hat day or for some days to
come, I left instructions for telegrams to be sent to England, and was
up beside Ferdinand without further ado.

I have told you that he stood already high in the list, and so you will
understand that we hadn't long to wait for the word "Go!" Before that
could be given, however, and while the car was still in the "control,"
who should come up to us but Maisa Hubbard herself; and, will you
believe it, I felt all my confidence, both in man and car, oozing out
of my finger-tips, just like water running out of a tap. How or why
that should have been I am not the man to say; but there was the fact,
that this pretty woman could work this magic upon me just by a look out
of her sly eyes, and could do worse to my friend Ferdinand, as I
plainly perceived. As for that poor chap, he turned as white as a
ghost directly he saw her, and I really thought he would never be able
to start the car at all.

"Oh, my dear boy, I have been looking for you everywhere," cried she,
offering him a little bunch of red roses, just as though she loved him
dearly. "Now, won't you take these for luck? I'm sure you'll want
luck to-day, Ferdy. Do you know, I dreamed about you last night?"

He said "Yes," and laid the flowers on the seat beside him. I could
see him licking his lips as though his mouth were dry, and presently he
asked her a question.

"What did you dream, Maisa?"

She shook her head and began the play-actress style.

"Oh, I guess I wouldn't tell you, anyway."

"But I want to know, Maisa?"

"It was only a dream, of course--aren't they real sometimes, Ferdy?
Why, I saw you drive your car over the side of the mountain, just as
plainly as ever I saw anything in my life."

He laughed quietly, looking at me with a look I shall never forget.

"You're quite a wonder at dreaming, Maisa. Suppose I disappoint you
this time?"

"Don't be foolish, Ferdy--you shouldn't have asked me to tell you.
Why, you're too clever to be such a silly, and you know it. Good-bye
and good luck. I shall see you in Vienna."

He just nodded his head and let in his clutch with such a bang that he
nearly threw me over the dash. I could see that his nerve had gone to
the winds with the woman's words, and if wishes could have repaid her,
she'd have got something for her pains, I do assure you. As it was, I
could do nothing but pretend to laugh at it, and that I did to the best
of my ability.

"Dreams go by contraries," s