er,
still smiling.

"It's too much shut in," replied the chauffeur as one who had voiced a
final and insurmountable objection. All the "summer resorts" in this
neighborhood were of one pattern, and no one would so much as dream of
varying from the first successful model.

Sam scarcely heard. He was looking back toward the trough of those two
picturesquely wooded hills, and for the rest of the drive he asked but
few questions.

At Hollis Creek, where he found a much more imposing hotel than the one
at Meadow Brook, he discovered Miss Stevens, clad in simple white from
canvas shoes to knotted cravat, in a summer-house on the lawn, chatting
gaily with a young man who was almost fat. Sam had seen other girls
since he had entered the grounds, but he could not make out their
features; this one he had recognized from afar, and as they approached
the summer-house he opened the door of the machine and jumped out
before it had come properly to a stop.

"Good morning, Miss Stevens," he said with a cheerful self-confidence
which was beautiful to behold. "I have come over to take you a little
spin, if you'll go."

Miss Stevens gazed at the caller quizzically, and laughed outright.

"This is so sudden," she murmured.

The caller himself grinned.

"Does seem so, if you stop to think of it," he admitted. "Rather like
dropping out of the clouds. But the auto is here, and I can testify
that it's a smooth-running machine. Will you go?"

She turned that same quizzical smile upon the young man who was almost
fat, and introduced him, curly hair and all, to Mr. Turner as Mr.
Hollis, who, it afterward transpired, was the heir to Hollis Creek Inn.

"I had just promised to play tennis with Mr. Hollis," Miss Stevens
stated after the introduction had been properly acknowledged, "but I
know he won't mind putting it off this time," and she handed him her
tennis bat.

"Certainly not," said young Hollis with forcedly smiling politeness.

"Thank you, Mr. Hollis," said Sam promptly. "Just jump right in, Miss
Stevens."

"How long shall we be gone?" she asked as she settled herself in the
tonneau.

"Oh, whatever you say. A couple of hours, I presume."

"All right, then," she said to young Hollis; "we'll have our game in
the afternoon."

"With pleasure," replied the other graciously, but he did not look it.

"Where shall we go?" asked Sam as the driver looked back inquiringly.
"You know the country about here, I suppose."