Mr. Tucker was not hurt by the impact, for he had grasped an overhanging bough and saved himself. He dropped to earth, vaulted a stone wall, and rescued the fainting figure of his wife. The kindly services of a farmer procured her the shelter of a neighboring farm-house.
Mr. Tucker knew from past experiences that his wife was an easy fainter, and after assuring himself that no bones were broken he left her for a few minutes that he might run out to seek for James, who might be at death’s door.
He found him gazing upon the ruins of the wooden horse.
Upon learning that the man was uninjured he drew a bill from his pocket and said: “My boy, here’s money for your expenses and your wages, and if there is any go in this machine, run her to New York and tell your people that they can have her as a gift. I am through with automobiles.”
But a half-hour later Mrs. Tucker, fully conscious but somewhat weak, sat up on the bed in the farmer’s best chamber and said:
“John, I think that if it had been a horseless automobile it wouldn’t have been so bad.”
Whereupon John overtook James just setting out for New York, and gave him an order for one horseless automobile.
And now John is convinced that his wife is a thoroughbred.