From the Car Behind

iver's own explanation of his accident was accepted; his attitude towards the young amateur fixed the attitude of the public. Moreover, Jack Rupert was stricken suddenly dumb; no reportorial b

ence from the pink car quashed the last rumor, for the finding o

f Flavia, as she sat opposite him behind the gold coffee-service, and addressed himself to his breakfast. He never looked towards his son at that moment, nor did Corrie ever break the ensuing

father's command to live so as to provoke no comment. But Isabel's boasted, perfect nerves were shattered beyond such control. She moped all day in her own roo

se echoes threatened to linger so long, that Is

sked me to go South with Caroline and her, you know. Uncle says I may do

standing, catching and crushing a fold of the drap

treat him-how you treat him! You hardly speak to him, you hardly look at him

chair-back, comme

repeated hysterically. "Do

s from you would help him so much. Do you know where he spent yesterday? He was out in his motor boat; out in November wit

I

self quite unconscious of how overwhelming

but more punishment. Yes, go away, that is bes

Her gaze dwelling on Flavia, she slowly retreated a few steps to

cted Corrie's sister; a sweep of flame-like anger that blinded judgment, a slipping of self-mastery that loosed h

eet him and herself break the tidings of his cousin's coming departure. He would be walking; he had not touched an automobile

the flat landscape as he came towards her. At sight of her little carriage and the cream-colored p

en she leaned towards him with her

eed to ask whe

ured, after he was seated beside he

tte

ere every

ry d

d,

tor magazines,-about everything except himself or me. It is his right arm, now, the other hur

eech must establish beyond the refuge of doubt. Very gently he laid hi

lace, Flavia? Well, all

the reins escaped her grasp. For the moment memory and vision fused; she saw the straight, slender pitcher poised with arms raised above his brown head, saw his laughing glance go questi

ore he spoke, with the new steady se

now; we don't stand still. Gerard will go away to his own home, soon. You and father

the purpose he had shown her in the fountain arbor? It seemed so impossible that the thrill that shook her was

he told him, hesitatingly. "She is going South with Mr

off, away from here, and you will be better for

urned in her sea

rri

out of me. It took a bad shock to cure me of Isabel, but I'm well. There's nothing left of that

ntly that neither brother nor sister perceived its approach until

leasant to this family than that field," caustically observed Mr. Rose.

pen the door, while Corrie and Flavia loo

s son rose to yield the place beside Flavi

trong, square-set head was between the two who sat in front. The automobile obediently sped on, a

y. "I didn't wonder, nor I didn't try to force you to fit my pattern; we were solid friends and I was willing to take on faith your ways of being different. Once in a while I

through Corrie, bu

of a bad thing. You will have to go away for a year or two, keep apart from automobile racing and automobile people, and live gossip down. Poor Gerard did his

like to go away for a time, sir," Co

is likely to be another kind of a crash, and two crashes don't mend a break. You'll have all the money you want and I don't care where you go or ho

reins from Flavia; blinded by tears, sh

haps none of the three were ungrateful for the shadows which veiled them from one a

wait. I don't want you to worry about me or to be unhappy. I did a lot of thinking yesterday, out in the speed-boat by

his former casual caresses, and went down the broad steps, walkin