Page:Vance--The rass bowl.djvu/75

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

THE BRASS BOWL

"You are awfully good," she countered more calmly.

"Don't say that. I'm a clumsy lout. But——" He held her gaze inquiringly. "But may I ask——"

"Oh, of course—certainly: I am—was—bound for Greenpoint-on-the-Sound——"

"Ten miles!" he interrupted.

The corners of her red lips drooped: her brows puckered with dismay. Instinctively she glanced toward the waterbound car.

"What am I to do?" she cried. "Ten miles! … I could never walk it, never in the world! You see, I went to town to-day to do a little shopping. As we were coming home the chauffeur was arrested for careless driving. He had bumped a delivery wagon over—it wasn't really his fault. I telephoned home for somebody to bail him out, and my father said he would come in. Then I dined, returned to the police-station, and waited. Nobody came. I couldn't stay there all night. I 'phoned to everybody I knew, until my money gave out; no

57