"Oh, Rosalie, please don't throw that up to me," said Doris tearfully.
"I loved it too much, I was just crazy about it, I thought of it day
and night. Maybe it is a punishment, I suppose it is. And it is all my
fault, for I did adore it."
"Oh, no, Doris. I am sure that had nothing to do with it. You know we
preachers do not have many of these physical, sensational joys--and the
car has been an ecstasy for every one of us. I am sure an understanding
Providence has rejoiced in our pleasure, and not begrudged us a second
of it."
"Why should _our_ car be stolen?" wailed Zee. "Why couldn't it have
been a banker's, who could buy another? Or a bad man's, who did not
deserve one anyhow? Or a sick man's, who couldn't enjoy it? Why is it
always we preachers who get the raw deal?"
"Oh, Zee!"
"I had several perfectly lovely things I wanted to do with the car,"
said Rosalie regretfully. "I am sorry I put them off from day to day."
Treasure slipped away from the table and out of the room. She had
uttered no protest. She had made no complaint. But she crept sadly out
to the garage--she wanted to sit down in the dust where the dear red
car had been of yore, and weep over the spot, as at the passing of a
dear companion.
She opened the door with hands that trembled--and stopped aghast. Her
lips parted several times, and she uttered a curious sputtering gasp.
The red car was right there where it belonged--it was not stolen at
all. Doris was out of her mind!
She walked slowly, dimly back to the manse, her eyes swimming. Poor
Doris--she had walked too far and too fast. Treasure entered the
dining-room, pale, with eyes still clouded.
"I am so sorry," Doris was saying. "I know you are all very angry at
me, and I do not blame you."
"Where did you leave the car?"
Doris blushed. She could not admit to keen-witted Zee that she had
deliberately gone to their Haunted House in the hickory grove.
"Oh, out in the country about six miles--along the Emery Road."
Treasure threw out both hands, and her lips parted spasmodically.
"She is having a nightmare," said Zee, staring at her sister.
"Is the garage gone, too?" demanded Rosalie.
Treasure's lips parted again, but no sound came.
"Shake her, father. She is having a spell or something."
"Out of her mind," said Treasure, at last, with a violent effort.
The family gazed upon her, speechless.
"Car's in the garage," she stammered. "Isn't gone--at all."
With one accord they arose from their chairs and made a united dash on
the garage. It was quite true, the car was there, shiny and serene, in
its accustomed place. They gazed on it silently as Treasure had done,
and then they turned to Doris, wide-eyed and horrified.
"You're off," said Zee succinctly.
"It was a dream, dearest," said Rosalie, slipping a tender arm around
her sister's shoulders. "You haven't been well lately."
"Never mind, Doris. It must have been a dream."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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