Part 9 (1/2)

Of course, she had come on by train. Lots of people did, to follow the racing; and here she was with a merry party, just as simple-looking and as guileless as a shepherdess at the Vic, and looking no older than a school-girl. When I got up at four next morning I was full of curiosity to know if Ferdy had seen her. But he was out at his car in the ”control,” cheerful enough as far as he himself was concerned, but mighty anxious about his mechanician, Down, who had broken his arm trying to start up the engine, and had already been taken to the hospital. A minute later I heard that our old wheezer wouldn't start at all, and there it was, as though a special Providence had ordered it.

”You can't move your own char-a-banc--the crank-shaft's broken,”

Ferdinand said to me, as he asked me for the tenth time to get up beside him; ”I've got no one, and I'm going to win this race. If you could conjure up a new crankshaft out of nothing, you would still be three behind the last in, and all the town out to laugh at you. Get up, Lal, and have done with it. I tell you I knew it from the first.”

Well, I stared at this: and having just a word with my mechanician Billy, and being quite sure that the Vezey, however good she was at going back on me, wouldn't go forward that day or for some days to come, I left instructions for telegrams to be sent to England, and was up beside Ferdinand without further ado.

I have told you that he stood already high in the list, and so you will understand that we hadn't long to wait for the word ”Go!” Before that could be given, however, and while the car was still in the ”control,”

who should come up to us but Maisa Hubbard herself; and, will you believe it, I felt all my confidence, both in man and car, oozing out of my finger-tips, just like water running out of a tap. How or why that should have been I am not the man to say; but there was the fact, that this pretty woman could work this magic upon me just by a look out of her sly eyes, and could do worse to my friend Ferdinand, as I plainly perceived. As for that poor chap, he turned as white as a ghost directly he saw her, and I really thought he would never be able to start the car at all.

”Oh, my dear boy, I have been looking for you everywhere,” cried she, offering him a little bunch of red roses, just as though she loved him dearly. ”Now, won't you take these for luck? I'm sure you'll want luck to-day, Ferdy. Do you know, I dreamed about you last night?”

He said ”Yes,” and laid the flowers on the seat beside him. I could see him licking his lips as though his mouth were dry, and presently he asked her a question.

”What did you dream, Maisa?”

She shook her head and began the play-actress style.

”Oh, I guess I wouldn't tell you, anyway.”

”But I want to know, Maisa?”

”It was only a dream, of course--aren't they real sometimes, Ferdy?

Why, I saw you drive your car over the side of the mountain, just as plainly as ever I saw anything in my life.”

He laughed quietly, looking at me with a look I shall never forget.

”You're quite a wonder at dreaming, Maisa. Suppose I disappoint you this time?”

”Don't be foolish, Ferdy--you shouldn't have asked me to tell you.

Why, you're too clever to be such a silly, and you know it. Good-bye and good luck. I shall see you in Vienna.”

He just nodded his head and let in his clutch with such a bang that he nearly threw me over the dash. I could see that his nerve had gone to the winds with the woman's words, and if wishes could have repaid her, she'd have got something for her pains, I do a.s.sure you. As it was, I could do nothing but pretend to laugh at it, and that I did to the best of my ability.

”Dreams go by contraries,” said I; ”any child knows that.”

”She didn't dream it at all,” was his answer; ”she said it out of spite.”

”Why should she be spiteful----?”

”You ask the man and his master. She's out for another car to win, and will spoil my chances if she can.”

”More fool you, then, to listen to her. Make up your mind to forget it. You can do it if you try.”

”Ah,” he said, and upon my word I was sorry for him, ”that girl's going to be my ruin, Lal, as sure as we're on this car.”

”You speak like a coward, Ferdy--didn't you say I brought you luck----”

”And you shall--I'll try to believe, Lal--I've thought it from the start. If it wasn't for her----”