She hurried around a projecting corner through a little gate and called again. "What is it?" asked a placid voice as its owner emerged from his new auto garage. "Hurry to the 'phone for pity's sake!" and he hurried. Mary, following, all out of breath, heard this: "Two teaspoonfuls." Then the doctor hung up the receiver. He turned to Mary and laughed as he quoted Emerson on the mountain and the mouse. "I chased you all over the place this afternoon, John, when the 'phone was calling you, and couldn't find you at all. Some people have days to 'appear' but this seems to be your day to disappear. Where were you then?" "Out in the garage." "Fascinating spot! I'll know where to look next time. Now come to supper." CHAPTER XV. It was October--the carnival time of the year, When on the ground red apples lie In piles like jewels shining, And redder still on old stone walls Are leaves of woodbine twining. When comrades seek sweet country haunts, By twos and twos together, And count like misers, hour by hour, October's bright blue weather. On a lovely afternoon our travelers were driving leisurely along through partially cleared woodland. The doctor had proposed that they take this trip in the new automobile. But Mary had declined with great firmness. "I will not be hurled along the road in October of all months. What fools these mortals be," she went on. "Last year while driving slowly through the glorious Austrian Tyrol fairly holding my breath with delight, one machine after another whizzed by, the occupants fancying they were 'doing' the Tyrol, I dare say." Mary looked about her, drinking in deep draughts of the delicious air. The beautifully-tinted leaves upon every tree and bush, the blue haze in the distance and the dreamful melancholy over all, were delightful to her. The fragrance of wild grapes came to them as they emerged from the woods and Mary said, "Couldn't you wait a minute, John, until I go back and find them? I'll bring you some." "If you were sick and had sent for a doctor would you like to have him fool around gathering grapes and everything else on his way?" "No, I wouldn't. I really wouldn't." They laughed as they sped along the open country road, skirted on either side by a rail fence. From a fence corner here and there arose tall sumac, like candelabra bearing aloft their burning tapers. The poke-weed flung out its royal purple banners while golden-rod and asters were blooming everywhere. Suddenly Mary exclaimed, "I'm going to get out of the buggy this minute." "What for?" "To gather those brown bunches of hazelnuts." "Mary, I positively will not wait for you." "John, I positively don't want you to wait for me," said Mary, putting her foot on the step, "I'm going to stay here and gather nuts till you come back. See how many there are?" and she sprang lightly to the ground. "It will be an hour or more before I can get back. I've got to take up that pesky artery."