There was a long drop. How long it was she did not guess, because it was concealed by a curve at the top. She seemed to plane down forever. The brakes squealed behind. She tried to shift to first but there was a jarring snarl, and she could neither get into first nor back into third. She was running in neutral, the great car coasting, while she tried to slow it by jamming down the foot-brake. The car halted--and started on again. The brake-lining which had been wished on her at Saddle Back was burnt out. She had the feeling of the car bursting out from under control ... ready to leap off the road, into a wash. She wanted to jump. It took all her courage to stay in the seat. She got what pressure she could from the remaining band. With one hand she kept the accelerating car in the middle of the road; with the other she tried to pull the handle of the emergency brake back farther. She couldn't. She was not strong enough. Faster, faster, rushing at the next curve so that she could scarce steer round it---- As quietly as she could, she demanded of her father, "Pull back on this brake lever, far as you can. Take both hands." "I don't understand----" "Heavens! Y' don't haft un'stand! Yank back! Yank, I tell you!" Again the car slowed. She was able to get into second speed. Even that check did not keep the car from darting down at thirty miles an hour--which pace, to one who desires to saunter down at a dignified rate of eighteen, is equivalent in terms of mileage on level ground to seventy an hour, with a drunken driver, on a foggy evening, amid traffic. She got the car down and, in the midst of a valley of emptiness and quiet, she dropped her head on her father's knee and howled. "I just can't face going down another hill! I just can't face it!" she sobbed. "No, dolly. Mustn't. We better---- You're quite right. This young Daggett is a very gentlemanly fellow. I didn't think his table-manners---- But we'll sit here and regard the flora and fauna till he comes. He'll see us through." "Yes! He will! Honestly, dad----" She said it with the first touch of hero-worship since she had seen an aviator loop loops. "Isn't he, oh, effective! Aren't you glad he's here to help us, instead of somebody like Jeff Saxton?" "We-ul, you must remember that Geoffrey wouldn't have permitted the brake to burn out. He'd have foreseen it, and have had a branch office, with special leased wire, located back on that hill, ready to do business the instant the market broke. Enthusiasm is a nice quality, dolly, but don't misplace it. This lad, however trustworthy he may be, would scarcely even be allowed to work for a man like Geoffrey Saxton. It may be that later, with college----"