"No, of course not," murmured Diantha, smothering a sigh as the
automobile started with a jerk.
An hour later, tired, frightened, a little breathless, but valiantly
declaring that she had had a "beautiful time," Diantha was set down at
her own door.
That was but the first of many such trips. Ever sounding in Phineas
Hopkins's ears and spurring him to fresh endeavor, were Diantha's words,
"I could 'a' rode on an' on furever"; and deep in his heart was the
determination that if it was automobile rides that she wanted, it was
automobile rides that she should have! His small farm on the edge of the
town--once the pride of his heart--began to look forlorn and deserted;
for Phineas, when not actually driving his automobile, was usually to be
found hanging over it with wrench and polishing cloth. He bought little
food and less clothing, but always--gasolene. And he talked to any one
who would listen about automobiles in general and his own in particular,
learnedly dropping in frequent references to cylinders, speed, horse
power, vibrators, carburetors, and spark plugs.
As for Diantha--she went to bed every night with thankfulness that she
possessed her complement of limbs and senses, and she rose every morning
with a fear that the coming night would find some of them missing.
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