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 swollen, rushing width, drove along till the water was almost awash with the hubs then reversed his levers and started for the shallows again.

"Where're you going?" asked Bennet showing impatience.

"Can't go through there, Mister."

"Why you were almost half through then, I could see the other bank."

"Yes, but that was just where the stream was deepest. It would have been over the motor before long."

"Too bad.—Can't we hurry?"

"Have to go 'roun, State Road way."

"How far?"

Bout ten miles."

Bennet groaned inwardly but sank back into his seat. The machine purred its way along the State Road, when once that was reached, and Bennet was content to watch the panorama as field after field of crops passed in one long kaleidoscopic view. This road took Bennet far over by way of Fort Motte, over the long, red, clay hills and winding roads between muddy fields of staple cotton and swaying corn. Here and there was a group of huddled dwellings about which little black, brown and yellow children played, while their elders were to be seen in the fields, hoeing the cotton or ploughing corn. Beyond Fort Motte the roads became sandy and slow for motor vehicles.

It was late in the afternoon when the chauffeur turned in his seat to say:

"We're 'most there now. 'Tain't far now to Colonel