Dorothy's Triumph

ss Blank. You'll find Dorothy

ed disinclined to be affable, for her actions on Dorothy's houseboat had been anything but ladylike, until, like m

urora persisted. "You don't min

N

you call m

you

long camping trip together,

to thank you fo

ded to accep

y-Mrs. Calvert, that is-said if I didn't I'd incur h

it. We just can't fai

very pleasant trip, Miss

oming over with it to-day to teach you and Ephraim how to run it. Then you can take turns playing

ghtened as she

ll learn to run the machin

ou run my half. But he won't object, and what's more, he'll be only too gla

en he comes over

e car uses electricity only to explode its fuel, Jim was nevertheless deeply interested, particularly a

start?" he a

if it's all right with

" demanded that young lady, coming out on the galle

hy Cal

ra Bl

y a joyous hug and a half dozen kisses,

in that game?" h

Aurora, throwing him

rely excluded." She turned to her girl friend. "H

ast week. At first it didn't please me-the the front

it-what first caught my eye. It

is back, he walked off down the lawn. He cast a laughing glance over his shoulde

imore since I've been gone? Really, Aunt Betty and I have been too busy arranging for m

an occasional matinée by ourselves, but aside from that, life has been very dull in Baltimore-that is, until the auto c

to see your

xious to hav

t be a

friend. "Confidentially, Dorothy, it

asure!" cried Dorothy. "But then, it makes you

bout starting on our tri

hing worrying me now is that I'm expecting to hear f

s she goin

id you wanted us to make up the par

your trip, Dorothy, given in

e of you, Aurora. An

ed Ephraim, entering at this moment.

tor responded. "Has anyone told you

Aurory? A show fer

, is a man who dri

s up in de front seat en tu

would you li

aptions none, but I reckon I'd like tuh do w'at y

things about the car. You will take turns playing chauffeur on our cam

s me," grinned

y?" Dorothy asked, recallin

'm, I got er lettah fo' yo'. Jes' lemme see where I put dat

of Ephraim's capacious pocke

usly, as she looked at the postmark. "Let's

darkey, and with an ela

letter, Dorothy

r, Dear

ndeed. The surprise was complete. I had hardly realized that you had finished your cour

like a new man and his actions bear out his words. He wants to know how his little Dorothy is, and when she is coming to visit him. In the

e an outing, and this, I am sure, will prove to be one of the finest I have

your

ol

ied Aurora. "Such a nice letter! I have already p

thed. Full of mischief, yes, but with a heart as big as a mountain. There i

ver. But you, Dorothy, are more than friend to he

lieve I am her

t!" cried Aunt Betty, who entered the ro

ll, Mrs.

rl will get lonesome, I fear, unless her

er here, now Dorothy is

coming, Aunt Betty!" Triumphantly she displayed t

lad she is coming. I hardly thought she'd refuse. Judge Breckenridge i

d again to the

," said Aunt Betty, "and we have de

reakfast about eight o'clock at some village along the route-there are plenty of them, you know. The recent rains have settled the dust, and the trip, itself, should be very agreeable. We figure on b

especially the getting away in the early mor

ee with you, aunt

olls, we will draw on our own supply of provisions and eat our breakfast en route. O

rora, who knew that Aunt Betty Calvert

e gone before Gerald Blank drew up in front of the Calvert p

e of his natural interest in mechanism of any sort; Ephraim because he felt proud of the title "chauffeur," which A

made a few formal inquiries about the interval which had elapsed since last they

resented the highest perfection of skilled mechanical labor. The body was enameled in gray and trimmed

ady a motor enthusiast, went from one end of the

he Renault type of motor, known as 'the pride of France,' and one of the finest ever invented. Great engineers have gone on record that the men who put the Ajax car together have advanced five years ahead of the times. You will notice, Jim, that th

t gwine tuh cho

speed mania, Ephy," was Ge

istah Gerald, but I ain't got

ich has been adopted by all the high grade cars. And back here is what they term a floating axle. The wheels and tires are bo

omobile agent yo

u thin

difference is, I feel what you say is true. I am greatly

n it for you now, while the machine is standing still, but they say it's poor p

, but had forgo

and Ephy for a spin, and, incidentally,

ig five-passenger compartment in the rear. Gerald, after

eady,

'r-y

we'r

off down the road. The engine ran so smoothly that it was hard t

ine country roads which lay just outside. When a level stretch was reached once, he put her on the high speed, and

owing down,

s with you, Jim, and y

g wheel in his grasp, his feet on the pedals in front, with the single t

regulate his spark so as to keep the motor from knocking, especially on heavy grades; then how to adva

ure that Jim had not suspected-in fact, the Gerald Blank who owned this auto was hard

had enough, we'll let E

d Jim. "So better let Ephy ge

e pedals. Then Gerald instructed him as he had Jim. When he told the old negro to press slowly on one of the pedals to make the machine slow down, Ephraim misundersto

Gerald and Jim were through laughing at him, he began

d, as, some seven miles out of the city, he took charge o

se watch, however, for lanes and crossroads, twice slowing down for railway crossings, only to resume his former pace when on the other side. Trees and

nly eight miles an hour, which was the speed limit in the city-finall

they drew up, and waved their hands at Gerald as he le

ose?" queried Aunt Betty, as the pai

at least,"

business am gittin' intuh mah blood. Nebber ain't gone so fast in mah whole life a

ome in?" Dorothy

e teached me. I tell yo' w'at, Miss Betty, I's gwine tuh be yo'

or Gerald to come bac

oming back, is he

ou know. I reckon I haven't much call to talk about

all 'automobilitis,

phraim, with a grave shake of his head. The

w days pass

ore the long-looked-for day arrived, both Jim and Ephra

, as she had promised in her letter, Dorothy, J

der, observing the hugs and kisses they bestowed upon each other, might

kept saying, over and over, eac

cheek, an act the boy did not like, but which he took

spleasure to Gerald, which caused that yo

e. "Most fellows would go several miles out of their way to get a kiss from Molly Breckenridge. But you, wi

rther comment. He only s