"If you
had one, Desire might ride in it some-times, instead of always in
Dr. Rogers'. Can't you see that it's dangerous?"
"One has to take risks," said Spence plaintively. "John is careless.
But he has never killed anyone yet."
"You're impossible, Benis."
"Yes, I know. But particularly impossible as a chauffeur. That's why
I haven't a car. What would I do with a driver when I wasn't using
him? Desire will have a car of her own as soon as she likes to try
it. Aunt won't drive and I--don't."
This was the first approach to a personal remark the professor had
made. No one was in sight yet and Mary began to hope again. Once
more she tried the gently serious gaze.
"Why not?" she asked, not too eagerly.
Yorick, sunning himself by the door, gave vent to a goblin chuckle.
"Oh, what a pal was M-Mary! Oh, what a pal--Nothing doing!" he
finished with a shriek and began to flap his wings.
The professor laughed. "Yorick gets his lessons mixed," he said.
"But isn't he a wonder? Did you ever know a bird who could learn so
quickly?"
Mary did not want to talk about birds. "Do tell me why you dislike
driving?" she asked with gentle insistence.
"Oh, I like it.-It's not that. I used to drive like Jehu, or John.
Never had an accident. But when I came back from overseas I found I
couldn't trust my nerve--no quick judgment, no instinctive reaction-
-all gone to pieces. Rather rotten,"
With unerring intuition Mary knew this for a real confidence.
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