"You ken sit in front if you so prefer, lady," Jimmy answered, with emphasis of politeness, as he closed the tonneau again, and opened the fore-door. Daisy had no sooner hopped in and seated herself than the rain came on heavily. Jimmy, reaching up, let down the storm-curtains on both sides and buttoned them fast before he started the car.
"Thanks so much, chauffeur," acknowledged Daisy, smiling up sidewise as she mimicked his manner.
"Don't mention it, madam," deprecated Jimmy Knight, throwing in his clutch. The car skidded slightly on the arch of the pavement, but ran smooth and straight, as the engine, in the street-centre, picked up speed. Jimmy's gloved finger mechanically "gave her gas" or advanced the spark, as occasion required. Outside, the rain poured steadily, misting the mica peep-holes in the storm-curtains and half-blinding the windshield. The car stopped frequently for additional passengers; and soon the tonneau was filled with dour figures in wet raincoats that rustled shrilly as the owners moved, watching in a fidget for home streets.
Said one of the passengers, a girl, as, leaning back in her seat after glancing around the edge of the storm-curtain, her eyes fell on Daisy's fashionably-clad figure:
"Some swell jane in the front seat with the driver, Lil."
The remark was made with unmannerly distinctness; and the speaker's companion, another girl of the same commonplace city type, made answer, also in a tone purposely raised to reach Daisy's ear:
"Oh, well, we all know what them dolled-up kind is."
"Hey!" Jimmy Knight's head jerked around, and a glinting iris swam into that corner of his eye-socket next the last speaker, "do you skirts want to get out o' this car head-first? If not, shut up!"
The second girl looked at the first one.