The Early Bird

Sam Turner arrives in the country determined to take two weeks of complete rest, but even a roadside clump of walnut trees sets him calculating its value. This comic romance by George Randolph Chester introduces a New York businessman whose quick decisions have already brought him into competition with Mr. Stevens, a lumber dealer. A mix-up over a waiting automobile places Turner beside Stevens and his daughter Josephine, making business rivalry and personal attraction part of the same holiday.

The leisure setting gives Turner's confidence plenty of opportunities to falter. Bowling, tennis, croquet and social outings surround him, while an awkward moment helping Miss Hastings down a slippery rock creates trouble when Josephine sees them together. Brisk dialogue and amused observation turn his habits of appraisal and determination into sources of comedy. Readers interested in the meeting of work, courtship and resort society will find a story built around misunderstandings and competing claims on a busy man's attention.