hat-tossing as irrelevant, immaterial, and incompetent." 

 "Ruling sustained," I said. 

 "And they call this a free country!" 

 "The newspapers don't. Read the newspapers my boy." 

 "At any rate, I now belong to the privileged class. When do we leave, Mr. Middleton?" 

 "Elizabeth says to-morrow. We go by rather a slow train." 

 "But why?" I began. 

 "Because, my dear, an all-wise Providence has decreed that express trains shall not haul private cars." 

 "Oh, I say!" exclaimed Mr. Porter. "That makes all the difference in the world." 

 "Only a day's difference." 

 "I mean....." 

 "You're going as our guest, you know." 

 "But really, Mr. Middleton, I never....." 

 "Don't be absurd, my boy." 

 "No," said Mr. Blakely Porter, "I won't be absurd. I shall be more than glad to go as your guest." 

 "That's the way it should be. Isn't it, Elizabeth!" 

 "I didn't know you owned a private car, Dad." 

 "Pshaw!" said Dad. "What's a private car?" 

 I smiled at what I was pleased to term "Dad's magnificence," little thinking I was soon to look on private cars as one of the most delectable of modern inventions. 

 

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