him. He drew a handkerchief from his pocket and
wiped his perspiring face and soiled hands.

"I had two sufficient personal reasons," he said. "One was that the car
at our place is Peter Morrison's car, not mine; and the other was that
it's none of anybody's business but my own if I choose to 'say it' with
stones."

Linda started the car, being liberal with gas--so liberal that it was
only a few minutes till Henry Anderson protested.

"This isn't the speedway," he said. "What's your hurry?"

"Two reasons seem to be all that are allowed for things at the present
minute," answered Linda. "One of mine is that you can't drive this beast
slow, and the other is that my workroom is piled high with things I
should be doing. I have two sketches I must complete while I am in the
mood, and I have had a great big letter from my friend, Marian Thorne,
today that I want to answer before I go to bed tonight."

"In other words," said Henry Anderson bluntly, "you want me to
understand that when I have reached your place and dumped these stones I
can beat it; you have no further use for me."

"You said that," retorted Linda.

"And who ever heard of such a thing," said Henry, "as a young woman
sending away a person of my numerous charms and attractions in order to
work, or to write a letter to another woman?"

"But you're not taking into consideration," said Linda, "that I must
work, and I scarcely know you, while I have known Marian ever since I
was four years old and she is my best friend."

"Well, she has no advantage over me," said Henry instantly, "because I
have known you quite as long as Peter Morrison has at least, and I'm
your official bug-catcher."

"I had almost forgotten about the bugs," said Linda.

"Well, don't for a minute think I am going to give you an opportunity to
forget," said Henry Anderson.

He reached across and laid his hand over Linda's on the steering gear.
Linda said nothing, neither did she move. She merely added more gas and
put the Bear Cat forward at a dizzy whirl. Henry laughed.

"That's all right, my beauty," he said. "Don't you think for a minute
that I can't ride as fast as you can drive."

A dull red mottled Linda's cheeks. As quickly as it could be done she
brought the Bear Cat to a full stop. Then she turned and looked at Henry
Anderson. The expression in her eyes was disconcerting even to that
cheeky young individual--he had not borne her gaze a second until he
removed his hand.