her. wen spend many an evening like this together, won't we. when we're married? Not junketing around, but just sitting before our own fire. You and Tho one clse--'
 Lily nodded without enthusiasm.