Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/395

Rh “Ah, sister-in-law,” said the young man, “I would n’t have thought it of you. What are you plotting against me?”

“Nonsense!” cried Brenda. “Of course I’m not plotting anything.”

Yet, in spite of her protest, on the homeward ride Brenda was rather quiet, and she rode beside Amy most of the  way. They had almost reached Rockley, when Brenda, in bidding good-bye to Amy, jumped from her wheel at a  turn of the road. Instead of standing it against a tree or fence for support, she rather carelessly left it lying at the  edge of the road. Unluckily, just at that moment Arthur came dashing around the corner. Before Brenda could pick up her wheel, he had grazed against it with just force  enough to throw himself off. In an instant Mr. Elston came up to him, and assisted him to his feet. The young man gave a sharp cry of pain, as he tried to put his left  foot to the ground.

“You ’ve really done it, sister-in-law,” he said, as Brenda looked at him, too much disturbed, really, to speak.

“Run on, Fritz, to Rockley, and have Thomas bring a carriage at once, and telephone for the doctor,” said Mr. Elston, as he made a place on the grassy margin of the road where Arthur could rest comfortably until help came.

Luckily the young man, while his foot was at rest, was not in great pain, and his high spirits did not desert him.

“Really, sister-in-law,” he said, “I would n’t have thought it of you,—to treat me this way, and I a visitor  at your father’s house. But there’s one satisfaction; you