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“He was to take her somewhere for a cup of tea and then he was going home.”

“Going home! But I’ve just come from there!”

“He thought he’d probably catch you there, I think. He was anxious to get hold of those plans.”

“Oh, I could CRY–” Susanna began despairingly. But indeed Miss Perry needed no assurance of that. “I could cry!” said Susanna again. “To-day,” she expanded, “has been simply one miserable accident after another! I hope it’ll be a lesson to me! Well–” She broke off short, for Miss Perry, while kind, was human, and was visibly conscious that she had promised her brother and sister-in-law to be at their house in East Auburndale, a populous suburb, long before it was time to put the baby to bed. “I suppose there’s nothing for me to do but go home,” finished Susanna, discontentedly.

“Accidents will happen!” trilled Miss Perry, blithely, hurrying for her car.

Susanna went thoughtfully home, reflecting soberly upon the events of the day. If she could but live this episode down, she told herself; but meet and win Mrs. Thayer somehow in the near future; but bring Jim to the point of entirely forgetting and forgiving the whole disgraceful day, she would really reform. She would “keep lists,” she would “make notes,” and she would “think twice.” In short, she would do all the things that those who had her good at heart had been advising for the past ten years.

Of course, if the Thayers were resentful–refused to be placated–Susanna made a little wry mouth. But they wouldn’t be!

Still deep in stimulating thoughts of a complete reformation, Susanna reached home again, crossed the deep-tiled porch with its potted olives and gay awnings, entered the big hall now dim with afternoon shadows. Now for Jim–!

But where was Jim?

“Mr. Fairfax is home, Emma?”

“Oh, there you are, Mrs. Fairfax! And us trying and trying to telefome you! No ma’am, he’s not home. He left on the three-twenty. He’d only come out in a rush for some papers, and he had to get back to town to see some one at once. There’s a note–“

Susanna sat down. Her head was splitting, she was hungry and exhausted, and, at the effort she made to keep the tears out of her eyes, a wave of acute pain swept across her forehead. She opened the note.

If you can find a reliable messenger [said the note, without preamble], I wish you would get those orphanage plans to me at Thornton’s office before six. I have to meet him there at four. The matter is really important, or I would not trouble you. I’ll dine with Thayer at the club. J.F. The pretty hallway and the glaring strip of light beyond the open garden door swam suddenly before Susanna’s eyes. The hand that held the note trembled.

“I could not be so mean to him!” said Susanna to herself. “But perhaps he was tired and hot–poor Jim!” And aloud she said with dignity: “I shall have to take this paper–these plans–in to Mr. Fairfax, Emma. I’ll catch the four-twenty.”

“You’ll be dead!” said Emma, sympathetically.

“My head aches,” Mrs. Fairfax admitted briefly. But when she was upstairs and alone she found herself suddenly giving way to the long deferred burst of tears.

After a while she bathed her eyes, brushed her hair, and substituted a more substantial gown for the pongee. Then she started out once more, refreshed and more cheerful in spite of herself, and soothed unconsciously by the quiet close of the lovely autumn afternoon.

Her own gateway was separated by a flight of shallow stone steps from the road, and Susanna paused there on her way to the train to gather her skirts safely for the dusty walk. And while she was standing there she found her gaze suddenly riveted upon a motor-car that, still a quarter of a mile away, was rapidly descend the slope of the hill, its two occupants fairly shaken by its violent and rapid approach. The road here was not wide, and curved on a sharp grade, and Susanna always found the descent of a large car, like this one, a matter of half-terrified fascination. But surely with this car there was more than the ordinary danger, she thought, with a sudden sick thumping at her heart. Surely here was something all wrong! Surely no sane driver–