he reached a hand to assist Eveley, for he knew that she would
fall headlong among the cushions she kept conveniently placed for that
purpose. "It is easy enough getting in, if you take your time," she
always said defensively to criticizing friends. "But I am usually in a
hurry myself, so I keep the cushions handy."

On this evening, being tired, she remained on the floor where she had
comfortably landed, and lazily removed her hat and veil, tossing them
lightly into a distant corner.

"If it wasn't for the carburetor rubbing on the spark plugs," she said
plaintively, "I'd get the Doric in spite of everything. Did you ever see
such blue eyes in your life, Nolan?"

"The Mason is a better car in every way," he said flatly. "Strongly
built, low hung, smart-looking, and the engine perfect."

Eveley frowned. "Isn't that like a man? The Mason! I wish you could have
seen him, Kitty. Fifty years old if he was a day, and bald, and two
double chins. And talked through his nose. And what do you suppose he
talked about? His wife--and how she loves the Mason. What do I care what
his wife thinks about the Mason? I wouldn't have the Mason if he offered
me one. I'll bet it is so easy riding that it fairly sprouts double
chins--on the drivers."

"You are buying a car, Eveley--not a driver," Nolan explained.

"But the Doric is rather light in weight, and very high in price. How I
wish you could have heard him tell about it, Kitty. When he said
carburetor it was just like running up a scale of music. And his
fingernails were manicured as nicely as my own."

"Is dinner ready?" Nolan interrupted furiously. "Come and eat. Great
Scott! That girl would buy a bum car and a costly one, because the
demonstrator has shined his nails."

"And, Kitty, he said if we could go to-morrow evening at five-thirty he
would take us to La Jolla to show us how she climbs the grades. She will
go up on high."

"When did he say that?" interrupted Nolan. "I can not go with you
to-morrow night. Don't you remember I told you we had a meeting--"

"I know, dear. I am so sorry. But Kitty will go with us, won't you?"

"Will I?" echoed Kitty ecstatically. "Won't I? Do you suppose they have
another one, with brown eyes, to go along to--to change tires, or
anything?"

"I don't know, but we can ask. He is going to phone me at the office
to-morrow to find out where to call for us. He is very respectable. He
goes to the Methodist Church, and his uncle is a banke