nd me. A hasty glance over my shoulder showed me that the back of the car was clear. I jerked in the reverse and raised my feet; and with a roar and a stream of blue smoke, the machine swung backward

ur tires or the sky I had no time to guess. And I took the first corner with my heart in my mouth and an empty feeling in my stomach, praying that we might get around it right sid

ts did not stop us, and that at every turning we had neither upset nor skidded into the opposite curb. It was wild work at the best; and considering that I was driving a heavy and unfamiliar car over slimy pavements, I can not understand now how we avoided either accident or capture. But presently the headlights showed a long, dark street, clear of interfer

f to keep out of sight. As soon as I could spare a hand, I began to pound him over the head and neck. I was in no mood for half measures. He cowered

"I won't interfere with you nor nothing. I'll get out as soon as we get fai

ll," I said, "or you'll have us

protesting. There were tears in his vo

ur way out of t

y too frightened to know his own mind, but I had made up mine. He was

pped, "you'll go home with

this. I'll get out here. It's murder and resisting arres

Before he could make another move, I had shut off and got my right hand on the re

quiet," I said, "and you're going

All this time we had been working westward as fast as the rough going and my divided attention would allow. Now and then some one shouted after us. But it was still dark and we were soon out of sight around a corner, and the few policemen who concerned themselves with us at all did not trouble themselves to whistl

d to attract, now that we were safe away from our original trouble and running at an ordinary rate. Madison Avenue was decently asleep; and its empty length must have tempted me to unreasonable speed, for the few people we passed stopped to stare, and call after us unmeaningly.

ind, and clambered out. Lady's face was

could see only her eyes and the out

are

ted, and Sheila is better. She has come to herself

these drives. We'll run ahead

omas had taken advantage of my forgetfulness to break for liberty. He was out of sight almos

"your chauffeur has been trying to de

, yourself. What diff

r, I suppose I have got you into a newspaper scrape anyhow, if not

ps we had better carry this outside now." She felt about her feet and handed me a muddy strip of m

en us. She had always been more than other women. And now she was that rarest thing of a

nd I'm not half good enough to

n whisper from th

d Lady, "we're f

able to speak only a few words of unsteady thanks; but that was enough to make me fall in love with the crooning voice of her. We pu

nerves; and although I had no desire for sleep, although I never loosened my hands upon the wheel, nor took my eyes for a second from the wavering end of the ribbon of light that unwound itself continually toward me, yet I felt somehow unreal and very peaceful, without will or memory, like a person in a dream. The car obeyed me without my being conscious of any movement, as if I guided it by my mere volition. Slowly the pallor around me changed from green to gray; the air freshened as the stars went out; and the twitter of birds and the scattered barking of dogs underran the unvar

spurs; this page of the fairy-tale bore a picture in shining colors, and I knew of neither the last page nor the next. It was in this mood that I passed, unheeding, through the gathering familiarity of nearer landmarks, past the inn and up the winding hill, and drew up at last before the T

few words while Lady was getting out of the car and Mrs. Carucci was helped down and half-carried into the house between the two men. But I do not remember. I remember only the three figures in the doorway, the drooping woman, wi

around and leave it

sudden smile, "Aren't you coming in to breakfast?

to go this morning, and I'm going. There's still plenty of

ou mean?"

, I understand now what you meant yesterday, beca

notice? I don

y three years ago, to Doctor Reid

e; and under the trouble of her

aid quietly. "My name's Mar