automobile rides that she should have! His small farm on the edge of the
town--once the pride of his heart--began to look forlorn and deserted;
for Phineas, when not actually driving his automobile, was usually to be
found hanging over it with wrench and polishing cloth. He bought little
food and less clothing, but always--gasolene. And he talked to any one
who would listen about automobiles in general and his own in particular,
learnedly dropping in frequent references to cylinders, speed, horse
power, vibrators, carburetors, and spark plugs.

As for Diantha--she went to bed every night with thankfulness that she
possessed her complement of limbs and senses, and she rose every morning
with a fear that the coming night would find some of them missing. To
Phineas and the town in general she appeared to be devoted to this
breathless whizzing over the country roads; and wild horses could not
have dragged from her the truth: that she was longing with an
overwhelming longing for the old days of Dolly, dawdling, and peace.

Just where it all would have ended it is difficult to say had not the
automobile itself taken a hand in the game--as automobiles will
sometimes--and played trumps.

It was the first day of the county fair again, and Phineas and Diantha
were on their way home. Straight ahead the road ran between clumps of
green, then unwound in a white ribbon of dust across wide fields and
open meadows.

"Tain't much like last year, is it, Dianthy?" crowed Phineas, shrilly,
in her ear--then something went wrong.

Phineas knew it instantly. The quivering thing beneath them leaped into