It seemed as if misfortune dogged her steps. She had got a little more than half-way, when suddenly one of her tyres burst. It was now just dark. She was on a road bordered by thick pine woods on each side, and there was not a house within sight. She got out and with the light of her lamp commenced to remedy matters. She had a spare tyre and had been taught how to put one on, but a man had helped her, and she did not seem to have the strength to screw the jack up, to get the tyre off the ground. She exerted all her strength, but the wheel refused to lift. Time went by. She was perilously near tears, and the feeling of helplessness and inability to remedy matters, made her furious with herself. At last she determined that she must leave her car where it was, and walk on till she could get help from some one. It was at this juncture that she saw a light approaching her. The noise told her that it was a motor-cycle, and she plucked up courage to shout for help. Her surprise was intense to find, the next moment, that the cycle rider was Thorold. "Oh," she cried. "I am glad to see you!" He got off his cycle at once, asked what was the matter, and very soon had the burst tyre removed and the new one in its place. "I thought something must have happened, as you did not turn up, so I came to meet you," he said simply. There was no word of reproach or "I told you so," and Gentian felt subdued and very grateful. She started her car again, and he drove by her side, till she reached the Vicarage, then he helped her to put her car by, wished her good night, and disappeared, but Gentian felt that she had not heard the last of this late run to town. Miss Ward with an anxious troubled face met her at the door. Her reproaches and remonstrances continued during Gentian's late supper. She got impatient at last. "I am tired, Waddy. You should never kick a person when she's down. Good night." And abruptly she left her and went to bed. CHAPTER VI A FRESH PROPOSITION IT was a very quiet Gentian who came into the small drawing-room the next afternoon, when she was told by Miss Ward that Thorold had called and wished to see her. She shook hands with him in silence, and seated herself on the low cushioned window seat. "I really meant to have asked Mrs. Wharnecliffe to speak to you about this," said Thorold coming to the point at once; "but I rather believe in doing disagreeable things oneself. I suppose you see for yourself how impossible it is for you to be a public chauffeur." "I am sure," said Gentian pathetically, "I have had enough expostulation and scolding and threatening from Miss Ward, but I am ready to have it over again. Please get it over as quickly as you can." "Supposing I had not been able to meet you, what would you have done?" asked Thorold rather brusquely. "I should have waited till some one came by." "And who would that have been? Just after we started do you remember a cart of drunken men who almost overtook us?"