"'Course," he promised. "Er--there's a man, he's comin' with it, an'
he's goin' ter stay a little, jest ter--ter make sure everything's all
right. After he goes I'll come. An' ye want ter be ready--I'll show ye a
thing or two!" he finished with a swagger that was meant to hide the
shake in his voice.
In due time the man and the automobile arrived, but Diantha did not have
her ride at once. It must have taken some time to make sure that
"everything was all right," for the man stayed many days, and while he
was there, of course Phineas was occupied with him. Colonel Smith was
unkind enough to observe that he hoped it was taking Phineas Hopkins
long enough to learn to run the thing; but his remark did not reach
Diantha's ears. She knew only that Phineas, together with the man and
the automobile, started off early every morning for some unfrequented
road, and did not return until night.
There came a day, however, when the man left town, and not twenty-four
hours later, Phineas, with a gleaming thing of paint and polish, stood
at Diantha's door.
"Now ain't that pretty," quavered Diantha excitedly. "Ain't that awful
pretty!"
Phineas beamed.
"Purty slick, I think myself," he acknowledged.
"An' green is so much nicer than red," cooed Diantha.
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