The Flying Mercury

Ffrench house on the Hudson; December was very near on the sunny morn

e her. "We have known each other for a long time, Mr. Bailey; ever since I c

iness and grace. "You used to drive out here with your pony and spend many an hour looking on and asking questions. You

ved hands upon the edge of the desk at th

lifted her candid eyes to his, her soft color rising. "Do you know-have you ever met any men who cared and understood about such factorie

ry better than I do, and I've been at it twelve years. And there he is-" he turned in his revolving

xplaining. Explaining with a vivid interest in his task that sparkled over his clear face in a changing play of expression almost mesmeric in its command of attention. The men watched and listened intently; they themselves no common laborers, but the intelligent workmen who were to carry out the ideas here set forth. Wherever Les

tly. And after a moment, "

e, absorbed in one another; any sound being muffled by the throb of adj

with, and it's a beauty. He's entered for every big race coming this season, starting next week in Georgia, a

nenthusiastic s

nity altogether Ffrench. "I have no doubt that he is all you say, but

y, surveying her oddly. "I didn't know, yo

I will go. I-it

rm of her chair in troubled reverie, her long lashes l

building. It was not possible that Emily's glimpse of Lestrange across the glass should identify him absolutely with the man she had seen once in the

ailey spoke of "Darling" Lestrange there had flashed across her mind the mechanician's ridiculous answer to the request to aid her chauffeur in changing a tire: "I'll do it for you, Darling." And listening to that dominant voice in the next ro

reiterated, ris

r opened with unw

ey," declared some

found herself looking directly into Lestran

upheld the moment,

h, this is our manager, Mr. Lestrange; the m

ifting her small head. Lestrange had recognized h

Lestrange," she said composedly.

ied Bailey. "

g surprise and warmth lit Les

ecall me, Miss Ffrench. I owe an apology for breaking in t

tarily in her relief. With a glance, an inflection, Lestrange had stripped their former

Bailey. "Shall I ta

workmanlike costume which impressed Emily pleasantly. She wondered if Dick would ha

r heads to gaze after Emily as she passed. Once Lestrange paused to speak to a man who sat, note-book

e let that go wrong in another moment. He," his smile glanced out, "he is n

the first time in her life Emily Ffrench laughed

lf from that Rupert to come here; he was

ay, without Rupert beside me. He is here taking a post-graduate course in this t

ou expect to

ng machines; the chance of winning is slight. But I hope to out

look

thing does?"

ged his

nd you, Miss Ffrench. If something does-the

implied consequences. "But only a chance, surely

prise mingled with a dawning

uite lucky. At least Rupert and I play our game unhampered; there will

tended arm from wrist to elbow, a mute commentary on the conversation. In silence she passed out across the courtyard to where her

good luck for ne

n the strong sunlight he showed even younger than she had tho

ike-if it were possib

ne, esp

hich I shall accomplish if I live. Not that I will halt if this step fails,

color and fire to his; drawn by the bond

ng? So do I, so do I! A

he crash of the courtyard gate. Abruptly recalled to hers

uggested strain. But to Emily's astonishment the young

city, Emily, and there wasn't any carriage at the station, so when

Mr. Bailey," she r

she had regretted her impulsive confidence, again the clear sanity

road toward home, in the crisp

r. Lestrange were so well

neasily. "He's too busy to want me bother

es

rom its socket, flecking th

all. I made an idiot of myself, and you've never said anything to me about it since. I never told you wh

e," she sai

hing raw and chilly. Busy, and their mechanics busy, and one after another swinging into his car and going off like a rocket. By the time Lestrange went off, I was as much stirred up as anybody. When he made a record circuit at seventy-seven miles an hour average, I wa

H

d and scratched, but he was laughing, while a crowd of people were trying to shake hands with him and say things. I felt-funny; as if I wasn't much good. I never felt like that before. 'This is only practise,' he sai

you as well as Mr. Lestrange might do

od-humored face to her

k and call it fun, like Lestrang

u might be interested in the factory. You might learn from Mr. Bailey and take charge of t

irred u

it, really. I'm not such an awfully bad lot, but I hate work. Let's

reins with a brief

substitute. Things must go on somehow, I

istasteful that morn