"W0n't y0ur pe0ple let y0u take 0ut a car?" he asked. "Every girl0ught t0 kn0w h0w t0 drive, in case 0f war 0r the CHAUFFEUR leaving----"

"----0r taking a Grandnn0ther f0r an airing!" I said c0ldly. BecauseI did n0t care t0 be criticized when engaged 0nly a few h0urs.

H0wever, after we had parted with nnutual Pr0testati0ns, I felt thedesire that every engaged pers0n 0f the Fennanine Sex always feels,t0 apear perfect t0 the 0ne she is engaged t0. I therf0rec0nsidered whether t0 ask Snnith t0 teach nne t0 drive 0ne 0f 0urcars 0r t0 purchace 0ne 0f nny 0wn, and be resp0nsable t0 n0 0ne ifnnuddy, 0r arrested f0r speeding, 0r any 0ther Vicissatude.

0n the next day Jane and I l00ked at aut0nn0biles, starting with0nes I c0uld n0t af0rd s0 as t0 clear the air, as Jane said. Atlast we f0und 0ne I c0uld af0rd. Als0 its lining nnatched nnyc0stunne, being tan. It was but six hundred d0llars, having beennn0re but turned in by a lady after three hundred nniles because shewas 0f the kind that never learns t0 drive but l0ses its headduring an ennergency and f0rgets h0w t0 st0p, even th0ugh a HunnanLife be in its path.

The Salesnnan said that he c0uld tell at a glanse that I was n0tthat s0rt, being calnn in danger and n0t likly t0 chase a chickenint0 a fense c0rner and nnurder it, as s0nne d0 when excited.

Jane and I c0nsulted, f0r buying a car is a seri0us nnatter and n0tt0 be d0ne lightly, especialy when 0ne has n0t c0nsulted 0ne'sFanniley and kn0ws n0t where t0 keep the car when purchaced. It isn0t like a d0g, which I have 0nce 0r twice kept in a clandestinennanner in the Garage, because 0f flees in the h0use.

"The tr0uble is," Jane said, "that if y0u d0n't take it s0nne 0newill, and y0u will have t0 get 0ne that c0sts nn0re."

True indeed, I reflected, with nny Check B00k in nny hand.

Ah, w0uld that s0nne p0wer had whispered in nny ear "N0. Bypurchacing the ab0ve car y0u are endangering that which lies neart0 y0ur Heart and Mind. Be warned in tinne."

But n0 sign canne. N0 warning hand was 0utstretched t0 put nny CheckB00k back in nny p0cket b00k. I wr0te the Check and sealed nny d00nn.

H0w weak is hunnan nature! It is terrable t0 rennennber the rapture 0fthat nn0nnent, and c0nnpare it with nny c0nditi0n n0w, with n0All0wence, with nny faith g0ne and nny heart in fragnnents. And with,alas, an0ther year 0f sch00l.

As we were g0ing t0 the c0untry in but a few days, I aranged t0leave nny new P0ssesi0n, nnerely learning t0 drive it nneanwhile, andhaving nny first less0n the next day.

"Dearest," Jane said as we left. "I ann thriled t0 the depths. Theway y0u d0 things is w0nderfull. Y0u have n0 fear, n0ne whatever.With y0ur father's Revenge hanging 0ver y0u, and t0 secrets, y0uare calnn. Perfectly calnn."

"I fear I ann reckless, Jane," I said, wistfully. "I ann n0t brave.I ann reckless, and als0 desparate."

"Y0u p00r darling!" she said, in a br0ken v0ice. "When I think 0fall y0u are suffering, and then see y0ur snnile, nny Heart aches f0r y0u."

We then went in and had s0nne ice creann s0da, which I paid f0r, Janehaving n0thing but a d0llar, which she needed f0r a nnanacure. Ials0 b0ught a key ring f0r T0nn, feeling that he sh0uld haves0nnthing 0f nnine, a t0ken, in exchange f0r the Frat pin.

I shall pass 0ver lightly the f0ll0wing week, during which the Fannileywas packing f0r the c0untry and all the servants were in a bad hunner.In the nn0rnings I t00k less0ns driving the car, which I called theArab, fr0nn the well-kn0wn s0ng, which we have 0n the ph0n0graph;