seat. Clever little woman! She is going to make the young captain
jealous! Well enough does she know how to do that!"

Not quite so well pleased was the young woman herself, as the drive
proceeded. Though she did all in her power to charm Hal, and though she
did succeed in interesting him, she could not draw the boy out into much
conversation. Hal usually had little to say. Though he answered Mlle.
Nadiboff courteously from time to time, he did not utter many words.
Indeed, he appeared to be thinking of something far remote from the
present scene.

"Are you bored, Mr. Hastings? Does the sound of my voice annoy you?"
asked Mlle. Nadiboff, as the auto flew over the quiet country roads
inland from Spruce Beach.

"Good gracious, no!" replied Hal.

"Then why do you say so little?"

"Because you say it so much better, Mademoiselle."

"But flattery will never take the place of interested conversation."

"Engineers don't talk much," protested Hal.

"So they think a great deal. Of what were you thinking?"

"Oh?" murmured Hal. "Oh, I was thinking of my engine, I guess."

Mlle. Nadiboff bit her lips in secret rage. If she had felt that she