he found he was only halfheartedly interested now. Instead of eagerly accepting the invitations that these former associates of his offered to come to dinner or spend the evening, he found no inclination whatsoever in his heart for any such plans.
"Thank you, but I don’t believe that will be possible this trip," he told them all. "If I find I can get done what I am doing and can drop around for a few minutes later, I’ll call you up."
He turned away from the telephone half disgusted with himself. What did he have in the back of his mind that he did not want to go to his former friends? If it had anything to do with the girl into whose attention he had been thrust to-day, he had better cut it out. Oh, of course, it was just possible that when she came out of the schoolhouse there might be some urgent errand she ought to go on for which he would have to offer his services. And it was true that he should in courtesy keep the way clear to help a lady in distress.
A glance through the window showed that Miss Sheridan had not yet come out of the schoolhouse, and his watch showed the hour was up when he was to call the garage. He turned back to the telephone.
"Hello! Is this Mark? This is Pilgrim speaking. Have you got the car back? What seems to be the trouble? Was I right?"
It wasn’t a long conversation but a rather serious one.
"You can’t do any better than that? The girl is in a hurry to get her car. You’re sure you haven’t the necessary parts? Well, could I help by running in town to get anything? Oh, Chester has gone over to Granby, you say? And if he succeeds in getting what you need, can you fix it to-night? Well, about what time to-morrow? I see. Well, I’ll tell her, and meanwhile do your best, and we’ll drop around there in a little while and see how you are making out."
He went back to his car, a kind of pleasant elation filling him in spite of his common sense. He took his seat in the car, but his attention was toward the window where Laurel had been sitting before he went across the road to telephone. She had disappeared from it now.
While he sat watching the high school door for her appearance, his mind was busy thinking out possibilities. No, not really possibilities, just fantastic dreams.
Where would she be going for dinner? Could he by any stretch of imagination ask her to go with him? Of course not. A former filling station assistant taking a multimillionaire’s daughter to dinner! It was not even to be thought of. He drew a deep breath and threw his chin up in that gesture of challenge that was significant of his own quiet pride.
Suddenly she was coming out the door, pausing an instant on the top step, looking toward the car, then hurrying down as lithely and happily as a young student slipping out for recess. Without his knowledge, Phil’s sternness went into a welcoming smile.
And Laurel’s face was wreathed in smiles, too.
"I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long," she said as she stepped into the car, accepting Pilgrim’s courteous help. "I hadn’t any idea it was going to take so long, or I would have told you to go on and forget about me."
"Yes?" he said with a grin. "You’re not so easy to forget, my lady. And remember, we still have business to transact."
"Business?" said Laurel, lifting questioning eyes to his.
"Your car," he reminded.
"Oh yes, of course," said the girl in chagrin. "But I should have told you not to bother any further about that. You know, really I’m not a baby, and if I’m going to teach school and earn my own living I’ve got to learn to look after my own car, and all my other affairs."
"Yes?" Pilgrim said with a little tinge of his habitual gravity edging his grin. "But not when there’s a gentleman near to help. At least I hope I can count as a gentleman."
She gave him a swift questioning look. Had she somehow hurt him? "Oh—why, of course," she said heartily. "I don’t think I ever saw one with more courtesy. You’ve been perfectly marvelous. But I certainly am ashamed to have taken advantage of your courtesy all this time. And I mustn’t do it any longer. If you’ll just take me back to that garage, we’ll call it a day and—you can go on your way." Her voice trembled the least little bit as she said it, and she cast a frightened look up at him, trying to smile calmly.
He read all that in his one glance at her face, and his own took on a tenderer light. "Say, now, look here! Why can’t you give up that ‘perfectly marvelous’ way of looking at this thing and just for the time being pretend that we are old friends? I’ll promise you I’ll never take advantage of you afterward on account of it."
She gave him a quick almost indignant look. "Of course not!" she said definitely. "Even though we’re practically strangers, I would know that as well as if I had known you for years."
"Thank you," he said pleasantly. "But you forget. We’re not strangers. Not even practically. We are old friends, at least for the convenience of the day. Childhood friends, or if you prefer, school friends. We might compromise on that, although I do look a little old to have been a contemporary of yours in school."
"I don’t think you do," said Laurel quickly. "When people are grown up, no one stops to count the years between them. And it’s a woman’s business to keep young-looking of course, especially if she has to earn her living." She gave him a merry little twinkle and pushed her hair back from her forehead.
"Oh, by the way," said Pilgrim, "how did you make out?"
"Why, I made out very well when they finally got around to me," she said. "They must have been somewhat peeved that I wasn’t there at the beginning of the session, or else that’s their usual way of keeping applicants on nettles until they have had opportunity to study them carefully. At any rate, after they had given me a chair, they practically ignored me until they had canvassed a number of unimportant matters, like what they were going to do with one named Jimmy, and whether they should give up a certain kind of soap for cleaning that they have bought for years, in favor of a new kind that claims to do the work more cheaply, and whether they should allow any students to help in the cafeteria or require the matron in charge to do all the work. But after due time had passed and all the questions of the universe had been settled, they put me through a rigid questionnaire and then hired me. I am to begin Monday."
"That’s good, if that’s what you really want," said the young man, looking at her as if he would search out her real feelings in the matter.
"Well, I do," said the girl thoughtfully and not very cheerfully. "I’m not so strong on Carrollton, but if I don’t get started somewhere, I’ll never get anywhere. But what did the man say about my car? Have you telephoned?"
"Yes. It was generator trouble as I thought, and in consequence a blown fuse. He says he can’t possibly get it fixed for you before sometime to-morrow morning. How is that going to affect your plans? Have you a place to stay here all night, or would you like me to drive you to the city?"
"Oh, I couldn’t possibly let you do that," she said in dismay. "I’ll have to find a place to stay. Eventually I’m staying of course. But I’m not sure where yet. Didn’t there used to be a hotel in Carrollton?"
"Yes, but it’s not a very possible solution for you," said Pilgrim. "It’s rather tough. It isn’t a place your father would have wanted you to stay. But there must be some tourist place. We’ll see."
"I know," said Laurel. "There used to be a dear lady who lived not far from our old home, in a little cottage. Perhaps she would rent me a room. At least she would take me in for the night until I can have
