The Flying Mercury

st, on the Sunday when the first account

tle silver pot poised in her hand, when the door burst

ck except the two big Italian and French machines. Those he couldn't get, of course; but the Frenchman went out in the fourth hour with a broken valve. Then he was set down for second

setting down the cof

who had put on his pince-nez to contemplate his nephew in

an's seat, and Rupert held him in while they dashed around the course to the hospital. He got him there fifteen minutes before an ambulance could have reached him, and the man will get well. But Lestrange had lost six minutes. He had rushed straight to the doctor's, given them the man, and gone right on, but he had lost six minutes. When people realized what he'd done, they went

f had not possessed a quality to stir even non-sporting blood. Emily could only sit and gaze at

use. "Ten words: 'First across line in Georgia ra

rately passed his

ht say unprecedented. I am glad if Bailey's new man is capable of his work, at least. I suppose for the rest, that

" she acknowle

nd resentful. "It'll be a big thing though for our car

stiffened

he man to dislike him," was the cold

g manager, and she was sorry. Sorry, although, remembering Bailey's unfortunate speech the night Lestrange's engagement was proposed, she was not surprised.

d. "He wants the business to succeed, doesn't he? If he does, he ough

r yellow curls, tur

ess, Dickie.

ely!

e impulse to de

o wonder he can not bear the man who is hired to do what a Ffrench should be doing. It is n

ed away to the nearest window. But presently

o read about the

es were damp, Emily acce

, pl

ow I'm a stupid chump som

she laughe

is I who would like to shirk my

car were the focus of the hour's attention. The daring, the reckless courage that risked life for victory, the generosity which could throw that victory away to aid a comrade, and lastly the determination

ho read w

," sighed Dick, when the

e comes back, when you see him

Why don't you t

d the scarlet of excitement from h

not go to the factory any more

ed, Dick sat looking at he

s for the Mercury automobiles, the added prestige gained, and the public favor bestowed on the car. But she saw nothing of the man who wa

other times Bailey came up to the house, where affairs were conducted. But in neither place did Mr. Ffrench

ange because our high and mighty uncle falls out with him. And it would be pretty likely to happen if they met. Lestrange has a tem

March, and the cousins were at the end of the old park surr

s Mr. Lestrange,

ow Lestrange lives with him; a b

th the testing of the stripped cars, and rapidly approaching. Now, as Emily would have answered, the roar suddenly changed in character, an appalling series of explosions mingled with

sped Dick, and plunged head

up her skirts and ran after him. She knew we

he appeal

road a long low skeleton car was standing, one side lurched drunkenly down with two wheels in the gutter. Still in h

y of explanation. "I told Bailey it was a weak poi

hurt," Dic

tire gone. Find any

echanician. "Two funerals postponed

, rising and removing his goggl

e senses, that's all. Do you usua

, saw the girl at the edge of the par

red his head and, motor caps not being readily donned or doffed, so

lied, her color rising with her smile. "I am very glad

ast," reassured her cousin. "Honestly,

now that we've recently secured from the local authorities a permit to run at any speed over thi

regiment of men

er the dingy-gray machine in its state

pring and summer. No one drives it but me

t word, and went around to where Rupe

x it here?"

wled reply. "Back to camp fo

walk down and get a car fro

s dark, malign li

art for me," he mourned. "Now I'll have t

ily offered impulsively. "You," her dimpling smile gleamed out, "you

of appreciation crinkled streaks of du

and night shifts," he acknowledged with sweet cordiality.

" she remonstrated. "

glance toward t

m used to being killed ot

race with Lestrange every season, and yet you're af

was pitched out by a horse he lost control o

ou seen break their

upert succinctly. "I'm going on, D

und to the stables with him and make one of the m

swered. "I wil

olding her hands in her lap like a demure child. The house was so dull, so hopelessly monotonous contrasted

strange said presently. "I am afraid I

lly afraid

never tried him. But h

d; again Emily felt the sudden confidence, the falling away

aid irrelevantly. "I was g

simplicity. "But I did not want it t

was the n

ecked. There is no elation in defeating a driver who lies out on the course. But, as you say, it helped

y who looked back at him, ea

s happen-there are only a few people who grasp things and make them happen. That

ess we have brought it on ourselves by a fault we must undo-I need not speak o

with a clairvoyant reading of

given us to undo?" she asked eagerly

he ans

bewi

ugh with his own, at least so it seems to

her to speech, the feminine yearning to let another decide her problems

re a Ffrench should stand. All this must fall into the hands of strangers, to be broken and forgotten, when my uncle dies, for lack of some one who would care. And Uncle Ethan seems s

"Please do not think me fond of gossip; I could not avoid it. But I

k; but he was always a disappointment, always, Uncle Ethan has

ou

, her lip

t-but to find a substitute. I have promised my unc

moved nor spoke, gazing down at her bent h

nly sometimes I grow-to dislike it too much. I am so sel

ch an hour before she would have believed no one could force from her lips in articulate speech. And she

agnificent nonsense! It is the kind of situation, Miss Ffrench, where any man is justified in interf

flung back her he

our h

e questioned her full and straightly, "you didn't imagine tha

ncle

criticize. But do not ask any

, she struggled f

u do?" she marveled

d Lestrange with perfect coolness. "I s

ou

, and

can

iled," the firm lips set more firmly. "He

nge in Dick since his light contact with Lestrange; his avoidance of even occasional highballs, his awakeni

eve you could,

. "Only," he openly smiled,

ntiment. Emily laughed with him, laughed in

e gentle-po

k a step nearer her. "You will leave this in my car

e forgetting your own doctrine; you a

e more of him than you perhaps know; I understand what I am undertak

ation of being suddenly confronted w

ife and draw unhampered breath, and to decide the great

ll sharply across her late relief, a

e Anderson sits alongside and holds on; when they came to the turn in the avenue, your precious mechanician took it full speed and t

ctory car testers; and when we're racing I give him the wheel if I want to fix anything. However, I'm obliged to that steering-knuckle for breaking h

You're a

It's exh

and alarm mingling in his expression with somewhat the effect of the sm

't smash me up?

so far. If you feel timid, never mind, o

his plump face, the Ff

l come. It's only that you're so confoundedly r

e, glinting smile as h

own to the factory in time, I'