The Charm School
more clearly indicated the distress that Austin was suffering than the fact that he had left his car standing on the highroad and hadn't remembered to turn on the lights. Yet even after he realized this he did not hurry; he stood an instant on the little porch and bent his head over the match as he lit his cigarette. He knew the smoke drifted back into the house, and he hoped the ladies hated the smell as much as he supposed they did.
With his eyes dazzled by the flare of the match, he felt his way down the path, through the neat little gate, and got into his car. Then, as he put his foot out to the self-starter, he touched something—another foot. Some one was in the car already. He put out his hands and met two small, minute hands, trembling familiarly.
"Elise!" he said.
There was no answer. He caught her to him and they kissed each other—a, long, unanswerable kiss.
After an instant he said, "Why did you run away?"
"I thought you loved that other girl."
"Oh yes, I remember. I thought so, too, once.
"I knew if you didn't you would find me."
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