She was quite vexed. Why did he claim to be a wizard, and boast of fairy powers, if he could not see there was a damsel out in search of him? She turned and walked briskly back down the creek toward the road. Putting her hands on the top rail of the low fence, she vaulted lightly over, and cried out in surprise and fear.--The car was gone. She had left it there, not fifteen minutes ago. She could not be dreaming--there were the broad smooth tracks in the dust. Some one had stolen the dear, darling little car. "Now every one will say I should have chosen the cow," she thought bitterly. Doris was several miles from home, and it was breakfast time. They would know that she was out for her silly morning walk--and when father found the car gone it would be apparent she had gone for a drive instead. Oh, dear--it was a long way, and very hot, and dusty--and she was so unhappy. And it was only natural to blame it all on that perfectly disgusting Curious Cat, who should have been there, and was not. Because she was angry, the first mile passed quickly. But neither anger nor grief shortened the second mile, nor the third, nor the fourth. Then she got a ride with a friendly farmer, who openly marveled at her being in the country so early in the morning. But Doris was not communicative. They were preachers, of course, but if they wanted to be in the country, they could be--and the whole neighborhood did not need to know the wherefore. At eight o'clock she marched grimly into the manse, and found the family at breakfast. "Oh, you runaway," laughed Rosalie. "I had a terrible time getting breakfast. Aren't you a good housekeeper--not a bit of flour in the house and the cream sour." "Give me coffee," said Doris, sitting down wearily and resting her elbows on the table. "Black coffee, strong coffee, lots of it, no sugar and no cream." "Why, you poor dear, you are tired," said Rosalie in her softest, most gurgly voice. "Let me make some fresh toast." "No toast--just coffee--but lots of it." "I always said it was silly, walking around without breakfast. I told you that before. You look positively yellow." "Dust." "At the least, you should choose a cool and shady street," said her father. "You look jaded, dear. I am afraid it is too much for you." "I _am_ jaded. Father, my poor dear father, be prepared for a bitter blow." "What is it?" "The car, the beautiful red car that dear Mr. Davison left you, is stolen." "Stolen!" "The car?" "Oh, Doris, I'll bet you had a wreck." "What happened?" "I went for a drive instead of a walk, and I left the car just to walk through the woods a little--and when I came back it was gone." "Gone!" "Oh, Doris! You would not let us ride for three weeks, and now it is gone and we can never ride again--the dear darling precious little car." "Never mind, girls, if it is gone, no use to worry." "Every one said we were foolish not to take the cow in the first place."