“Horseless carriages,” Harlan informed her. “Automobiles;—‘_les autos_,’ I believe the French call them now. Since old Shelby wouldn’t run a car line out to the farm, and the city council wouldn’t build a street to the city boundary, and the county wouldn’t improve the road, Dan’s got the really magnificent idea that his Ornaby place could be reached by automobiles. He believes if the things could be made cheap enough everybody that’s going to live in Ornaby Addition could own one and go back and forth in it. And besides, he expects to build some horseless omnibuses to run out there from town.” “He expects to?” Mrs. Savage cried, aghast. “He’s just about to lose everything, yet he expects to manufacture horseless carriages and omnibuses?” “Oh, yes,” Harlan said easily. “_He_ doesn’t know he’s bankrupt! To hear him you’d think he’s just beginning to make his fortune and create great public works.” “Jehoshaphat!” In a few extremities during her long life Mrs. Savage had sought an outlet for her emotions in this expression; and after using it now she lay silent for some moments; then gave utterance to a dry little gasp of laughter. “I guess it’s a good thing I’ve made a new will! Maybe this girl might have sense enough to clear out.” “Lena?” Harlan asked, for his grandmother’s voice was little more than a whisper, as if she spoke to herself; and he was not sure of her words. “Do you mean you think Lena might leave Dan?” “If he didn’t have any money she might. What did she marry him for? She’s _hated_ being married to him, hasn’t she? She must have believed he had money.” Harlan shook his head. “No,” he said thoughtfully;—“I don’t believe she’s mercenary. I don’t think that’s why she married him.” “Can’t you use your reason?” the old lady complained petulantly. “Hasn’t she whined and scolded every minute since he brought her here?” “Oh, it’s not so bad as that, grandma.” “Your mother says she stays in her room for days at a time.” “Yes, she gets spells when she’s moody—or at least just quiet,” Harlan admitted. “But she’s not always in them by any means. She’s rather amusing sometimes, and she seems to try to be kind to Dan.” “Oh, she ‘seems to try?’” Mrs. Savage echoed. “_You_ seem to try to stand up for her! Do you like her?” Faced with this abrupt question, Harlan was somewhat disturbed. “Well, possibly not,” he replied honestly, after a moment. “No, I can’t say I do.” “I thought not. And does she like any of you?” “Well, she’s evidently rather fond of mother—and of father, too.”