The Great Auto Mystery | Page 2

for a time, but after awhile leaned over and talked to Miss Melrose.
"I heard something to-day that might interest you," he remarked.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Don MacLean is in Boston."
"I heard that," she replied, casually.
"Who is he?" asked Curtis.
"A man who is frantically in love with Marguerite," said Reid, with a smile.
"Charlie," the girl reproved, and a flush crept into her face. "It was never anything very serious."
Curtis looked at her curiously for a moment, then his eyes turned again to the road ahead.
"I don't suppose it's very serious if a man proposes to a girl seven times, is it?" Reid asked, banteringly.
"Did he do that?" asked Curtis, quickly.
"He merely made a fool of himself and me," replied the actress, with spirit, speaking to Curtis. "He was--in love with me, I suppose, but his family objected because I was on the stage and threatened to disinherit him, and all that sort of thing. So--it ended it. Not that I ever considered the matter seriously anyway," she added.
There was silence again as The Green Dragon plunged into the darkness of the country, the two brilliant lights ahead showing every dip and rise in the road. After awhile Curtis spoke again.
"He's now in Boston?"
"Yes," said the girl. "At least, I've heard so," she added, quickly.
Then the conversation ran into other channels, and Curtis, busy with the great machine and the innumerable levers which made it do this or do that or do the other, dropped out of it. Reid and Miss Melrose talked on, but the whirr of the car as it gained speed made talking unsatisfactory and finally the girl gave herself up to the pure delight of high speed; a dangerous pleasure which sets the nerves atingle and makes one greedy for more.
"Do you smell gasoline?" Curtis asked suddenly, turning to the others.
"Believe I do," said Reid.
"Confound it! If I've sprung a leak in my tank it will be the deuce," Curtis growled amiably.
"Do you think you've got enough to get to the inn?" asked Miss Melrose. "It can't be more than five or six miles now."
"I'll run on until we stop," said Curtis. "We might be able to stir up some along here somewhere. I suppose they are prepared for autos."
At last lights showed ahead, many lights glimmering through the trees.
"I suppose that's the inn now," said Curtis. "Is it?" he asked of the girl.
"Really, I don't know, but I have an impression that it isn't. The one I mean seems farther out than this and it seems to me we passed one on the way. However, I don't remember very well."
"We'll stop and get some gasoline, anyhow," said Curtis.
Puffing and snorting odorously The Green Dragon came to a standstill in front of an old house which stood back twenty feet or more from the road. It was lighted up, and from inside they could hear the cheery rattle of dishes and see white-aproned waiters moving about. Above the door was a sign, "Monarch Inn."
"Is this the place?" asked Reid.
"Oh, no," replied Miss Melrose. "The inn I spoke of was back from the road three or four hundred feet through a grove."
Curtis leaped out, and evidently dropped something from his pocket as he did so, for he stopped and felt around for a moment. Then he examined his tank.
"It's a leak," he said, in irritation. "I haven't more than half a gallon left. These people must have some gasoline. Wait a few minutes."
Miss Melrose and Reid still sat in the car as he started away toward the house. Almost at the veranda he turned and called back:
"Charlie, I dropped something there when I jumped out. Get down and strike a match and see if you can find it. Don't go near that gasoline tank with the match."
He disappeared inside the house. Reid climbed out and struck several matches. Finally he found what was lost and thrust it into an outside pocket. Miss Melrose was gazing away down the road at two brilliant lights coming toward them rapidly.
"Rather chilly," Reid said, as he straightened up. "Want a cup of coffee or something?"
"Thanks, no," the girl replied.
"I think I'll run in and scare up some sort of a hot drink, if you'll excuse me?"
"Now, Charlie, don't," the girl asked, suddenly. "I don't like it."
"Oh, one won't hurt," he replied, lightly.
"I shan't speak to you when you come out," she insisted, half banteringly.
"Oh, yes, you will." He laughed, and passed into the house.
Miss Melrose tossed her pretty head impatiently and turned to watch the approaching lights. They were blinding as they drew nearer, clearly revealing her figure, in its tan auto coat, to the occupant of the other car. The newcomer stopped and then she heard whoever was in it--she couldn't see--speaking to her.
"Would you mind turning your car a little so