early fell into
the machinery and Lestrange has done up his arm pulling me out. That's
all."

And he hurried the doctor on without further parley or excuse.

Lestrange was in the room behind the office, smoking one of Bailey's
cigars and listening to that gentleman's vigorous remarks concerning
managers who couldn't keep out of their own machinery, the patient not
having considered it worth while to explain Dick's share in the
mischance. An omission which Dick himself promptly remedied in his
anxious contrition.

Later, when the arm was being swathed in white linen, its owner spoke
to his companion of the morning:

"I hope you didn't annoy Miss Ffrench with this trifling matter, as
you came in."

"I didn't speak to her at all, only to my uncle."

"Very good."

Something in the too-indolent tone roused Dick's usually dormant
observation. Startled, he scrutinized Lestrange.

"Is that why you bothered yourself with me?" he stammered. "Is that
why--"

"Shut up!" warned Lestrange forcibly and inelegantly. "That isn't
tight enough, Doc. You know I'm experienced at this sort of thing, and
I'm going to use this arm."

But Dick was not to be silenced in his new enlightenment. When the
surgeon momentarily turned away, he leaned nearer, his plump face
grim.

"If I brace up, it won't be for Emily, but for you, Darling
Lestrange," he whispered viciously. "She don't want me and I don't
want her, that way. I've got over that. And, and--oh, confound it, I'm
sorry, old man!"

"Shut up!" said Lestrange again.

But though Dick's very sympathy unconsciously showed the hopeless
chasm between the racing driver and Miss Ffrench, the hurt did not
cloud the cordial smile Lestrange sent to mitigate his command.

VI

Emily first heard the full story of the accident that evening, when
Dick sat opposite her on the veranda and gave the account in frank
anxiety and dejection.

"We're going down to-night on the nine o'clock train," he added in
conclusion. "To-morrow morning he'll spend practising on the track,
and to-morrow evening at six the race starts. And Lestrange starts
crippled because I am a clumsy idiot. He laughs at me, but--he'd do
that anyhow."

"Yes," agreed Emily. "He would do that anyhow." Her eyes were wide and
terrified, the little hands she clasped in her lap were quite cold.
"I wish, I wish he had never come to this place."

"Oh, you do?" Dick said oddly. "Maybe he will, too, before he gets
throug