Jasper did not come over any more.  He sauntered past, evening after evening, very much white-flanneled and carrying a tennis racket.  And once or twice he took out his old racing-car, and later shot by the house with a flutter of veils and a motor coat beside him.

Aggie was exceedingly sorry for him, and even went the length of having the cook bake a chocolate cake and put it on the window sill to cool.  It had, however, no perceptible effect, except to draw from Mr. Ellis, who had been round at the garage looking at Jasper’s old racer, a remark that he was exceedingly fond of cake, and if he were urged—­

That was, I believe, a week before the race.  The big city papers had taken it up, according to Mr. Ellis, and entries were pouring in.

“That’s the trouble on a small track,” he said—­“we can’t crowd ’em.  A dozen cars will be about the limit.  Even with using the cattle pens for repair pits we can’t look after more than a dozen.  Did I tell you Heckert had entered his Bonor?”

“No!” we exclaimed.  As far as Aggie and I were concerned, the Bonor might have been a new sort of dog.

“Yes, and Johnson his Sampler.  It’s going to be some race—­eh, what!”

Jasper sauntered over that evening, possibly a late result of the cake, after all.  He greeted us affably, as if his defection of the past week had been merely incidental, and sat down on the steps.

“I’ve been thinking, Ellis,” he said, “that I’d like to enter my car.”

“What!” said Ellis.  “Not that—­”

“My racer.  I’m not much for speed, but there’s a sort of feeling in the town that the locality ought to be represented.  As I’m the only owner of a speed car—­”

“Speed car!” said Ellis, and chuckled.  “My dear boy, we’ve got Heckert with his ninety-horse-power Bonor!”

“Never heard of him.”  Jasper lighted a cigarette.  “Anyhow, what’s that to me?  I don’t like to race.  I’ve got less speed mania than any owner of a race car you ever met.  But the honor of the town seems to demand a sacrifice, and I’m it.”

“You can try out for it anyhow,” said Ellis.  “I don’t think you’ll make it; but, if you qualify, all right.  But don’t let any other town people, from a sense of mistaken local pride, enter a street roller or a traction engine.”

Jasper colored, but kept his temper.

Aggie, however, spoke up indignantly.  “Mr. McCutcheon’s car was a very fine racer when it was built.”

“De mortuis nil nisi bonum,” remarked Mr. Ellis, and getting up said good-night.

Jasper sat on the steps and watched him disappear.  Then he turned to Tish.

“Miss Letitia,” he said, “do you think you are wise to drive that racer of his the way you have been doing?”

Aggie gave a little gasp and promptly sneezed, as she does when she is excited.

“I?” said Tish.

“You!” he smiled.  “Not that I don’t admire your courage.  I do.  But the other day, now, when you lost a tire and went into the ditch—­”