s of the lawn. He ran across behind the
houses to his own back porch, procured a dustcoat from within and dashed
back, regardless of the bodily heat he was generating. As the Green Imp
backed out of the barn Macauley swung himself into the unoccupied seat.

Burns, also in dust-coat pulled on over his evening clothes, grinned
cheerfully. "Deserter?" he queried.

"You'll be back within the hour, won't you?"

"Less than that, probably. The Imp's running like a bird to-night--show
you her paces when we get out. Hi, there! Who's that chasing us? Well,
of all the--you, too, Ches?"

Panting, Chester flung himself upon the running-board just as the car
turned out of the yard. "Had a hunt for my coat--nearly lost you!" he
gasped.

Burns stopped the car. "See here, sonny," he expostulated. "You happen
to be host, you know. I might be detained out there, though I don't
expect it."

"I'll take the trolley back if you are," replied Chester, settling
himself. "I can't stand it to see you fellows cut away out of the
pow-wow and not go, too. I'll take my chances."

"So be it!" and, laughing, with a glance back at the gaily lighted
house, Burns sent the car on her course. "You two are always bragging up
the married life," he remarked as the Green Imp gathered speed, "but
it strikes me you're pretty eager to get away from the glories of your
wives' entertaining."

"It's one curious thing," admitted Macauley thoughtfully, "that no
matter how harmonious a couple may be they're bound to differ on what
does and does not constitute entertainment."

"Of course, a girl like Pauline always wants to dance, no matter how
torrid the night," explained Chester. "Win and I have to consider our
guest's wish. But you can bet Pauline isn't getting her wish--not with
R. P. Burns running around the country all the evening and only making
five-minute stops at her side."

By the speed with which the Green Imp swallowed the ground it looked as
if Burns might make several such trips and still interpolate a number
of "five-minute stops" before the affair at the Chester house should
be over. Before his passengers were well aware of the distance they
had covered he pulled up in front of a small cottage. They settled
themselves comfortably to await a fifteen-minute stay, but in five he
was out again. Both dust coat and clawhammer were off--his sleeves were
rolled to the elbow.

"I'm in for it, boys," he said. "Can't get away under two hours at the
s