Browning. Did you know her?"
"Did she have a crippled daughter, and did she live in that little white cottage on Maple Street with the ivy all over the porch and red geraniums growing along the walk?"
"Why yes, that’s the place! Did you know her?"
"No, I didn’t exactly know her, but I used to carry eggs and chickens down to her from Hunsicker’s farm when I was a kid. She was a nice, smiling lady and sometimes gave me a dime over price."
"Yes, she was like that. Well, I’ll try her. Perhaps I could telephone her from the garage."
"Yes, that would be a good idea," said the young man with a sudden dismayed feeling that he was about to lose contact with this girl who had seemed for a few minutes as if she belonged to him.
So when they reached the garage, Phil Pilgrim went with Mark to look at the car, and Laurel went to the telephone. But Laurel came back a few minutes later with dismay in her face.
"She’s gone out west to live with her married daughter," she said. "Her crippled daughter died, and she was all alone. She’s been gone a couple of years."
"Say, that’s tough luck!" said Pilgrim. "But don’t worry. We’ll find something. Mark, how about Mrs. Topham? Is she still keeping boarders? Not that she’s so hot as a cook," he explained to Laurel, "but she’s good and respectable."
"No," said Mark, flinging down the big wrench with which he was working and picking up another tool. "Mrs. Topham? was taken to a hospital two months ago, and her married daughter doesn’t take boarders. But if the lady wants a good place, whyn’t ya take her ta the new tearoom? It’s over on Houston Road, and they have swell meals there. They’ve got a few rooms, too, I hear, an’ I think the lady would like it there."
"Thank you," said Laurel. "That sounds good to me."
"All right," said Pilgrim. "Let’s go and investigate. Are there any things in your car you want to take along, in case you find a place to stay, Miss Sheridan?"
"Oh yes, my little overnight bag. It’s in the back of the car. The small key in the case fits it."
Pilgrim unlocked the compartment and brought out the bag.
"Now," he said to the garage man, "Mark, how about that generator? You said Chester couldn’t get one in Granby. Have you telephoned the city about it yet?"
"Sure thing," said Mark importantly. "Yes, they have it, and they’re putting it on the five ten train for me. If all goes well, you’ll have your car the first thing in the morning, lady, or at least before noon, unless something more turns up. But I’ve looked the car all over, and I don’t see anything else the matter."
"Well, that will be all right, I guess, but I’ll have to telephone again, I’m afraid, Mr. Pilgrim." She turned apologetically to Phil. "I had an engagement this evening that I forgot all about, and I’ll have to call it off. I won’t be a minute, if you don’t mind waiting."
Phil Pilgrim stood just outside the window that sheltered the telephone, and he couldn’t help hearing the conversation.
"Hello, is that you, Adrian? Yes, this is Laurel. Why, I’m sorry, Adrian, I can’t go with you to-night. I had a little car trouble and have to wait for repairs. No, nothing serious. Something went wrong with the generator, and I had to wait for the parts to come. What? You’ll come after me? No indeed, Adrian. I couldn’t think of letting you do that. It’s much too far for you to make it and get back in time for your other guests, and it would throw all your plans out. I’m very sorry to disappoint you, but it isn’t anything I could help. Of course I should have telephoned you sooner, but I didn’t know till just now that I won’t be able to get my car before morning. No, it’s quite impossible, Adrian… Oh yes, I’ll be all right. I have friends here. I’m sorry to disappoint you. When? Why yes, I may be able to see you Saturday evening if you should happen to be around. That is, I think I’ll be at home then, but I can’t be sure. I could telephone if I get back. Sorry, Adrian, but I know You’ll understand how it is. Good-bye!"
Laurel came out of the little glass room with a smile. She wasn’t feeling badly at missing her date! Or was she? Maybe she was smiling at hearing a beloved voice. How could he tell? Pilgrim wished he hadn’t overheard the conversation. He wished this hadn’t happened just now. Somehow it dimmed the pleasure that he had been anticipating in the small expedition on which they were about to embark. Of course she would have men friends. She had been going somewhere with one of them to-night.
But Laurel got into the Pilgrim car quite happily. Her friend Adrian had evidently not been happy over the canceling of their engagement and had been quite insistent that he would come after her, but she reflected contentedly that she had got away with the interview without telling him just where she was or giving him any clue to find her. And now he couldn’t possibly trace her and come after her even if he tried.
And he probably would try. Adrian Faber was that way. He always tried everything there was to try to carry out his point.
To tell the truth, she had come away from the city in haste and without leaving details of her whereabouts partly because she had felt it was essential that she should be by herself and think a few things through to their finish without the influence of any of her friends to distract her attention, especially the insistent friends who would go to the length of trying to make her marry them to prevent her going away. And she was not at all sure that she wanted to marry anyone. At least not now.
Also the events of the afternoon had put a new phase on life and made her feel that there was much to be understood and settled before she was ready to consider marriage with anybody.
So Laurel came back to the examination of her car with a lighter heart, having rid herself of an obligation that had troubled her more or less all day, because she had literally dreaded this evening’s engagement and had had only half an intention of returning in time to keep it, anyway.
"Well, it all depends on whether the new part comes down on the five ten train or not," said Pilgrim as she came toward him smiling.
"Yes?" Laurel. "And—if the part doesn’t come, then what?"
"Well, we’ll wait till the train comes in, and if it isn’t on the train, somebody is driving after it. Don’t worry. I think we’ll manage it somehow."
"Oh, but you mustn’t!" said Laurel with instant trouble in her eyes. "You’ve done so much already. You can’t drive sixty-five miles after a part for my car! I’ve practically used up half a day of your precious leave, and I simply won’t accept any more services. There must be someone I could pay to go after it. Or, wait! I could go back to the city on the train myself. There is an evening train. I looked up trains before I ventured over here, because I didn’t want to put myself permanently where there wouldn’t be good train service anytime I needed it. Then I could leave my car here till it was finished and return on the train or the early morning bus. Now please don’t worry anymore."
"Oh no. I won’t worry. I’m only a stranger you picked up, and I don’t have to do a thing more for you of course. So now, lady, how about our running around to look over that tearoom, just in case? I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry as the dickens, and I don’t see that eating a little snack together would injure the reputation of a schoolteacher in Carrollton, even if we are ‘practically strangers.’ What do you say? We’ve got time enough before that train gets in. But of course, if you’re not hungry, you could sit in my car while I go in and eat. I picked up a magazine and an evening paper when I was at the
