The Flying Mercury

owed. The somber master of the house met it in Bailey's undisguised elation and pride when they discussed the successful business now taxing t

ith Lestrange, that Dick electrified the company

t sort of thing," he announce

stonishment. It was Saturday night and by an

en attending a revival meeting?" the y

I shouldn't like to do anything other fellows do. Les-that is, none of

e display of ostentatious virtue, but found no comment. Emily gazed at

Dick," said Bailey

comparatively little of him, as time went on, the village and fac

verlay all the life of both house and factory. Sometimes this showed so plainly that she believed Mr. Ffrench mus

oadsters myself," he stated on

felt for h

you not use t

chauffeur. I want a classy car to run myself. I've been

t one," answered his uncle, quite

ait my turn, we've orders ahead now. Lestrange says I'

ch slowly

s Lestrange," was the cold rebuke. "I shall t

estrange was discreet as well as compelling, when she found the black-eyed young mechanician was detailed

t of June was to open with a twenty-four hour race at the Beach track, and Lestrange was

Ffrench walked into the roo

ou wish to drive me down to the factory, or sh

ed, rising with alacrity. "I have

are looking well

olor swept the face

think we are all b

iberately over the large room with all its traces of a family

nny road for the factory office, a north room none too light, it was a moment before their dazzled eyes pe

g the boy who had ushered them in. "Sit down,

voice speaking beyond the half-open door, and t

e was stating definitely.

ley's slower tones objected. "For yea

recked the leader at the last Beach race and dashed him through the fence. Do you know what it means to the driver of a machine hurling itself along the narrow verge of destruction, when the steering-w

a pause, filled by the dull roar and thr

s that broke, any of t

here would have been a wreck. As it was, I brought her to a stop in the ditch. There is no other thing that may not leave a fighting chance after it breaks, but this le

Lestrange's laughing face as he leaned breathless across his useless

Dick's disturbed tones. "Remember, he's got to d

aught him up. "I'm not flinching; I've driven the car before and I will again. It may hold for

urely if ever Mr. Ffrench was to meet his manager, this was the moment; when Lestrange's ringing argument was still in their ears, his splendid f

she began

ge's light step that h

ailey. "Excuse me, Mr. Ffrench, t

Emily fancied she heard an echo, as if the two young men

r with you?" Mr. Ffre

hief and rubbed his brow. "Excuse me, it's warm. Yes, he wants me to strengthen a knuckle

d building chassis better than this racing driver. You had best

" Emily

-morrow night," Bailey suggested uneasily.

ays made the

s,

e your manager's tone; he is too ass

floor with a sharp crash as she

ealed. "You heard him say what would

ch looked at her,

his is mere childishness, Emily. Men will be consulted mo

other she gazed,

cart," she said. "I-I wo

etween lines of grimly efficient machines that bit or cut their way through the s

in her horse-motor car, and she called me off the track to ask

k, running an astonis

answ

answ

embroidery. I'm several laps

eparted, sitting down on a railing beside a machine ste

range exclaimed sharp

safe e

of the kind. T

se, "if you're going to get f

e card with a faint f

opinion," the legend ran, in pencil. "Have Mr. Bailey stre

ten metal carelessly back and forth, and splashing hissing drops over the floor

ick at la

f subordination, I believe-this is Mr. Ffrench's factory. I've done my part and we'll t

l you're g

you would n

lot together this spring, Lestrange; I don't like this business

ld have been down to-day if there had not been so much to do here

red uncom

e at all, thank you.

is no one to take your place. This factory will be yours and you will have to look afte

t the hea

t agree

d room of workers, the ceaseless uproar shut in thei

er man confessed plaintively. "You're different from other fellows and you've made me different. I'd rathe

you to

I

to pass through the narrow aisle. Dick broke his sentence to rise in

ang forward and caught him, fairly snatching him from the greedy teeth. There was the rending of fabric, a gasping

with a recklessness endangering

trange!"

th a scorched and bleeding bar where it had touched the glittering wh

urt?" was the

Come to a surgeon, Lestrange-O

surface-wound, then quickly

right." And as the man slowly obeyed, "Now will you

d race with

you coming

Dick passed a damp han

I'd be ground up there, if you hadn't caught me," he looked toward the jaws sullenly

rilliant with a resolve that took no heed of physical discomfort. "Then give me your word that you'll stick to your work here. That is m

ed and earnest. "I couldn'

ged out his handkerchief a

o

was having a good time. It began with liking you and thinking of all you did, and feeling funny alo

med and cleared. Smiling,

le you are upset like this. But I don't believe you'll be sorry. Come

back to recover some small object lying on the floor beneath a pool of chilling metal. W

ith the first touch of sadness the other ever

ut to the cart where Emily waited, he passed Dick and the village physician ent

ent?" he

ficiently exasperating, and

at I nearly fell into the machinery and Lestrang

octor on without fur

remarks concerning managers who couldn't keep out of their own machinery, the patient not having considered it worth wh

hed in white linen, its owner spok

ss Ffrench with this trifli

to her at all, o

y go

used Dick's usually dormant observati

d yourself with me?" he

"That isn't tight enough, Doc. You know I'm experience

ightenment. When the surgeon momentarily turne

he whispered viciously. "She don't want me and I don't want her, that

said Lest

chasm between the racing driver and Miss Ffrench, the hurt did n