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500
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500
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CONTENTS

Introduction vii
Diagnostic Quiz 1
Questions 1–20

Chapter 1 Integrating Essential Skills: Rates, Percentages, and


Proportional Relationships 17
Questions 1–70

Chapter 2 Integrating Essential Skills: Basic Geometry 39


Questions 71–140

Chapter 3 Integrating Essential Skills: Average, Median,


and Expressing Numbers in Different Ways 67
Questions 141–200

Chapter 4 Preparing for Higher Math: Number and Quantity 83


Questions 201–250

Chapter 5 Preparing for Higher Math: Algebra 99


Questions 251–320

Chapter 6 Preparing for Higher Math: Functions 117


Questions 321–385

Chapter 7 Preparing for Higher Math: Geometry 137


Questions 386–450

Chapter 8 Preparing for Higher Math: Statistics


and Probability 163
Questions 451–500

Answers 181

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INTRODUC TION

Congratulations! You’ve taken a big step toward ACT success by purchasing


McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions to know by test day. We are here to help
you take the next step and score high on your ACT exam so you can get into the
college or university of your choice!
This book gives you 500 ACT-style multiple-choice questions that cover all
the most essential math material. Each question is clearly explained in the answer
key. The questions will give you valuable independent practice to supplement
your regular textbook and the ground you have already covered in your math
class.
This book and the others in the series were written by expert teachers who
know the ACT inside and out and can identify crucial information as well as the
kinds of questions that are most likely to appear on the exam.
This edition of McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions to know by test day,
reflects the changes in the ACT Math test instituted in 2017 and includes
many new questions. The content is divided into two main categories. The
first category is “Integrating Essential Skills,” which constitutes 40 percent to
43 percent of the test. This category addresses content typically learned before
eighth grade including basic geometry, proportions, rates, and expression of
numbers in different ways. The second category is “Preparing for Higher Math,”
which constitutes 57 percent to 60 percent of the test. This category addresses
content typically learned in high school, including algebra, number and
quantity, functions, advanced geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and probability.
Overlapping both these categories are mathematical modeling problems that
involve producing, interpreting, understanding, evaluating, and improving
models. Modeling problems in this book are identified with the MODELING icon after
the problem number.
You might be the kind of student who needs to study extra a few weeks
before the exam for a final review. Or you might be the kind of student who
puts off preparing until the last minute before the exam. No matter what your
preparation style, you will benefit from reviewing these 500 questions, which
closely parallel the content, format, and degree of difficulty of the math questions
on the actual ACT exam. These questions and the explanations in the answer key
are the ideal last-minute study tool for those final weeks before the test.
If you practice with all the questions and answers in this book, we are certain
you will build the skills and confidence needed to excel on the ACT. Good luck!

—The Editors of McGraw Hill

‹ vii

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McGraw Hill

500
ACT Math Questions
to know by test day

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Diagnostic Quiz

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GE T TING STARTED:
THE DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ

The following questions refer to different units in this book. These questions will
help you test your understanding of the concepts tested on the ACT exam by
giving you an idea of where you need to focus your attention as you prepare. For
each question, simply circle the letter of your choice. Once you are done with the
exam, check your work against the given answers, which also indicate where you
can find the corresponding material in the book.
Good luck!

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DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ QUESTIONS

x +2 x +6
1. If = , then what is the value of x?
3 6
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6

2. The value of three consecutive odd integers is 567. What is the value of the
second of these three consecutive integers?
(A) 175
(B) 181
(C) 187
(D) 189
(E) 193

3. If 3x - y = 7 and x + 2y = 7, then what is the value of xy ?


(A) 6
(B) 9
(C) 12
(D) 18
(E) 24

4. If a six-sided die is thrown, what is the probability that the result of two
consecutive throws will be two sixes?
1
(A)
72
1
(B)
36

(C) 1
24

(D) 1
3

(E) 1
2

‹ 5

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6 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

5. Tim has a box with a set of 8 green, 5 blue, 6 yellow, and 7 black toys. What
is the probability that a random selection would yield a blue or black toy?
5
(A)
26
1
(B)
4
6
(C)
13
1
(D)
2
15
(E)
26

6. A company has three times more researchers employed than it does


support staff, while it also has twice as many support staff compared to
security. If the total number of researchers, support staff, and security staff
is 675, how many people work as support staff?
(A) 50
(B) 75
(C) 100
(D) 150
(E) 175

7. Rectangle A has a width of 8 centimeters and a length of 3 centimeters.


Rectangle B has a width of 6 centimeters and a length of 2 centimeters.
What is the ratio of the area of rectangle A compared to the area of
rectangle B?
(A) 1:3
(B) 1:2
(C) 2:1
(D) 3:1
(E) 4:3

8. The ratio of x to y is 7 to 18. If the value of x is 49, then what is the value of y ?
(A) 25
(B) 56
(C) 90
(D) 96
(E) 126

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Diagnostic Quiz Questions ‹ 7

9. The rectangles shown below are similar. What is the value of x?


L K

D C
6

A 6 B I x J

(A) 9
(B) 12
(C) 15
(D) 18
(E) 24

10. Mitch became school council president by winning 64% of the vote. If his
opponent won 396 votes and all of the votes cast were valid, what was the
total number of votes cast?
(A) 618
(B) 694
(C) 791
(D) 1,025
(E) 1,100

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8 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

4
11. Given the visual shown below, the ratio of x to y is 1 : . What is the value
3
of y?
C

5
x

A y B

(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6

12. Which of the following lines has a negative slope with a positive
x-intercept?
(A) 4

–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6

–2

–4

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Diagnostic Quiz Questions ‹ 9

(B) 4

–4 –2 0 2 4 6 8

–2

–4

(C) 6

–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6

–2

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10 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

4
(D)

–4 –2 0 2 4 6 8

–2

–4

(E) 4

–4 –2 0 2 4 6

–2

–4

13. If the point (-3, y) lies on f (x) = -3x + 4, then what is the correct value
of y?
(A) -13
(B) -5
(C) 4
(D) 9
(E) 13

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Diagnostic Quiz Questions ‹ 11

14. The length of a diagonal of a rectangle is 5 cm, and its width is 3 cm.
What is the area of the rectangle?
(A) 8
(B) 12
(C) 15
(D) 20
(E) 24

15. What is the greatest common factor of 16, 28, and 32?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 6
(E) 8

16. The sum of 41 numbers is 1025. What is the average of these numbers?
(A) 23
(B) 25
(C) 31
(D) 41
(E) 50

17. Which of the following values of x satisfies the equation x2 + x - 12 = 0?


(A) -3 and 4
(B) 3
(C) 3 and -4
(D) 4
(E) 12

18. The sum of the values -2x, x + 2, and 3x - 4 is 12. What is the value of x?
(A) 4
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 7
(E) 12

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12 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

19. Jennifer’s parents are saving for retirement. The value of their investment
can be represented with the function FV(X ) = 12,500 (1 + 0.09)t, where
FV is the future value of the investment while t is the time in years that
has passed. Rounded to two decibels, what will be the value of their
investment in 25 years?
(A) 75,259.41
(B) 93.321.56
(C) 101,214.24
(D) 107,788.51
(E) 131,199.24

20. Which of the following could be a slope of a line perpendicular to one that
passes through (0, 2) and (4, 8)?
(A) -3
3
(B) −
2
2
(C) −
3
(D) 1
(E) 3

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DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ ANSWERS

Chapter 1: Integrating Essential Skills: Rates, Percentages, and


Proportional Relationships
1. (B) The equation should first be simplified by multiplying it with 6. When doing so, the
value shall be 2x + 4 = x + 6. It can then be inferred that x = 2.

2. (D) This should be mathematically expressed as x + x + 2 + x + 4 = 567. Due to the fact


that the numbers are odd integers only, they will be spaced apart by two. By simplifying the
equation, it can be rewritten as 3x + 6 = 567, which can further be simplified to 3x = 561,
meaning that x = 187. This is the value of the smallest of the three integers. The second one
will be 189 as reflected in answer choice (D).

Chapter 5: Preparing for Higher Math: Algebra


3. (A) In order to find out the value, we either need to express x as y or combine these two
equations. In order to do so, the easiest approach would be to multiply the first equation by
two, thus resulting in 6x - 2y = 14 and x + 2y = 7.
When these equations are summarized, we can infer that 7x = 21, meaning that x = 3. By
inserting this value into the first equation, it can be calculated that 3 * 3 - y = 7. Therefore,
y = 2 and xy = 6 as identified in (A).

Chapter 8: Preparing for Higher Math: Statistics and Probability


1
4. (B) The chance of rolling a six on the first try is , while the chance of rolling a six
6
1
on the second try is also . The chance of this occurring both times can be calculated by
6
1
multiplying these odds, thus gaining the result .
36
5. (C) The total number of possibilities is equal to the total number of toys, meaning
8 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 26. There are 7 black and 5 blue toys, so the total number of possibilities for
12 6
black or blue is 12, as either outcome is suitable. That means the probability is = .
26 13

‹ 13

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14 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

Chapter 3: Integrating Essential Skills: Average, Median, and


Expressing Numbers in Different Ways
6. (D) Assume that x represents security, y support staff, and z researchers. Based on the
statements earlier, we can determine that:
z = 3y
y = 2x
x + y + z = 675
We can express all of these as x, so that x + 2x + 6x = 775. This then leads to 9x = 775;
when divided by 9, we calculate that x = 75. As the number of security staff is 2x, then the
number of support employees is 150.

Chapter 2: Integrating Essential Skills: Basic Geometry


7. (C) The area of rectangle A is 8 * 3 = 24, while the area of rectangle B is 6 * 2 = 12. This
means that the area of rectangle A is twice as large as that of B.

Chapter 1: Integrating Essential Skills: Rates, Percentages, and


Proportional Relationships
x 7 . As 49 is 7 times 7, a straightforward way
8. (E) The ratio can be considered as =
y 18
to calculate is to multiply 18 with 7, and thus the result is (E).

Chapter 2: Integrating Essential Skills: Basic Geometry


9. (B) If they are similar, this means that the ratios between the length and width are
identical for the rectangles shown. Therefore, 3/6 = 6/x.
When solving this, we can determine that 3x = 36, meaning that x = 12.

Chapter 4: Preparing for Higher Math: Number and Quantity


10. (D) This can be mathematically represented as 396 = 0.36x because if all the votes were
validly cast, then Mitch’s opponent won 36% of the vote. By dividing 396 with 0.36, we
can calculate that the total number of votes cast was then 1,100.

Chapter 7: Preparing for Higher Math: Geometry


11. (B) This needs to be included in the formula that x2 + y2 = 25. Based on the ratio
4
above, it can be calculated that x =
y . By placing this into the formula instead of x we
3
16 2 25
can calculate that y + y 2 = 25 which can further be simplified as y 2 = 25. By
9 9
9
multiplying the entire equation with , it is then clear that y2 = 9 . Given that the value
25
of y needs to be positive as it is the side of a triangle, the only possible solution is that y = 3.

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Diagnostic Quiz Answers ‹ 15

12. (D) Both (A) and (B) have positive slopes. While answers (C) and (D), and (E) all have
negative slopes, only (D) has a negative x-intercept.

Chapter 6: Preparing for Higher Math: Functions


13. (E) Due to the fact that the function is -3x + 4, inserting the value of -3 will allow us
to calculate the value of y. When inserted this becomes 9 + 4 = 13.

Chapter 2: Integrating Essential Skills: Basic Geometry


14. (B) If the diagonal of the rectangle is 5 cm and the length is 3 cm, we can apply the
Pythagorean theorem to determine that the x2 + 32 = 52, where x is the unknown length of
the length of the rectangle.

We can solve the equation by determining that as x2 = 16 and the side of a rectan-
gle has to be a positive number. This means that the only possible option is that x = 4.
As the area is calculated by multiplying the length with the width, the correct answer is
4 * 3 = 12.

Chapter 4: Preparing for Higher Math: Number and Quantity


15. (C) The greatest common factor is the largest common value by which each of these
figures is divisible. It is clear that, as they are even numbers, all are divisible by 2 and that
28 is not at all divisible by 8 and 6. All of them are divisible by 4, making this the largest
common factor.

Chapter 3: Integrating Essential Skills: Average, Median, and


Expressing Numbers in Different Ways
16. (B) The average is the sum of all of the values divided by the number of them. In this
case, this is 1025/41 = 25.

Chapter 5: Preparing for Higher Math: Algebra


17. (C) The equation can be rewritten as (x - 3)(x + 4) = 0. By being rewritten in such a
manner, it is then clear that the correct answers are 3 and -4.

18. (D) If the sum of these values is 12, this can be mathematically written as -2x + x +
2 + 3x - 4 = 12.
This can then be simplified as 2x = 14 meaning that the value of x = 7.

Chapter 6: Preparing for Higher Math: Functions


19. (D) FV(t) = 12,500 (1.09)25 = 12,500 * 8.6231 = 107,788.51

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16 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

Chapter 7: Preparing for Higher Math: Geometry


20. (C) Based on the equation f (x) = ax + b, as x is 0 for the first point, we can determine
that b = 2. After that we can utilize the second point to determine the following:

8 = 4a + b

As we know that b = 2, then it is possible to determine that


3
a= .
2
As this is the slope of the line, any other line will be perpendicular to it in case the result
of the multiplication of these slopes is -1. In order for that to be possible, the slope of the
perpendicular line would have to be as presented in answer choice (C).

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CHAPTER
1
Integrating Essential Skills: Rates,
Percentages, and Proportional
Relationships

Use the following table to answer questions 1 and 2. It shows the class
level of the 500 students at Greenville High School.

Class Number of Students


Freshmen 125
Sophomores 80
Juniors 175
Seniors 120

1. What percentage of students at Greenville High School are seniors?


(A) 12%
(B) 14%
(C) 24%
(D) 40%
(E) 75%

MODELING
2. If the fraction of students who are freshmen is represented using a
circle graph (pie chart), what should be the measure (in degrees) of the
central angle of that portion of the graph?
(A) 12
(B) 25
(C) 40
(D) 65
(E) 90

‹ 17

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18 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

3. The following chart represents the final course grades for students in two
math classes. What fraction of students in the courses received a final
course grade of A or B?

20
20

15
15
Number of students

10

5
5
3
2

A B C D F
Final grade

1
(A)
9
2
(B)
9
3
(C)
9
4
(D)
9
5
(E)
9

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Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 19

MODELING 4. The following circle graph represents the distribution of students in a local
high school. If there are 1000 total students in the high school, how many
more are 9th graders than 11th graders?
Distribution of students by grade level

24%

9th grade
45% 10th grade
11th grade
10%
12th grade

21%

(A) 500
(B) 450
(C) 350
(D) 120
(E) 100

MODELING 5. A factory can produce 100 bracelets every 15 minutes. How many
bracelets can the factory produce in three and a half hours?
(A) 300
(B) 350
(C) 550
(D) 1400
(E) 5250

MODELING 6. A cellular phone service contract requires customers to pay $45.00 a


month for basic service in addition to $0.15 for each text message. If a
customer’s bill is $61.50, how many text messages did the customer send?
(A) 10
(B) 110
(C) 410
(D) 510
(E) 710

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20 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

7. The ratio of x to y is 5 to 12. If x is 45, what is the value of y?


(A) 38
(B) 52
(C) 60
(D) 84
(E) 108

8. There are three unknown values where y is twice as large as x while z is


three times larger than y. If z - 2x = 8, what is the value of z?
(A) 6
(B) 9
(C) 12
(D) 15
(E) 18

9. If M% of 135 is 54, then M =


(A) 2.5.
(B) 4.
(C) 25.
(D) 40.
(E) 81.

10. In a large company, the ratio of full-time to part-time employees is 3:2. If


there are 800 total employees, how many are part-time?
(A) 260
(B) 320
(C) 400
(D) 480
(E) 530

11. If the length of one side of a square is increased by 20%, then the
perimeter will increase by
(A) 5%
(B) 10%
(C) 20%
(D) 40%
(E) 80%

12. If 5% of x is y and 25% of y is z, then how many times larger than z is x?


(A) 4
(B) 30
(C) 80
(D) 95
(E) 125

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Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 21

MODELING 13. A special garden design requires that the garden have three distinct square
sections whose areas follow the ratio 2:3:5. If such a garden is designed to
have a total area of 1550 square feet, then what would be the area of the
smallest section in square feet?
(A) 155
(B) 250
(C) 300
(D) 500
(E) 750

14. In the following figure, triangles ABC and DEF are similar. What is the
value of x ?
C

20

x
30 E
B
2
8
D

(A) 5.0
(B) 7.5
(C) 15.0
(D) 24.0
(E) 36.5
b
15. If a is directly proportional to and a = 1 when b = 10, then what is the
value of a when b = 35? 2
1
(A)
7
1
(B)
5
2
(C)
9
9
(D)
4
7
(E)
2

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22 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

16. If 80% of x + 1 is 2, then x =


(A) 0.975.
(B) 1.25.
(C) 1.5.
(D) 4.
(E) 5.1.

MODELING 17. Greg can read w words a minute. How many minutes will it take Greg to
read an n-page document if each page contains 500 words?
500n
(A)
w
500w
(B)
n
(C) 500nw
(D) 500(n + w)
(E) 500n + w
1 1
18. Which of the following represents of ?
2 20
(A) 0.000025
(B) 0.00025
(C) 0.0025
(D) 0.025
(E) 0.25

19. In an election with two parties, Party A won 54% of the votes. If Party B
received 874 votes, how many votes were cast in total?
(A) 400
(B) 472
(C) 1619
(D) 1900
(E) 2102

20. Each side of square A has a length of 3 meters, while each side of square B
has a length of 9 meters. What is the ratio of the area of square A to the
area of square B?
(A) 1:1
(B) 1:3
(C) 1:6
(D) 1:9
(E) 1:12

ch01.indd 22 18-12-2021 11:58:26


Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 23

21. The ratio of the lengths of each of the sides of a triangle is 4:12:14. If the
shortest side has a length of 2 feet, what is the perimeter of the triangle in
feet?
(A) 15
(B) 24
(C) 34
(D) 57
(E) 68

22. In a college with 14,000 students, 490 are majoring in mathematics. What
percentage of the student body does the number of math majors represent?
(A) 0.0035%
(B) 0.035%
(C) 0.35%
(D) 3.5%
(E) 35%

23. In the following figure, the ratio of the lengths of AB to BC of rectangle


ABCF is 2:3, and C is the midpoint of DF. If AF = FE, what is the area of
triangle DEF ?
D

B 18 C

A F E

(A) 12
(B) 28
(C) 54
(D) 108
(E) 216

ch01.indd 23 18-12-2021 11:58:26


24 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

24. In the following figure, rectangles ABCD and EFGD are similar. What is
the perimeter of EFGD?
B 30 C

F 3
10 G

A E D

(A) 4
(B) 8
(C) 26
(D) 30
(E) 40

25. If 3x + 6xy + 9y = 15, then what is the value of x + 2xy + 3y equal to?
(A) 2
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 7.5
(E) 10

26. If 80% of a number is 122, what is 40% of the number?


(A) 48.8
(B) 61.0
(C) 73.2
(D) 83.0
(E) 244.0

27. A factory’s quality assurance specialist can inspect 28 hard drives in


40 minutes. How many minutes will it take the specialist to inspect
196 hard drives?
(A) 47
(B) 49
(C) 89
(D) 137
(E) 280

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Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 25

28. If the ratio of A to B is 3:8 and the ratio of B to C is 1:6, what is the ratio
of A to C ?
(A) 1:2
(B) 1:14
(C) 1:16
(D) 1:24
(E) 1:48

29. A $154.99 graphing calculator can be purchased with a coupon that gives
a 15% discount. What is the price of the calculator if it is purchased with
the coupon?
(A) $23.25
(B) $68.47
(C) $131.74
(D) $139.99
(E) $152.67

30. The length of a rectangle is 40% larger than its width. If the area of the
rectangle is 140 square feet, what is the width of the rectangle in feet?
(A) 10
(B) 22
(C) 35
(D) 56
(E) 64
3
31. For x > 0, which of the following represents x % of ?
4
3x
(A)
40
3x
(B)
400
3
(C)
400 x
1
(D)
28
30 x
(E)
4

ch01.indd 25 18-12-2021 11:58:37


26 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

1 1
32. What is % of ?
4 4
(A) 0.000250
(B) 0.000625
(C) 0.0025
(D) 0.0050
(E) 1

MODELING 33. The following table represents the percentages of employees in each of four
possible classifications at a certain company. If there are no other possible
classifications, what is the value of x ?

Classification Percentage
Part-time 35%
Full-time, hourly 20%
Full-time, salary 24%
Full-time, salary and bonus x%

(A) 1
(B) 21
(C) 44
(D) 79
(E) 65

34. If the ratio of x to y is 1:6, what is the difference between y and x when
x = 12?
(A) 5
(B) 12
(C) 17
(D) 60
(E) 72

ch01.indd 26 18-12-2021 11:58:41


Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 27

35. In the following figure, the ratio of x to y is 1:4. What is the ratio of the
area of the triangle with base x to the area of the triangle with base x + y ?
B

A x y C

(A) 1:2
(B) 1:4
(C) 1:5
(D) 1:7
(E) Cannot be determined

36. Rectangles ABCD and PQRS in the following figure are similar. What is
the value of x ?
Q R

B C

16
4

A 13 D P x – 13 S

(A) 13
(B) 25
(C) 38
(D) 52
(E) 65

ch01.indd 27 18-12-2021 11:58:41


28 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

37. If 95% of 3x is 39.9, what is the value of x ?


(A) 10
(B) 14
(C) 38
(D) 42
(E) 58

38. The circles in the following figure are centered at points O and P,
AB
respectively. If = 3, what is the ratio of the area of the circle centered
CD
at point O to the area of the circle centered at point P ?

A B C D
O P

(A) 3:1
(B) 3:2
(C) 6:1
(D) 9:1
(E) 9:2

39. The number representing the length of one side of a square is 20% as large
as the number representing its area. What is the perimeter of this square?
(A) 5
(B) 15
(C) 20
(D) 34
(E) 60

ch01.indd 28 18-12-2021 11:58:43


Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 29

40. If the ratio of x to y is 2:5, and y is always 30% of z, then for all possible
x
nonzero values of x, y, and z, =
z
1
(A) .
12
3
(B) .
25
2
(C) .
3
5
(D) .
6
3
(E) .
4

x
41. If × 280 = 112, then x % of 280 is
50
(A) 23.
(B) 56.
(C) 102.
(D) 188.
(E) 224.

ch01.indd 29 18-12-2021 11:58:56


30 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

42. The triangles in the following figure are similar. In terms of x, what is the
perimeter of triangle DEF ?
B

x E

80° 80° 80° 80°


A 18 C D 6 F

x
(A) +6
6
x
(B) +6
3
2x
(C) +6
3
(D) 2 x + 6
(E) 6 x + 6

43. A weather station reported that 90% of the days in a 30-day period
had measurable snowfall. How many of these days received measurable
snowfall?
(A) 3
(B) 12
(C) 18
(D) 27
(E) 29

ch01.indd 30 18-12-2021 11:59:06


Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 31

44. Triangle A and triangle B are equilateral triangles such that the ratio of the
length of one side of triangle A to the length of one side of triangle B is 6
to 7. If the perimeter of triangle A is 9, what is the length of a single side
of triangle B ?
2
(A)
3
7
(B)
2
(C) 12
(D) 18
(E) 21
x 1
45. In the following figure, ABCD is a rectangle such that = . If the area of
ABPQ is 12, what is the area of ABCD ? y 5

B P C

A x Q y D

(A) 32
(B) 56
(C) 60
(D) 72
(E) 112

46. The ratio of x to y is 2 to 3. If the sum of x and y is 125, what is the value
of x ?
(A) 15
(B) 25
(C) 50
(D) 75
(E) 100

ch01.indd 31 18-12-2021 11:59:13


32 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

1
47. Which of the following represents 0.2% of ?
5
1
(A)
25,000
1
(B)
2500
1
(C)
250
1
(D)
25
1
(E)
10
48. For any circle with radius r > 0, what is the ratio of the length of its radius
to its area?
(A) 1:p
(B) 1:2p
(C) 1:pr
(D) 1:2pr
(E) 1:pr2

MODELING 49. Every student enrolled in a science course is either a physics major or a
biology major. If the ratio of physics majors to biology majors is 3 to 1
and there are 21 physics majors enrolled, how many biology majors are
enrolled in the course?
(A) 7
(B) 15
(C) 23
(D) 45
(E) 63
1
50. Suppose that m is inversely proportional to n and that m = when n = 6.
2 2
If n = , what is the value of m?
3
1
(A)
6
(B) 2
(C) 3
9
(D)
2
(E) 6

ch01.indd 32 18-12-2021 11:59:30


Rates, Percentages, and Proportional Relationships ‹ 33

x+4 x −3
51. If = , then what is the value of x?
y − 2 2y − 4
(A) –14
(B) –11
(C) –3
(D) 5
(E) 8
1
52. If y is directly proportional to x and if y = 6 when x = , then which of the
4
following equations describes the relationship between x and y ?
1
(A) y = x
4
3
(B) y = x
2
23
(C) y = x
4
(D) y = 6 x
(E) y = 24 x

53. A rectangle has sides of length x and x + 1, where x is a positive number. If


the area of the rectangle is 12, then which of the following is equivalent to
the ratio of x to x + 1?
(A) 1:6
(B) 1:4
(C) 1:3
(D) 2:3
(E) 3:4

54. If the length of one side of a square is 28% of 50, then the area of the
square is equal to
(A) 70
(B) 84
(C) 140
(D) 196
(E) 289

ch01.indd 33 18-12-2021 11:59:46


34 › McGraw Hill 500 ACT Math Questions

55. If q% of 30 is 21, then q =


(A) 50
(B) 60
(C) 70
(D) 80
(E) 90

MODELING 56. This week, the price of a plane ticket is $436.00. Over the next three
weeks, suppose the price of the ticket rises 5% in the first week, falls 10%
the next week, and then rises 20% in the third week. To the nearest cent,
what is the cost of the plane ticket in three weeks?
(A) $412.02
(B) $457.80
(C) $494.42
(D) $501.40
(E) $523.20

57. Of 600 items in a storage closet, 40% are pens or pencils, 10% are first-aid
items, and 5% are notebooks. How many items in the storage closet have
not been described?
(A) 45
(B) 60
(C) 240
(D) 270
(E) 300

58. A number a is four times as large as half of a number b. If a and b are


nonzero, what percent of a is b ?
(A) 20%
(B) 25%
(C) 50%
(D) 100%
(E) 400%

ch01.indd 34 18-12-2021 11:59:46


Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
clever, amusing, good-looking, the life of his company, a first-rate
officer, and a matchless horseman; the man who got up the
regimental theatricals, ran the gymkhana, was editor of the
regimental paper, and so devoted to her always. No, no, she would
never abandon him, though every year he grew worse, and more
brusque, excitable, and unsociable; and every year saw them sinking
still further in the social scale.
At last an aged uncle died, and left Captain Ramsay Ivy House,
Ottinge, with its old-fashioned furniture, linen, books, and plate. This
windfall, with his pension, would keep them going, and at best it
afforded a retreat and a hiding-place. The neighbourhood with
flattering alacrity had called on Captain and the Hon. Mrs. Ramsay,
and she was declared to be charming, so agreeable and still
handsome. She duly returned their visits in a hired fly, left her
husband’s cards, Captain J. V. Ramsay, and made his excuses.
It soon was evident that the Ramsays were desperately poor, and
did not intend to keep a trap or entertain; that he was queer, and only
to be met about the fields and lanes, or in the Drum; but by degrees
the neighbours came to know Mrs. Ramsay better, and to like her
extremely. She had travelled, was a brilliant conversationalist, and a
sound bridge player; she was also an Honourable—one of the many
daughters of Lord Ballingarry of Moyallan Castle—so the neighbours
bought her little ‘Poms,’ recommended the hotel to their friends, lent
her carriages or motors, sent her game and books, and did their best
for her. But Captain Ramsay was beyond any one’s assistance; he
refused to see people, or to know Ottinge. He went abroad generally
with the bats and the owls, along lonely roads and footpaths; his
daily paper and the Drum were his sole resources, and only that, at
long intervals, a shrivelled figure was caught sight of shuffling up the
High Street, the neighbourhood would have forgotten that Captain
Ramsay existed.
Lady Kesters sent papers and wrote weekly letters to J. Owen,
Holiday Cottage, Ottinge. But her brother’s replies were short,
vague, and unsatisfactory, and in answer to a whole sheet of
reproaches, he dedicated a wet Sunday afternoon to his sister. He
began:—
“Dear Leila,—I had your letter yesterday, and it’s a true
bill that I am a miserable correspondent, and that my
notes are as short and sweet as a donkey’s gallop. I only
got twenty marks in composition when I passed. Now,
however, I’m going to put my back into this letter, and
send you a long scrawl, and, as you command me, all
details—no matter how insignificant. I am writing in my
room, because the kitchen is full of young women—Mrs.
Hogben’s at-home day, I suppose! The parlour windows
are never opened, the atmosphere is poisonous, and thick
with the reek of old furniture. So here I am! I’ve faked up a
table by putting blocks under the yellow box, for the
washstand is impossible. This room is old and low; if I
stand upright in some places, my head is likely to go
through the ceiling, and in others my legs to go through
the floor; but I know the lie of the land now. The window
looks into a big orchard, and beyond that are miles of flat
country; but you’ve seen Ottinge, so I spare you local
colour. I am all right here. Mrs. Hogben is a rare good sort,
and does me well, washing included, for twenty-three
shillings a week, and I make out my own bills—as she
neither reads nor writes, but takes it out in talking. When I
had a cold, she made me a decoction called ‘Tansie Tea’
and insisted on my swallowing it—the fear of another dose
cured me. Her son Tom is a decent chap, and we are pals;
he works at the Manor as second gardener of two. As to
the ladies there, I am disappointed in Miss Parrett; you
told me they were both ‘old dears.’ Susan really is an old
dear, but, in my opinion, Miss P. is an old D. Possibly you
only knew her as a tea-drinking, charming hostess, full of
compliments and sweetness; the real Miss Bella is a bully,
vain of her money, and shamelessly mean.
“The Manor is a nice, sunny house, flat on the ground,
with great oak beams and rum windows, and a splendid
garden enclosed in yew hedges run to seed; they are
trying to get it in order, clipping the yews and digging out
the moss, but two men and a boy are not enough, and
Miss P. is too stingy to employ more. As I’ve little to do, I
sometimes lend a hand. The motor is a faked-up old rattle-
trap, all paint and smart cushions; but its inside is worn
out. Miss Parrett is under the impression that petrol is not
a necessity, and I have such desperate work to get it, and
she always cross-examines me so sharply, and gives the
money as such a personal favour, that one would suppose
I wanted the beastly thing for my own consumption. It is a
riddle to me why she ever bought the car. She is afraid to
go out in it, and won’t let her sister use it alone. I’ve been
here four weeks; it’s been out six times, always at a crawl,
and within a four-mile radius. Miss Parrett likes to pay
visits to show off her ‘beautiful’ car; but I feel like a Bath-
chair man!
“One day we went over to Westmere, the Davenants’ old
place, where you used to stay. The Woolcocks, who have
it now, are enormously rich, go-ahead people, and the
married daughter pounced on me as Owen the steward on
board ship! No one here has any idea who I am, and I
keep a shut mouth; and when I do talk, I try to copy Tom
Hogben. There are few gentry about,—that is, in Ottinge;
the parson, Mr. Morven, the Parretts’ brother-in-law,
comes in sometimes and gives advice about the garden.
He is a cheery sort, elderly, a widower, and a splendid
preacher—thrown away on this dead-and-alive spot. His
sermons are sensible and modern, and you’ve something
to carry away and think of, instead of wanting to shy
hymn-books, or go to sleep. The church is a tremendous
age, and restored—the Ottinge folk are very proud of it. In
one chancel, the north chancel, lie our kin the Davenants;
there is a fine window, erected by a certain Edward
Davenant to the memory of his wife, the lady in a pink
scarf—quite a smart get-up of, say, a hundred years ago,
is represented as one of the angels, and he himself is
among the disciples. Both were copied from family
portraits. What do you think of the idea?
“Mr. Morven has let me in for singing in the choir; you
should see me in a surplice—it barely comes to my knees,
and makes me feel so shy! Thanks to the choir, I’ve got to
know the organist, and the schoolmaster—a very decent
chap; I go and smoke a pipe there of an evening, and also
a young farmer who has promised me some fishing when I
can get off—that’s not often. There is no village club, as
you may remember, and the men of the place assemble at
the Drum Inn. I drop in there sometimes, though, just as
often, I take a tramp over the country, accompanied by the
Manor dog, who has adopted me, and often does ‘a night
out.’ Mrs. Hogben leaves the door on the latch. She also
told me I should go to the Drum along with Tom, as she
thought I was a bit dull; so to the Drum I go, to show I’m
not above my mates, and I have a glass of beer and a
pipe, and hear all the village news, and the village elders
discussing parish rates, socialism, free trade, the price of
stock, and how Jakes’ Bob is going into the grocery, and
Harry Tews’ spring cabbage has failed!
“There is one queer figure there: a broken-down, decrepit
officer, Captain Ramsay, whose wife lives in the village
and keeps a dogs’ hotel. He looks as if he drank, and is
always muddled, or else he is mad. He speaks to no one,
but he never takes his eye off me. I tell you, Sis, I don’t
half like it—though I swear he has never seen me before.
“Well, I hope Martin is better. I’m sorry he has been feeling
a bit cheap; it’s a pity I can’t send him some of this air—
splendid; there’s an old chap of ninety-three in the place—
still going strong.
“Your papers are a godsend. I pass them on to the
schoolmaster, and he lends me books; but although I
seem to do little, I never have much time for reading. I’m
getting on all right, and intend to stick to the old birds, the
green car, and Ottinge; though, as it said in the Psalms
this morning, it does seem to be a ‘land where all things
are forgotten.’ At any rate our ways are primitive and
virtuous—we have one policeman, he sings bass in the
choir,—and we hold little conversation with the outer
world. Indeed, news—other than local—is despised. The
sweep is our postman, and the village softy limps round
with the papers when he thinks of it. I’m about to be
enrolled in the Ottinge Cricket Club, and I’m looking
forward to some sport. They little guess that I played in the
Eton eleven! Here endeth this epistle, which must count
as a dozen and thirteen.—Your affectionate brother,
“O. St. J. W.”
Lady Kesters read this letter quickly, then she went over it very
deliberately; finally she handed it to her husband.
“He seems perfectly happy and satisfied, though he detests Miss
Parrett and says the car is an old rattle-trap. He has no pals, very
little to do, and has taken to gardening and singing in the choir.” She
paused expressively. “Somehow I don’t see Owen in that picture, do
you?”
“Can’t say I do,” replied her husband.
“Just the last sort of life to suit him, I should have thought. Martin, do
you suppose that’s a faked-up letter, and he wrote it to relieve my
mind?”
“No; the chap hasn’t it in him to fake anything. I’d rather like to hear
his attempts at the local dialect!”
“Then tell me what you really think; I see you have something in your
head.”
“My dear, I’m astonished you don’t see it for yourself! You are ten
times as clear-sighted as I am,” and he hesitated; “why, of course,
there’s a young woman in the case.”
“He never mentions her!” objected his wife.
“A deadly symptom.”
“Some village girl—no. And he is bound not to think of any love-affair
or entanglement for two whole years.”
“How long has he been at Ottinge—four weeks, eh?” She nodded.
“Well, I believe that, in spite of your uncle and you, Owen is in love
with some one already.”
CHAPTER XIV
LIEUTENANT WYNYARD

It was an undeniable fact that the chauffeur spent much more time
in the Manor grounds than driving the car. The car was rarely used,
and anything was better than loafing about the yard or the village
with his hands in his pockets—one of the unemployed. Wynyard
liked the fresh smell of the earth, and growing things, the songs of
birds—especially of the blackbird, with his leisurely fluting note.
The garden, which lay to the left of the house, overlooked meadows,
and was evidently as ancient as the Manor itself. It was also one
after the heart of Bacon, “Spacious and fair, encompassed with a
stately hedge.” The farmer, who had neglected the roof and upper
floors of the dwelling, had suffered these same yew hedges to grow
as they pleased; and they now required a great deal of labour in
trimming them to moderate proportions. The soil was rich—anything
and everything seemed to flourish in the garden, which was
intersected by broad gravelled walks that crossed one another at
regular intervals; these were lined by a variety of old-fashioned
plants—myrtle, lavender, and sweetbrier, grown to gigantic
dimensions; here were also Madonna Lilies, London Pride,
Hollyhocks, Sweet-William, and bushes of out-of-date roses, such as
the “York and Lancaster,” and other Georgian survivals. Precisely in
the middle of the garden, where four walks met, was a hoary sundial,
which bore the inscription, “Time Tries All.” A path, leading direct
from the sundial to an ancient bowling-green, was enclosed with
rustic arches, and in the summer time the Manor pergola was a
veritable tunnel of roses, and one of the sights of the neighbourhood.
And here it was that the unemployed chauffeur spent most of his
time, clipping intractable hedges, planting, pruning, and digging.
Such occupation removed him effectually from the orbit of his enemy
—Miss Parrett—who merely pottered about the beds immediately
surrounding the house. This was Miss Susan’s realm—she was the
family gardener; his volunteered labour also afforded Wynyard the
now rare and priceless privilege of seeing Miss Morven when she
ran in to talk to her aunt and help in the greenhouse—since, thanks
to her active exertions, the Manor had been set in order, and her
visits were no longer of daily occurrence. Now and then he caught
sight of her, walking with Mrs. Ramsay and her “guests,” motoring
with Mrs. Waring, or riding with her father. Once or twice they had
passed him in the lanes at a late hour, riding fast, pursued by the
panting Mackenzie. His best opportunity of meeting the young lady
was at choir practice, and here he admired Miss Morven, not only for
her sweet, clear voice, but her marvellous tact and admirable skill,
the way she pacified Pither, the cranky old organist (a fine musician),
and smoothed down rivals who claimed to sing solos, applauded the
timid, and gently repressed the overbold. It was delightful to watch
her consulting and advising and encouraging; but how could any one
escape from the effect of that girl’s beauty and contagious spirits? or
withstand the influence of the subtle power called charm?
On Sundays she sat in the Rector’s pew, facing the square
enclosure of the Woolcocks, over which hung stately hatchments
and memorials of the Davenant family; and from his corner in the
choir Wynyard noted, with secret uneasiness and wrath, how the heir
of Westmere—a squarely built, heavy young squire—kept his
worshipping eyes fastened upon Aurea’s clear-cut profile. After all,
what was it to him? he asked himself furiously. Young Woolcock was
heir to twenty thousand a year, and what was he at present? but her
aunts’ servant!
There had been a good deal of excited speculation in the village
respecting Wynyard—as to who he really was, and where he came
from. But although some swore he had been a soldier, and others
vowed he had been a sailor, no one was any the wiser than the first
day that he had arrived at Mrs. Hogben’s, followed by his yellow tin
box. “Ay, he could hold his tongue, that was sure; and was always
ready enough to lend an ear to other people’s affairs—but tight as an
oyster with regard to his own.”
Miss Susan, who felt towards him a kindness that was almost
maternal, tormented by curiosity, had done her utmost to pump him.
One day, in the greenhouse, she had seemed to see her opportunity.
He had read off a French name on a label, and his accent and
glibness were perfection.
“Ah! I see you have had a good education, Owen,” she remarked,
beaming at him over her glasses.
“Oh, middling, miss.”
“You keep a boy to clean the motor, I hear!”
“Only once or twice, miss, when my hand was sore. His people are
poor, and a shilling doesn’t come amiss.”
“I feel certain,” clearing her throat, “that you are not accustomed to
this sort of life, Owen.” As she spoke, she kept her clear blue eyes
on his face, and looked at him with the direct simplicity of a child. “I
am interested in you, Owen. Do tell me about yourself, you know I
wish you well.”
“Miss Susan,” and he straightened his shoulders and set down the
pot he was holding, “you received my reference from Lady Kesters—
and I believe it was all right?”
Miss Susan became very red indeed, and the garden scissors
slipped from her thumb. There was something unusual in the young
man’s tone and glance.
“If you or Miss Parrett find that I am not giving satisfaction——”
“Oh no, no, no!” she broke in breathlessly, “I—I’m afraid I’m rather
inquisitive—but I take a real interest in you, and you have been such
a help to me—and I feel so friendly towards you—but, I won’t ask
you any more questions.”
This little scene was subsequently related to Aurea, as she and her
aunt drank tea together at the Rectory, and Miss Susan imparted to
the girl—between bites of buttered toast—her own eager
speculations. Mystery has a wonderful charm! A handsome young
man, who was both reserved and obliging, who, it was known, was
respected in the Drum, and kept to himself, and whom she believes
to be one of her own class—offers a dangerous attraction for a girl of
twenty! Aurea debated the puzzle in the abysmal depth of her own
heart, and when a girl once allows her thoughts to dwell persistently
upon a man—no matter what his station—her interest in him is
bound to develop far beyond the bounds of everyday acquaintance!
Aurea was startled to discover that her mind was dwelling on the
chauffeur more than was desirable; he occupied too large a share of
her thoughts, though she did her utmost to expel him, and fill them
with other matters—such, for instance, as the parish almshouses,
the clothing club, and the choir—but a taciturn, mysterious young
man, figuratively, thrust himself head and shoulders above these
commonplace matters. Owen had a good voice, and had been
impressed into the choir—a rollicking hunting song, sung at the
Drum, had betrayed him. It was customary there, on certain nights,
to sit round in a circle and call upon the members for entertainment,
and Owen’s “John Peel” had established his reputation.
Aurea was secretly annoyed by the way that girls on practice nights
set their caps at the newcomer—boldly attracting his attention,
appealing to his opinion, nudging one another significantly, and
giggling and simpering when they spoke to him. And he? He met
them half-way, shared hymn-books, found places, and talked, and
seemed to be entirely happy and at ease in their company. Why not?
He was ostensibly of their own class. He had not flinched from
accepting a peppermint from Lily Jakes,—on the contrary, had
received it with effusion,—and the overblown rosebud, tossed at him
by Alexandra Watkins, had subsequently decorated his buttonhole.
Aurea contemplated these signs of good fellowship with stifled
irritation. Was she envious, because the chauffeur, her aunts’
servant, usually so monosyllabic and self-contained, could laugh and
talk with these village girls? At this appalling arraignment her face
flamed, she shrank in horror from her own thoughts. No, no, no, a
hundred thousand times no!
Still, it must be confessed that, strive as she would, she could not
help wondering and speculating about Owen, the chauffeur—
whether she saw him vigorously washing the car, or trundling a
wheelbarrow in the garden; zealously as he worked, it seemed to her
observant eye that he looked as if he had not been accustomed to
such employment. Who was he? The answer to this question came
to her unexpectedly, and in a most unlikely place.
Aurea and her Aunt Susan went to Brodfield one afternoon, in order
to execute various commissions for the Manor; the car was
grudgingly lent for the occasion. There would have been no
expedition, only that Miss Parrett was out of a certain shade of pink
wool, the new cook was out of tapioca, and Miss Susan was a little
out of sorts, and declared that “a drive in the air would cure her.” The
car waited at the post office, whilst the ladies accomplished their
different errands in different shops. Aurea was the first to finish, and
was sauntering slowly up the street, when she noticed that rare sight
—a soldier in uniform—a smart Hussar on furlough, with a friend in
mufti, coming towards her. As they passed the car, they glanced at it,
and the soldier started, made a sort of halt, stared stupidly, and
brought his hand to the salute! Yes, and the chauffeur gave him a
little nod, and put his finger to his cap! (apparently unconscious of
Miss Morven’s vicinity).
As the two men approached, talking loudly, she overheard the
Hussar say, as he strutted by—
“Well I’m damned, if that fellow on the car wasn’t Lieutenant
Wynyard! I was in his troop at Lucknow—a rare smart officer, too.
What’s his little game?”
“You’d better go back and arsk ’im,” suggested the other, with a loud
laugh.
“Not me,” and they were out of earshot.
Aurea felt dumbfounded, as she moved on and got into her place.
Susan, of course, was lingering as usual, chattering and last-wording
to acquaintances, and she was not sorry to have a few moments to
herself, to sit and meditate on her surprising discovery. So Owen’s
real name was Wynyard—and he had been an officer in a Hussar
regiment. What was his game?
And her first impressions were justified; he was a gentleman, in spite
of Joey’s authoritative verdict and Mrs. Ramsay’s gloomy
forebodings. What dreadful thing had he done to be compelled to live
under an assumed name, and bury himself, of all places, in Ottinge?
Aurea was now more deeply interested and puzzled than ever! She
and Susan had no secrets from one another—for Susan was so
young in her mind and heart that she seemed to be almost Aurea’s
contemporary!
From the first they liked the chauffeur, and though they had not said
much, each was conscious of the other’s opinion. Now that Aurea
knew his name and former status for a fact, strange to relate, she
resolved to have just this one little secret from Susan—and keep the
knowledge to herself!
On the way home she proved an unusually silent and unsympathetic
companion. Her conversation was jerky and constrained; she was
not in the least interested in the scraps of local news that her aunt
had collected in street and shops, but appeared to be lost in a maze
of speculation and abstraction.
CHAPTER XV
BY WATER

Miss Parrett felt slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable when


people remarked how seldom her motor was seen! “Was it not
satisfactory?” they inquired. The old lady also recognised that her
chauffeur was doing the work of a really capital gardener, and was
Susan’s right hand; this annoyed her excessively. She disliked the
idea that her employé was slaving to please her sister; and
accordingly changed her tactics, gave instructions for the car to go
out twice a week with Miss Susan and Miss Morven, or Miss Susan
and Mrs. Ramsay.
Susan and her niece had promptly availed themselves of this
permission, and seized the opportunity of penetrating into far-away
villages and to distant country seats; and the poor old motor, at their
request, was racketted along at its best speed, as they were bound
to be in Ottinge before dark, in order that the car might be washed. If
they, by any chance, were a little late, they were received at the hall
door by Miss Parrett, in cold silence, watch in hand.
After the recent heavy rains, the low, marshy country was flooded,
and, returning one afternoon from a twenty-mile expedition, at a
sharp turn in the road where the ground sloped steeply, the motor
ran into a wide sheet of water—a neighbouring river had burst its
banks. There was no going back, that was impossible. Miss Susan
for once lost her nerve, and, putting her head out, asked the
chauffeur piteously—
“What shall we do?”
“There’s only one thing for it, miss,” he answered promptly. “I don’t
think the water is deep, and I’ll keep straight on—as near as I can
guess—in the middle of the road; you see, there are ditches at either
side, and I can’t turn; but you need not be nervous—as long as the
water doesn’t reach the magneto you are all right.”
But, as they crept forward cautiously, the water was gradually rising;
it rose and rose, till it stole in under the door, and then the motor
came to a full stop.
“Now, what’s going to happen?” demanded Miss Susan excitedly.
“I see the road is not more than fifty yards ahead, and the water is
shallower. We have stuck in the worst part.”
“But what is to become of us, my good man? Are we to sit here all
night—and the motor may blow up?”
“I’ll go to a farmhouse and borrow a couple of horses, and I dare say
after a bit I can start her again.”
“And are we to remain here, Owen, and be half-drowned? You know
my sister will be crazy if we are not home by seven.”
“There’s one thing I could do, Miss Susan,” he replied, “that is if you
have no objection; I can carry you and Miss Morven through the
water, and put you out on the road high and dry. I think I might get a
trap in Swingford village; you could drive home, and I’ll bring the car
along to-morrow. It seems the only thing to be done.”
After this suggestion there ensued a long and animated consultation
between aunt and niece; at last Miss Susan, raising her voice, said—
“Very well, Owen, I see no alternative; you can take me first—I am a
light weight.”
Owen now descended from his place and waded to the door, which
he opened.
“All right, Miss Susan, you may depend on me. I won’t drop you.”
“How am I to manage?” she asked shame-facedly.
“It’s quite easy! Just put your arms round my neck, miss, and hold
tight.”
After a moment’s coy reluctance—it was the first time in her life she
had ever put her arms round a man’s neck—Miss Susan timidly
embraced him.
“Hold on,” he commanded, and, lifting her bodily out of the car as if
she were a child, waded away, striding and splashing up to his
middle in water. When he had carefully deposited her on dry land,
the chauffeur returned for the young lady, who, it must be confessed,
awaited him with a wildly beating heart; it seemed to her that in his
air there was actually a look of mastery and triumph. If he had been
an ordinary chauffeur, such as the Woolcocks’, she would not have
minded; but this man—this Lieutenant Wynyard, who was of her own
class—oh, how she shrank from this enforced ordeal; she felt deeply
reluctant and ashamed.
However, she asked no questions, made no hysterical protests, but
rose as he appeared, put her arms on his shoulders—though she
would rather have waded up to her neck—and was borne into the
stream, upon which a laggard moon had recently arisen. Little, little
did Aurea guess that, as she leant her head upon his leather
shoulder, how Owen, the chauffeur, had to fight with a frantic, almost
overmastering, desire to kiss her! And what an outcry there would
have been, not merely from the young lady herself, but the sole
witness, her maiden aunt!
Fortunately, with a superhuman effort, he pulled himself together,
steadied his racing pulses, and thrust the dreadful idea behind him,
as he struggled to the end of his task, and presently placed Miss
Morven high and dry on the road beside her relative. Then, leaving
the rescued ladies to one another’s company, he set off to a village
two miles distant to hunt up some conveyance.
As Wynyard tramped along in his wet clothes, he had it out with his
ego. For all his youth and hot blood, he had always a cool power of
judgment—as far as his own acts were concerned—and he was now
prepared to discuss the present situation with himself. Since he had
held Miss Aurea’s light form in his arms, felt her sweet breath on his
cheek, he knew there was no use in playing the ostrich, and that he
was hopelessly in love—had been in love since the very first time he
had set eyes upon her! Looking back at the matter, calmly and
dispassionately, he realised that it was not on account of Leila’s
disappointment that he stayed on, and did not throw up his situation
—as Miss Parrett’s exasperating behaviour so often tempted him to
do. He remained at Ottinge solely to be near Aurea; it was for Aurea
that he kept his temper, slaved in the garden, and sang in the choir;
yet he could not say a word to Aurea, or endeavour to ingratiate
himself like other more fortunate young men; he had his bond to
remember, and his hands were tied—yes, and his tongue too. Was
ever any fellow in such a fix? And such was the contrariness of life,
he had gone about the world when he was free, and had never once
met a girl he thought of twice—and here he was always thinking of
Aurea, yet dared not disclose his feelings; meanwhile, some luckier
fellow would come along and make up to her and marry her! And at
the thought he stopped and ground his heel into the earth with
savage force.
There was Bertie Woolcock, rolling in money, heir to that fine place;
and he would have one year and ten months’ start, whilst he was left
at the post! Oh, it was enough to drive him mad to think of! Well,
Bertie had never held her in his arms, at any rate,—he had; how she
had trembled, poor darling! Yes, he was that to the good.
“Mean beast!” apostrophising himself; “when you know that the girl
could not help herself, and would have given everything she
possessed to get out of such a dilemma!” What would Leila say?
Should he tell her? No; she would only laugh (he could hear her
laugh) and ask, “What are you going to marry on, even if Uncle Dick
lets you off?”
He had two pounds two shillings a week, and if he made love to her
niece, Miss Parrett would naturally and properly send him about his
business. Oh, it was all an infernal muddle—there was no way out of
it—nothing to do but hide his feelings and bide his time; the wild,
haunting refrain of an old negro camp hymn came into his head,
“And hold the Lion down! and hold the Lion down!” Well, he was
holding the lion down, and a thundering hard job he found it!
He had no reason to suspect that Aurea ever thought of him—why
should she? She was always polite, gracious—no more. His only
little scrap of comfort lay in the fact that he believed Miss Susan liked
him—liked him really, in a nice, sentimental, proper, old-maid
fashion! She was romantic, so said her niece, who bantered her on
her passion for promoting love-affairs and love-matches—he had
heard her taunt her playfully with the fact. Undoubtedly Miss Susan
was his good friend, and that was the sole morsel of comfort he
could offer himself!
Presently Wynyard reached a sleepy little village, unearthed a
carrier’s cart, horse, and man, and returned to the place where the
two ladies were awaiting him with the liveliest impatience.
That evening, at nine o’clock, Miss Susan, who had deposited her
niece at the Rectory, arrived at home in a carrier’s cart—the sole
available mode of conveyance. Her sister, who had been roaming
about the hall and passages, accompanied by Mrs. Ramsay,
wringing her hands and whimpering that “Susan had been killed,”
was considerably relieved. But, as soon as her fears were subdued,
she became frightfully excited respecting the fate of her beautiful
motor, which, by all accounts, had been left standing in the middle of
a river—five miles from home.
“Oh, I assure you it will be all right, Bella; please don’t worry yourself.
Owen will manage.”
“Owen, indeed!” she echoed angrily; “it’s my opinion that he
manages you—you think a great deal too much of that young man;
there’s something at the back of him—it would never surprise me if
some day he went off with that motor, and we never saw him again.”
“My dear sister! You know you are overwrought, or you would never
talk such rubbish.”
“If the motor was stuck in the middle of a river, I should like to know
how you and Aurea got out of it without being half-drowned?” she
demanded judicially.
“Oh, we got out of it very simply, and it was as easy as kiss my
hand,” rejoined Miss Susan, with a gay laugh. “The only person that
got wet was Owen; he carried us.”
“What!” cried Mrs. Ramsay, with dancing eyes; “carried you and
Aurea—how?”
“Why, in his arms—where else? First he took me, then he took her;
and we were no more trouble to him than if we had been a couple of
babies.”
“Well, upon my word,” snorted Miss Parrett, casting up her hands, “I
think the whole thing is scandalous! You and Aurea flying about the
country, and spending most of your time in the motor, going here and
going there, coming home at night alone in a carrier’s cart, and
telling me you left the motor in the middle of a river, and that you
were carried out of it in the arms of the chauffeur! and that without a
blush on your faces! Upon my word, Susan Parrett, I don’t know
what’s coming to you! Either you are going mad, or you are falling
into your second childhood.”
Miss Parrett was profoundly relieved to see her valuable car arrive
on its own horse-power the following afternoon. It certainly looked
rather limp and sorry for itself, and did not recover from its
adventures in the river for some time. Water had a fatal effect upon
its organisation; indeed, its condition became so serious that it had
to be sent to a garage, there to be overhauled—and a bill, which was
the result, proved one of Miss Parrett’s favourite grievances for the
ensuing six months.
CHAPTER XVI
TWO PRISONERS

By the middle of June Miss Susan had departed to visit friends in the
south of England, escorting her niece as far as London, where she
was to spend some weeks with General and Mrs. Morven. The motor
was in hospital at Brodfield, and Owen, the chauffeur, had absolutely
nothing to do; no gardening, no greenhouse, no car. Miss Parrett
was now the undisputed ruler of Ottinge—manor and village—and
he kept out of her way in a crafty, not to say cowardly, fashion; when
at home, Miss Susan and her niece had intervened as buffers
between him and Miss Parrett’s despotic rudeness. Doubtless her
bullying and browbeating were a legacy from her burly grandfather,
the Hoogly Pilot; indeed, she was positively so insulting with regard
to repairs, his bill for petrol, and the extraordinary—the incredible
quantity he wasted, that sooner than face her and have rows, he
more than once paid for it out of his own pocket! But do not let it be
for a moment supposed that the chauffeur was afraid of the old lady;
he was afraid of himself—afraid that if she became altogether
insupportable, he might lose, in one and the same moment, his
temper, and his situation!
When Bella Parrett reigned alone, it was a sore time for the Manor,
and especially for Joss. The old lady did not care for any animals or
pets, save a venerable green and blue parrot—her own
contemporary. She had accepted Joss, a gift from Mr. Woolcock, as
she was assured that, having no man living at the Manor, a dog was
a necessity in case of robbers, but chiefly because Miss Parrett half
suspected that the Martingales—neighbours of the Woolcocks—
were anxious to possess the said amusing little puppy. Joss was
often in disgrace; but what could one expect of an idle young dog,
without companions, education, or pursuits? When Susan was at
home all went well; she looked after him and screened his failings,
and took him out—though her sister frequently expostulated, and
said—
“Now, I won’t have the creature attaching himself to you, Susan; he
must learn to know that he is my dog!”
All the same, she never troubled about “her dog’s” food or sleeping
quarters, and it was actually Susan who paid for his licence!
Now Susan was absent, also his good friend Aurea—and Joss was
in confinement and deep disgrace; even before his friends’ departure
he had been under a black cloud. His youthful spirits were
uncontrollable; Joss had inherited the keen sporting instincts of his
father, with the intellectual faculties of his accomplished mother,
Colette, the poodle, and was both bold and inquisitive. Recently, the
wretched animal had chewed off the tail of a magnificent tiger-skin,
and concealed it, no one knew where! Miss Parrett hoped he had
eaten it—as it was cured with arsenic—but more likely it had been
stored in one of his many bone larders. He had poked his nose into a
valuable jar, upset, and smashed it! he had come in all wet and
muddy from a rat-hunting excursion in the river, and recouped his
exhausted energies by a luxurious siesta in Miss Parrett’s own bed—
and there was also a whispered and mysterious communication
respecting the disappearance of a best and most expensive front,
which had undoubtedly gone to the same limbo as the tiger’s tail!
“The brute is worse than a dozen monkeys,” declared his furious
mistress, and he was accordingly bestowed on a farmer, who lived
miles away near Catsfield, merely to return, accompanied by a piece
of rope, the same evening. After this, the word “poison” was
breathed; but luckily for Joss, Ottinge did not possess a chemist.
Finally he was condemned to a fare of cold porridge, and solitary
confinement in an empty stable—being suffered to roam loose at
night after the house was closed.
The chauffeur and the brown dog had a good deal in common; they
were both young and both captives in their way. Oh, those long,
endless summer days, when the young man hung about the yard,
with nothing to do, awaiting orders, unable to undertake any job in
case the car should be wanted. When he called each morning for

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