Part 21 (2/2)

They had their lunch on the sh.o.r.es of a jewel-like bay, sitting upon the shawl of Mrs. Sykes' grandmother. Esther had many memories of the place.

She had often camped there with her father. But it had been wilder then.

Once a bear had come right up to the door of her tent.

”By Jove!” said the doctor enviously, ”what did you do?”

”I said 'shoo'!”

”And did he?”

”Yes, he did. He was a nice bear, very obedient. Some days later father and I saw Mrs. Bear trot across the clearing with two baby bears behind.

They were moving. I think Mr. Bear was looking for a house when he called on me.”

Altogether it was a magic day. There is an erroneous belief that magic has died out of the world. But in our hearts we all know better. Which of us has not lived through the magic hours of a magic day? Which of us does not know that land, unmapped, unnamed, a land whose sun is brighter, whose gra.s.s is greener, whose sky is bluer, and whose every road runs into a golden mist? Magic land it must be, for much seeking cannot find it. No one, not the wisest nor the best, may enter it at will; but for every one at some time the unseen gate swings open, birds sing, flowers bloom, the glory and the dream descend! Poor indeed, unutterably poor and cheated of his heritage is he who has not pa.s.sed that way.

They were not in love, of course. They were too happy for that. Love is the greatest thing in the world, but it is seldom quite happy. Esther and the doctor were not lovers but lingered in that deliciously unconscious state of ”going-to-be-in-love-presently” which is nothing less than heavenly. Therefore they ate their lunch with appet.i.te and laughed about the story of the bear. Both were surprised when the doctor's watch told them it was time to think of home.

They came back very slowly along the shaded trail to where the car stood waiting in the brilliant light of the declining sun.

”Just a moment,” said the doctor, and cranked vigorously. A confusion of odd noises ensued, from which, somehow, the right noise did not emerge.

”Just a moment,” he repeated. ”There appears to be something loose--or tight--or something. If you'll just sit out on the gra.s.s a moment, Miss Esther, I'll see what it is.”

Esther descended. The gra.s.s was just as pleasant to sit upon as the car seat and she knew nothing whatever about the tricky ways of motors.

”Just a moment,” said Callandar for the third time, and disappeared behind the bonnet. Fifteen minutes after, he reappeared with a very hot face decorated fantastically with black.

”She's sulking,” he announced gloomily.

”Is she?” Esther's tone held nothing save placid amus.e.m.e.nt.

”Just a moment.” The doctor banged down the bonnet and effaced himself once more. This time under the body of the car.

Motors are mysterious things. Why a well-treated, not to say pampered, car which some hours before had been left in perfect condition and excellent temper should abruptly turn stubborn and refuse to fulfil its chief end is a problem which we shall not attempt to solve. Every one who has ever owned a motor knows that these things be.

The doctor, a modest man, considered himself a fair mechanician. In expansive moments he, who made nothing of his undoubted excellence in his own profession, was wont to boast that you couldn't teach him much about motors! He had laughed to scorn the remark of his Scotch chauffeur that ”they things need a deal o' humourin'!” Humour a thing of cogs and screws? Absurd! One must master a motor, not humour her.

Half an hour later he emerged from the car's eclipse and sank, a pitiable figure, upon the gra.s.s beside Esther.

”Won't it go?” asked Esther dreamily. It had been very pleasant sitting there watching the sun set.

The master of motors made a tragic gesture. ”No,” he said, ”she won't.”

”Shake her,” said Esther.

Dr. Callandar pushed back his sweat-bedewed hair with fingers which left a fearsome streak above his left eyebrow. The girl laughed. But the doctor's decorated face was rueful.

”Do you know, Miss Esther, I'm afraid it isn't a bit funny.” His tone, too, was sober; and Esther, suddenly more fully alive to the situation, noticed that the hands clasped recklessly about the knees of once spotless trousers were shaking, just a little. He must be awfully tired!

<script>