e first
half-mile.

"It's a long time since I found out that you had some points that I
didn't just understand, Corrie," Mr. Rose stated, his matter-of-fact
accents carrying a deliberate finality. "I didn't wonder, nor I didn't
try to force you to fit my pattern; we were solid friends and I was
willing to take on faith your ways of being different. Once in a while
I'd bring you on the carpet when you got across the line, not often. You
were given about everything you wanted and only told that you must keep
straight. You haven't done it."

An odd shiver ran through Corrie, but he said nothing.

"This isn't a theatre; there won't be any talk of cutting you off with a
shilling or any other kind of child's talk. What we have got to do is to
make the best of a bad thing. You will have to go away for a year or
two, keep apart from automobile racing and automobile people, and live
gossip down. Poor Gerard did his best for you--God knows why--but there
are rumors whispered around yet. It would have looked like running away
to go before; now, Gerard is out of danger. Well?"

"I have been thinking that I should like to go away for a time, sir,"
Corrie answered, gravely self-contained.

"Very good. To speak out, it will be better for our future living
together if you're not in my sight for a while now. If we stay
housemates, there is likely to be another kind of a crash, and two
crashes don't mend a break. You'll have all the money you want and I
don't care where you go or how much you spend. Just put in a year as
well as you can, until we all settle down and go on again. We have got a
lifetime before us to get through."

After a moment Corrie quietly took the reins from Flavia; blinded by
tears, she was letting the ponies stray at will.

The brief November day was ending; it was dusk when they reached the
house, and perhaps none of the three were ungrateful for the shadows
which veiled them from one another. On the veranda, Corrie detained his
sister, allowing Mr. Rose to enter alone.

"I'm not coming in just yet, Other Fellow," he said. "Ask father to
excuse me from dinner; I have an errand that cannot wait. I don't want
you to worry about me or to be unhappy. I did a lot of thinking
yesterday, out in the speed-boat by myself; I know what I am going to do
and that I will put up the best fight I can. Go help father; don't fret
over me."

He kissed her soft mouth with the man's firmness so different from his
former cas