Friendship and Folly

ith him, and are boating, and playing tennis, and trying to play golf, and cycling, and it is a little too early for any of

rag with Carolyn F

akfast Mrs. Ffolliott remarked that

ander, with his mouth full, said that "Marmer'd

son; she continued to gaze at C

e went on. "She said she

she changed

nd when I told you, Caro, you laughed, and said it was a good thing. I w

e wh

in my dream,-that sa

irl, angrily. But she d

oom with a salver in her hand, and on th

e, then she sat down, for she s

e. Everybody telegraphed about everything. Notwithstanding this, the

r face; she was still

yn began to smile

wheel over to stat

ce Ffol

coffee desperately. "She isn

t, since she w

you s

es

drive over

N

e on a bicycle! I don't see when she learned, either. I thought she had been giving

n't know but Prue would be able to lear

Prue!" cr

hich he grinned, but kindly ref

e table. She held the mes

ou meet he

idea that she doesn't care. I don't precise

announced Leander. "I sha

dney coming bac

til to-

s on the ways of young people at the p

station, there were on the platform but two people, the agent and a sma

wheel, and another bicycle leaned

ng the steps of every ca

omen never do anything right

ighted. It was no use looking any

der!" sai

something touched his sh

are you sayi

ed off his atom of a cap and look

ome. How de do? You do look grand, though. And you

e. Let us kiss eac

I ain't no

. Then Leander

had on gloves like those which a few girls can find, and which most girls pass all their lives trying to find. And

up close on the other side of the rails. On this side a country road wound up a slight acclivity. There was one "open wagon," drawn by a sorre

ened; she sni

aid. "The tide is coming

ht as well have gone, for you can't ride. Just look at all the pleats and pipes 'n' thi

wired for it. Wait for the tra

ough," said th

unt Le

l's

ompany

y Ro

tant before t

Lawrence

such spoons that they ain

ey?" Prudence l

ward. They said it wasn't gentlemanly of me, bein' a friend and relation, to take it. Still the

ring w

opened her bag and selected fro

er, and in wondering what she would d

uld be equal to any emergency,-that is, as

d you find?"

of white gloves from the bag

id. His little brown finge

t red stone, you know, w

O

lt slip from its place, and the next moment her skirt, which he had derided, dropped down to the floor of the platform, her jacket was flung off, and there M

" he cried, in his thin, sharp

d on a bike?" She turned and looked at her companion with a laugh in her eyes. She had just now so lithe and active

I ought to be; marmer says she's expectin' every minute to see me brought in with

ring out from his window at the girl in white. He was shocked, but he was extremely interested, and he

eir utmost, but he kept on bravely. And he would not pant; he assumed a

on. She sat up straight, and her f

d, "Why didn't Car

idn't care to have her, a

aps she's gone somewhe

odney's off just now-comi

el

n't long enough. You're stunnin' on a bike. Caro's rather good, b

girl who discovered who it was. Instead of shrinking back a little, as Leander had done in spite of himself, when they found that it was a man lying there, Pru

" she said, i

ieve it!" cr

ome other man might be hurt thus, but not Rodney. With this rebellious disbelief in his fast-beating heart

ey," repeat

red as if they would close over her eyes and thus shut out the sight

n each side of the road. They might be there half a day, she knew, and no one w

put out one hand, and gently turned the head so that the face was a little more visible. She shuddered a

turned the stone inward. Then

first house," she s

ed Leander, quickly, a

You don't know how fast I can ride. It's almost three mile

itated. Then he was asha

here," he s

er watched her. For an instant he forgot everything

!" he said

re. He braced himself up. He remembere

his hands and stared at Rodney. Was that Rodney? If the man w

l of life and health and str

olemn thoughts came to the

ening for wheels, hoping tha

d about his face and

s, and that a whip lay on the ground a few yards off. Lea

o Rodney had been riding; and he had co

sister would mourn herself to death. He supposed his si

eyes, but the tears would come. It was while he was doing this that he thought he heard a sound; as he c

really

the man in the road. Lawrence had raised himself

r ran

Then he half smiled, and said, feebly, "I suppos

the boy. And then he sobbed outrig

erhaps

ence stared rather stupidly at no

bethought himself to

ught I'd wait until

d his he

that?" h

hite glove that lay n

owly reached forth his han

s," was t

's?" he ask

of leather in his grasp. He knew that odor of iris; it had alway

d Leander; "

nt. His face was

omething!" exclaimed Leande

s gon

rue, of

himself up on

said. "I thought I was do

seen an

go home to his own stable, and the stable

to gain in color. He pressed his hand to his head. He laugh

d, and then he rose

looked down at it, made a slight motion

have happened along here now. You see I should have come to myself all right, and n

on the ground, an

tories of adventure he had read the right person always had a bottle of whisky or brandy to produce at the right moment.

coming back. She had made good

d she alighted from it as swif