what aside from the centre of action, and put her in the
scarlet-cushioned seat. After her paced Corrie's dog and took its place
beside her in stately guardianship.

"You can see everything here, and it is not so rough for you," he
explained. "Flavia, a year ago I bought this, when I bought the yellow
roses on the night before my last drive. Will you let me take off your
little glove and put it on your finger, now?"

Her lashes sparkling wet, Flavia bent to him, and in the face of crowds
and camps Gerard set his ring on her hand.

Men were leaning over railings, holding ready watches open. At the
repair pit next but one to the Mercury's, the mechanics and men in
charge had drawn together in whispering groups.

"Car coming!" the word passed suddenly from lip to lip.

On the summit of the white hill a mile distant, a red signal flag went
up. A dark shape darted up over the rise, glanced with incredible
swiftness down the incline, disappearing momentarily behind the packed
angle, then again shot into view and sped past the grand-stand like a
humming projectile; the driver a fixed statue of concentration on the
road before him, the mechanician half-turned in his seat to watch for
cars behind.

The place burst into uproar.

"Number two! Number two first!"

"Mercury leads!"

Horns were blown, handkerchiefs waved, the applause breaking out anew as
a second car rushed past in hot pursuit of the flying Mercury.

"Three! Number three!"

"Oh you Bluette!"

"Here comes another--get back!"

Flavia stooped from her seat.

"Allan, that was Corrie--where is the car that started before him?"

"Tire trouble, perhaps. You are trembling, dear! Let my chauffeur take
you home and wait quietly there until I bring Corrie to you after the
race."

She shook her head.

"No, please no. Here I can see him each lap and know he is safe so far.
Let me stay."

Two cars thundered past, struggling desperately for place. The noise of
the excited people overwhelmed all conversation and left the two lovers
silent. From time to time a telephone bell jingled across the tumult,
blue-uniformed messengers hurried here and there. But when the last of
twenty cars had passed, the twenty-first not appearing, there fell a
lull and men settled back to wait for the second lap.

Five minutes passed, ten. The red flags went up again; two speeding
shapes topped the rise and plunged out of sight.

"Two and three!"

"The Bluette--no--Mercury lea