The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-05-16
FATE AND AN ALIAS.

on Ills elDOW anu ydWueu uellUCIdtclS
three times. Then he touched the ivory
knob at the head Of his bed and, raising
himself another inch, pulled aside the
blind and looked out at the weather. He
glanced over the broad expanse of park,
with its changing leaves and September
tints, at the Serpentine in the distance,
with its groups of ea~ly bathers like flies
on splash of syrup, and then at the
notified sky.
Meantime a servant had appeared with
hot water and shaving implements.
Will it rain, Peter?' Lord Curtis eye
was still on the mackerei-fecked irma-
ment.
slight showers lords midday, sir; aft
sunshine'' Peter had served in the army,
and never minced matters.
Lord Curtis twisted into shape a NOUS
tache the color of very ripe wheat, and
smiled.
is that according to the Daily Graphic
lady, Peter, or the Times:'
Neither, SIR
What, then?'
The physiological Office, sir. was
"WeS?' y @'''A S''@@' '"@' D's"'' >''
And l looked in
What the deuce for?''
-! heard as they prophesied what the
sea'd be like round the coast
"Oh. yes; believe they do
crossing today'd be extremely rough.'
Lord Curtis smiled AGAIN. He often
told his friends that his matutinal con-
versation with Peter invariably gave him
an appetite for breakfast.
You needn't have troubled, Peter. I'm
a splendid sailor.
n Lord CurtiS observed by the glass that
Peter rubbed his cheek with the handle
Of the brush and looked discomposed. He
was SO nervous that he put on another
dab Of lather, making the third,
m afraid it was on my own account.
SIR Peter would scorn to take adyan-
ttage OF misunderstanding. Il once
lost twenty pounds in three weeks on
the sea-"
''Gambling?'
NO. sir, being sick''
An! Ihen,' said his lordship, you'll
be pleased to hear I've altered my plans"
Beg pardon, sir?'
I'm not going to Paris till Monday:
and today's Thursday"
Yes, sir rather jubilantly. 4 long
pause-then:
Fetch me an A, B, c."
When Peter returned, his master had
dressed and was eating eggs and bacon in
a dining room ii feet by 10. with an
aspect precisely similar to that of his
bedroom: A secretaire was in front of
the window; fufl-slzei portrait of his
Of Keilak, in the uniform of a major
general: occupied one side of the room.
A hunting crop, couple of pole mallets,
rock rifle. and sundry fishing rods filed
the four corners. The Times and Morn
ing Post had already been thrown aside,
and his lordship was reading yesterdays
Matin. propped up between a silver tea
pot and cut-glass salt cellar
He looked up as Peter entered, after
knocking, as usual, and, as usual, being
unanswered.
Got it, Peter?'
Yes. SIR
Open it at random
Beg pardon, SIR
open it anywhere"
Peter did as desired
start at the top of the page and read
down."
''Hedon"
Somewhere near York, l. believe. Too
far
"Helmsley.''
"Wen!'
"Helston.'
Yes. Go on.''
Henley; Hereford, Herne Bay
''Herschfeld.'
aa Stop: That ats: sounds refreshing. What
,Fifty-six miles, from London. Golf
seven four one"
Good! How about trains?'
One at 1:3O, sir. Change at Three
The slightly bored expression which
Lord Curtis had hitherto worn gave way
to a flicker of enthusiasm, like a spark
emitted by an expiring bonfire under the
influence of an unexpected puff of wind.
Very we'll. Peter, Pack my portman-
teau for four days. and meet me at Vic
toria at 1:25 I shall want my bicycle. !"
Yes, sir. And me, sir?''
NO, Peter, I shan't want you. Be-
sides. you'd be near the channel, you
And if any one calls. sir:''
"Ah! yes. My uncle may CALI
Yes, Capt. Curtis. Royal navy. You've
never seen him, Peter; no more have L,
for that matter. 1t he comes. say / got
his letter; and shall be passing through
town on Monday"
If any one comes who has dined here
within theolas1 six weeks. tell them the
truth. Tell every one else you believe
I'm shooting big game in the vicinity Of
I1mbuctOo. Mind, don't say for certain.
Tell them you think so.''
Peter, wooden-faced, stolid. turned on
his heel la militaire. and left the room.
Lord Curtis turned again to the au-
tumnal tints. and the everlasting serpen-
tine. The glimmer of enjoyment was still
in his eye. The distant bathers had long
since gone. A crowd of model yachts,
like dirty cygnets, now dotted the streak;
Nearer: IN the row, two men were teach
ing little girl to ride In the fore
ground, white-frocked nursemaids on free
seats smiled upon occasional soldiers. "A
doctors carriage rolled eastward; west
ward trudged a suburban one-horse hired
fly: pa next the coachman, ma inside with
a big family: all apparently wondering
what on earth had become of 'society.' .
Arthur, Baron Curtis of Keilak, smok-
ing fragrant Egyptian, saw all this. but
noted nothing. His lips merely smoked.
but his eyes still smiled.
Il shall patent my game of chance. -
thirty -
Curtis came of a family that fook
things very easily. Truly, his father hsi
gone to some little pains to gain mill
tary glory in Sopdan; but he made IN for
that BY marrying early in life a rich wife.
and later by retiring Eou mis- laurelg. and
the grant which a grateful House. |of
Commons had voted him. Apart from his