"everything was all right," for the man stayed many days, and while he
was there, of course Phineas was occupied with him. Colonel Smith was
unkind enough to observe that he hoped it was taking Phineas Hopkins
long enough to learn to run the thing; but his remark did not reach
Diantha's ears. She knew only that Phineas, together with the man and
the automobile, started off early every morning for some unfrequented
road, and did not return until night.

There came a day, however, when the man left town, and not twenty-four
hours later, Phineas, with a gleaming thing of paint and polish, stood
at Diantha's door.

"Now ain't that pretty," quavered Diantha excitedly. "Ain't that awful
pretty!"

Phineas beamed.

"Purty slick, I think myself," he acknowledged.

"An' green is so much nicer than red," cooed Diantha.

Phineas quite glowed with joy--Colonel Smith's car was red. "Oh, green's
the thing," he retorted airily; "an' see!" he added; and forthwith he
burst into a paean of praise, in which tires, horns, lamps, pumps,
baskets, brakes, and mud-guards were the dominant notes. It almost
seemed, indeed, that he had bought the gorgeous thing before him to look
at and talk about rather than to use, so loath was he to stop talking
and set the wheels to moving. Not until Diantha had twice reminded him
that she was longing to ride in it did he help her into the car and make
ready to start.