you walk from here to Burlington at one stretch?" asked Connie.

He looked rather surprised. "Why, perhaps I could if I was in shape,
but--seven miles was all I cared about this morning."

"Well, I think it was mighty brave of you to walk that far,--I don't care
why you did it," announced Connie with emphasis.

"Brave!" he repeated. "I have walked three times seven miles, often,
when I was in school."

"Oh, I mean the whole thing--clear from Des Moines," explained Connie.

"From Des Moines," he gasped. "Good heavens! I did not walk from Des
Moines! Did you--" He turned to Prudence questioningly. "Did you think
I walked clear from Des Moines?"

"Yes." And added hastily, "But I did not care if you did. It did not
make any difference how you came."

For a moment he was puzzled. Then he burst out laughing. "I am afraid
we had too much to talk about this morning. I thought I had explained my
situation, but evidently I did not. I drove from Des Moines in the car,
and----"

"The automobile!" gasped Carol, with a triumphant look at Lark.

"Yes, just so. I stopped several places on business as I came through.
I drove from Burlington this morning, but I got off the road. The car
broke down on me, and I couldn't fix it,--broke an axle. So I had to
walk in. That is what I was seeing about to-day,--sending a man out for
the car and arranging about the repairs." He smiled again. "What in the
world did you think I would walk from Des Moines for?" he asked Prudence,
more inquisitive than grammatical.

"I did not think anything about it until they asked, and--I did not know
about the car. You did not mention it."

"No. I remember now. We were talking of other things all the time." He
turned frankly to Mr. Starr. "Perhaps you have heard of the Harmer
Automobile Company, of Des Moines. My father was Harvey Harmer. Two
years ago, when I was running around in Europe, he died. It was his
desire that I should personally take charge of the business. So I
hurried home, and have had charge of the company since then. We are
establishing sales agencies here, and in Burlington, and several other
towns. I came out for a little trip, and took advantage of the
opportunity to discuss the business with our new men. That's what
brought me to Mount Mark." To Connie he added laughingly, "So I must
sacrifice myself, and do without your praise. I did not walk until the
car broke down and compelled me to do so."