behind, was gloomy. He had overheard his mother's
conversation with the inventor: it seemed curious to him that this
Morgan, of whom he had never heard until last night, should be using the
name "Isabel" so easily; and George felt that it was not just the thing
for his mother to call Morgan "Eugene;" the resentment of the previous
night came upon George again. Meanwhile, his mother and Morgan continued
their talk; but he could no longer hear what they said; the noise of
the car and his uncle's songful mood prevented. He marked how animated
Isabel seemed; it was not strange to see his mother so gay, but it was
strange that a man not of the family should be the cause of her gaiety.
And George sat frowning.

Fanny Minafer had begun to talk to Lucy. "Your father wanted to prove
that his horseless carriage would run, even in the snow," she said. "It
really does, too."

"Of course!"

"It's so interesting! He's been telling us how he's going to change it.
He says he's going to have wheels all made of rubber and blown up with
air. I don't understand what he means at all; I should think they'd
explode--but Eugene seems to be very confident. He always was confident,
though. It seems so like old times to hear him talk!"

She became thoughtful, and Lucy turned to George. "You tried to swing
underneath me and break the fall for me when we went over," she said. "I
knew you were doing that, and--it was nice of you."

"Wasn't any fall to speak of," he returned brusquely. "Couldn't have
hurt either of us."

"Still it was friendly of you--and awfully quick, too. I'll not--I'll
not forget it!"

Her voice had a sound of genuineness, very pleasant; and George began to
forget his annoyance with her father. This annoyance of his had not
been alleviated by the circumstance that neither of the seats of the
old sewing-machine was designed for three people, but when his neighbour
spoke thus gratefully, he no longer minded the crowding--in fact, it
pleased him so much that he began to wish the old sewing-machine would
go even slower. And she had spoken no word of blame for his letting that
darned horse get the cutter into the ditch. George presently addressed
her hurriedly, almost tremulously, speaking close to her ear:

"I forgot to tell you something: you're pretty nice! I thought so the
first second I saw you last night. I'll come for you tonight and take
you to the Assembly at the Amberson Hotel. You're going, aren't you?"

"Yes, b