haven't been back this summer," he replied, and looked away.

Once, when she and Claybrook were standing a little apart, she caught
Joe looking at them, she imagined, under lowered brows, and she had an
impulse to go to him and tell him that she was bringing him this
business, putting in a word for him. She did not hear what Claybrook
was saying to her at all. And then the car came rolling up and
stopped, and her chance was gone.

She and Claybrook sat down in the back seat together, while Joe took
the wheel. In about thirty minutes they were climbing a steep hill
that lead out of Fenimore Park to one of the back lanes.

"Takes the grade all right," commented Claybrook to her, and she
wished that he would not continue to include her in the discussion.
She strove to counteract the impression that might be formed by
calling attention to the clouds that were gathering in the southwest.
Dark and sombre they came rolling, like great billows of smoke,
although the green of the park meadows was flooded with golden
sunlight. At the crest of the hill Joe partly turned in his seat and
with one arm thrown along the back of it pointed to the outline of a
massive stone bridge that was being built across the creek far below
them. The greenish brown blended subtly with the golden-green shadows
of the trees and the dark pools of water beneath.

"New bridge," he said. "Man that's buildin' it knows a thing or two
about colour tones."

Mary Louise bent eagerly forward to look. It seemed as though he were
speaking directly to her. Claybrook remained leaning back in the
corner. They turned a curve and the bridge passed out of view below.

They gained the macadam of the lane that led out from the park gate
into the country. Claybrook turned and asked her how she liked the
car. His low, direct tone and intent gaze made her uncomfortable, made
her nerves ruffle up in a most irritating manner. But she controlled
herself and answered lightly, "Oh, ever so much."

He looked as though he might say something more, but changed his mind
and sank back against the cushions. For a time they rode on in
silence. Claybrook had been strangely quiet ever since they had left
the garage. She could feel him watching her and she tried not to
notice it. So absorbed was she in trying to appear unconcerned that
she did not see the approach of the storm; in fact, there was a
supercharge of restraint on all three of them, and it startlingly
broke upon them i