en I was at the coast, an incident happened--a kind of
unexpected emergency"--he paused thoughtfully as a sudden vision of a
moon-lit room flashed before him--"I got through that all right," he
added, "so I'm hopeful."

"How thrilling," said Mary. "Won't you tell me what it was?"

His eyes met hers with a placidity for which she could have shaken him.

"It wouldn't interest you," he said. "I hear Aunt coming at last."

Miss Campion's voice had indeed preceded her.

"Oh, there you are, Mary," she said with some acidity. "I told Desire
you were sure to be down first."

"I try to be prompt," said Mary meekly. "I have been keeping Benis
company until you were ready." She spoke to Miss Campion but her
slightly mocking eyes watched for some change upon the face of her
young hostess. Desire, as usual, was serene.

"Mary thinks we are all heathens not to have a car," said Benis. "When
are you going to choose yours, Desire?"

"Not at all, I think," said Desire.

Men, even clever men, are like that. The professor had seen no possible
sting in his idly spoken words. But the sore, hot spot, which now
seemed ever present in Desire's heart, grew sorer and hotter. To owe a
car to the reminder of another woman! Naturally, Desire could do very
well without it.

"But don't you miss a car terribly?" asked Mary with kind concern.

"I cannot miss what I have never had."

"Oh, in the west, I suppose one does have horses still."

"There may be a few left, I think." Desire's slow smile crept out as
memory brought the asthmatic "chug" of the "Tillicum." "My father and I
used a launch almost exclusively." In spite of herself she could not
resist a glance at the professor. His eyes met hers with a ghost of
their old twinkle.

"A launch?" Mary's surprise was patent. "Did you run it yourself?"

"We had a Chinese engineer," said Desire demurely. "But I could manage
it if necessary."

Further conversation upon modes of locomotion on the coast was cut off
by the precipitate arrival of John who, coming up the drive in his best
manner, narrowly escaped a triple fatality at the steps.

"You people are careless!" he exclaimed indignantly. "What do you mean
by standing on the drive? Some-one might have been hurt! Anyone here
like to get driven to the garden party?"

"Do doctors find time for garden parties in Bainbridge?" asked Mary in
mock surprise.

"Healthiest place you ever saw!" declared Dr. John gloomily. "And
anyway, this gar