The leaves of the forest trees had been touched, gently as yet, by
the withering fingers of coming winter, and the browns, reds, golden
ambers, purples and flame colors ran riot under the hazy light of an
October sun, slowly sinking to rest.

"It was a shame to go alone, on this simply perfect day," murmured
the autoist, as she drew off one glove to tuck back under her
motoring cap a rebellious lock of hair. "But I couldn't get a single
one of the girls on the wire," she continued. "Oh, I just hate to go
in, while there's a moment of daylight left!"

She stood on the porch, against a background of white pillars, facing
the golden west, that every moment, under the now rapidly appearing
tints of the sunset, seemed like some magically growing painting.

"Well, I can't stand here admiring nature!" exclaimed Cora Kimball,
with a sudden descent to the commonplace. "Mother will be wanting
that worsted, and if we are to play bridge tonight, I must help Nancy
get the rooms in some kind of shape."

As Cora entered the vestibule, she heard a voice from the hall inside
saying:

"Oh, here she is now!"

"Bess Robinson!" murmured Cora. "And she said she couldn't come
motoring with me. I wonder how she found time to run over?"

Cora Hung open the door to confront her chum Bess or, to be more