"You helped my daughter—that much is plain, even though I have been left in the dark on several other points."
"I was coming into town along the Waunakee road," Matt went on, "to see you."
"To see me?" Mr. Lorry's interest visibly increased.
"Yes, sir, on very important business. I happened to meet Miss Lorry and she kindly gave me a ride into town. The least I could do was to run her machine for her."
"Did you know Miss Lorry?"
"Not until she told me who she was."
"Quite a coincidence that you should meet her, when you were coming into town to see her father. But come up on the veranda—we'll be more comfortable there." Mr. Lorry turned toward the garage. "The runabout's in trouble, Gus," he called. "Take it into the garage, see what it needs, then order whatever's necessary. This way, sir," he added to Matt.
While Gus removed the runabout to the garage, Matt followed Mr. Lorry up the steps to the veranda and seated himself in a chair.
"I don't remember ever seeing you before," remarked Mr. Lorry as he sat down close to Matt, picked up a fan, and began stirring the air in front of his perspiring face. "But I'm obliged to you for giving Ethel a helping hand. I'm worried to death every time she's out with Dandy. It wasn't more than a week ago that she came near going over a bluff at McBride's Point."
Matt lost no time in plunging into his business. Drawing the draft from his pocket, he handed it to Mr. Lorry.