The Flying Mercury

ction of the heart, her pride in loving and being loved so overbore the knowledge that only sorrow co

as almost in

two months Bailey has been talking of his interest in the business and attendance at the factory, bu

"a very great change. He

ies me to have a Ffrench representing me in

st come do

er beside him and passed

ran. "Last big driver to arrive, Lestrange is in Merc

echanician masked to goblinesque non-identity, with the legend unde

brother's desire to have the future name still Ffrench and F

m the picture, recalled t

e echoed

rom extinction; that is at rest." He paused for an instant. "My de

d, her courage rose to

she said, carefully quiet in manner, "would it matter

under Mr. Ffrench's self-absorbtion. He looked across the table at her colorless,

your own choice, without thought of utility or fortune. Of course, I need not say prov

ds. Emily folded her hands over the paper in her lap and the pleasant breakfa

se part way down the park, an ancient white pavilion standing beside the brook that gurgled by on its way to the Hudson, where the young

d better ones-this does not show his face-but I will

n to the factory, she never doubted, and all would continue as before, except that she must not see him. He would unde

ad succeeded! Who else in the world could have so transformed Dick? Leaning on the table, her round chin in her palm as she gazed down at the paper in her lap, her fancy slipped back to that night on t

at some one's passage; a

the original fear to present himself? See, I can match." He held out a card burned at the corne

t in his glowing face all in

gasped p

y dear, my dear, after last night di

e r

artner is busy practising this morning, and I'll be back in a couple of hours. I was afrai

was very sweet. He had not touched her, yet Emily had th

eet each other any more? Only, you will not go far away-you will stay where I can

mi

s she held out her white hands in deprecati

his son did. Oh, I will never marry any one else, and we will hear of each other; I can read in th

mi

be angry? You know I can do not

ttle hands in his clasp, bending to

have kissed you when I could not claim you?" he asked. "Did you

back, her dark ey

u-m

incognito. I have driven racing cars and managed this factory to earn my living, having no other

g up into his eyes. "Not to me

h other. As from the first, there was no shyness between the

I must go back, or there will be a fine disturbance at the Beach. And I have shattered my other plans to insignificant f

t as his own, her yellow hair rumpled into flossy

e echoed. "Is there a

bareheaded before it all. But yet, I told you once that I had a purpose to accomplis

ave a f

in love and upset everything. When I tell Mr. Ffre

You

not say he would want to give you to me. Nor will he; unless I am mistaken. Are you going to be brave

ow can you tell he does

s 'Darling' Lestrange

en demand dis

ate with your kinsman. No, it is for you to say whether Ethan F

be no more trouble," s

dily, his gray eyes darkening to

ere no cancelling of a claim, is there no s

her fingers tightened on hi

now best what is right-I trust you to t

l the light flashin

t singing in my ears. I have more to say to you, bu

use; let me send

ome back

ughed t

ned rosily, "they all call you 'Darli

range said quietly, and

brook tinkled over the cascades in a very madness of mirth. At the head of the veranda s

nows you," she laughed in her

also, but separately, the former having taken the short route across toward the fac

ran, she found Bailey himself engaged in an inspect

ntial, Anderson," he was pronouncing,

," she urged

ng, with his slow benevolent sm

replying until they we

is in the pavilion.

lmost shouted, halti

there is time. He is going

at does he mean by risking hi

," she whispered,

ntly, after a moment of speechle

ding eyes to him

to know because you like us both.

s the daz

But come, he

to bewilder any one. Bailey dumbly followed her b

n Emily stopped abruptly, turning

"Some one is speaking. I forgot

to beat with heavy irregularity, as a few steps farther brough

ion; his hands clenched on the arms of the chair, his face drawn with passion. Opposite him stood Lestrange, colorless and still as Emily had

ou to live upon the allowance sent every month to your bankers, for I would pay no more even to escape the intolerable disgrace of your presence here. Did you imagine me so deserted that I would

age triumph, and Lestrange took the

r bar: I have never yet disgraced your name or mine unless by the boy's mischief which sent me from college. The money you speak of, I have never used; ask Bailey of it, if you will." He hesitated, and in the empty moment there came across the mile of June air the r

e turning to go, that checked even Ethan Ffrench. But as Lestrange crossed the threshold of the little buildi

d. "Not without seeing me!

n returned as he caught her

on? There is no one like you. Say, shall I tak

ome inarticulate words,

yes on the gray eyes above her. "S

on the bench by the pavilion door, Bailey brushed past her, running after the straight, lithe figure tha

k were empty, Emily slowly

nch?" he asked, his

he had no need to ask

o some woman of

N

know? He h

ce of her glance, although nervous tr

d not have made me care for him.

either moving, they sat opposite each other in silence. So Bailey found them when he came back l

one to straighten them out a bit; I've loved Mr. David from the time he was a kid and never saw

ich precludes speech; Mr. Ffrench

ve closed our doors some day. He understands the business as none of us back-number, old-fashioned ones do; he took hold and shook some life into it. We can make cars, but he can make people buy them

racing driver to help us along. And now everything is fixed the way we want, he's thrown out. What did he do it for? He thought he needed to square accounts with you, for being born, I sup

edge of the table. Mr. Ffrench picked it up and r

is true," he began, accu

ench. He never touched it, not from the first; it piled up for six years. Last April, when we needed cash in a hurry, he drew it out and gave it to me to buy aluminum. When he left here first he drove a taxicab in New York City un

f wings. The clink of glass and silver sounded from the house wind

ly knows, that Dick Ffrench was no use on earth for any place until Mr. David took him in hand and made him fit to live. That's all, I guess, that I had to say; I'll get back t

, uncle and niece were left opposite each other, the crumpled newspaper where

Emily dizzied by apprehension. But when Mr. Ffrench ro

" she f

hand, he went on and left her there alone.

A substitute," and laid her wet

e servants. Near three o'clock in the afternoon Mr. Ff

l tone. "We will start now. I have sent for Bail

e wondered,

ith a stately rep

this race lasts twenty-four h

near David! Emily