ver's
seat. Miss Beach, sitting by her side, showed her how to put the low
gear in, then to put in the clutch. The car started off under Winona's
guidance.

She gripped the steering wheel tightly, turning it to right or left at
first according to her aunt's directions, but soon from instinctive
comprehension. It was something like guiding a gigantic bicycle; she
could not yet exactly estimate the amount of turn required, but she felt
that it would come to her with practice. There was an immense
exhilaration in feeling the car under her control. For a beginner, she
really kept very steadily in the middle of the road; occasionally Aunt
Harriet made a snatch at the wheel, but that was seldom necessary. They
were going very slowly, only about ten miles an hour, but even that
seemed a tolerable speed to a novice. The road was curving now, and
Winona must steer round a corner; it was easier than she had expected,
and her instructress ejaculated "Good!" The sense of balance was
beginning to come to her. Such a tiny movement of the wheel sent the car
to right or left; at first she had jerked it clumsily, now she could
reckon the proportion with greater nicety. Was that something coming in
the distance? "Sound your hooter!" shouted Aunt Harriet quickly, as a
motor cycle hove in sight. In rather a panic, Winona squeezed the
india-rubber bulb, making the car lurch as she took her hand momentarily
from the wheel. "Keep well to the left!" commanded Miss Beach, and
Winona, with her heart in her mouth, contrived to obey, and passed her
first vehicle successfully. She heaved a sigh of relief when it had
whizzed by, and the road was once more clear. Naturally, however, she
could not expect to keep a thoroughfare all to herself. Further on, she
overtook a farmer's cart full of little squealing pigs. As it occupied
the exact center of the road she hooted (with great confidence this
time), and, when it had swung to the left, she rounded it successfully
on the right. A furniture van looked a terrible obstacle, but she passed
it without assistance, and began to wax quite courageous. Three motor
cars in succession tearing along one after another, and sounding
ear-splitting electric hooters, left her nerves rather rocky. When
houses and chimneys appeared in sight Miss Beach told her to stop.

"I daren't let a learner drive through a village. There are always too
many children and dogs about the street. Change places with me now, and
you shal