The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-06-04
HER CANINE
CHAUFFEUR
By Bennett Musson
/. Copyright, 1919, by Z. C. Mcclure


whose bull batting ancestors had be-
queathed him love of adventure, sat
on the veranda of the villa and
yawned.
A green automobile rolled along the
driveway of the house. When it stop
ped at the veranda, pretty, brown
haired girl of twenty laughingly greet
ed her enthusiastic friend, who leaped
upon her, regardless of the damage
which dirty paws inflicted on Il white
serge dress. 49,"
zone would think had been away a
year instead of a week." the girl said
gayly. L.,
"Is it only week since first met
your" replied her companion. Il seem
/ to have known you always"
Florence Hastings face became seri-
GUS as she patted the wriggling Puffs.
81 am afraid your imagination is over
powerful, Mr. Oakley" she said. amy
way, you've saved me dismal rail
way journey from the Newtons'. was
glad to let my trunks take it alone. So.
whatever your condition of mind, you
must come in and meet papa"
| us he at homer
: "He comes on the 5 o'clock relief
| express That's what he calls any
train which takes him away from Wall
street.
"He leaves his Office at AZ" +
ayes. Do you hesitate at the ordeal
of passing the interval with me?' Flor
ence was smiling again.
Porter Oakley laughed protestingly.
81 was hesitating because Of an impor-
| tant business affair."" he said finally.
els there a telegraph Office in the vii
lage"
There is, and 1 will send groom
| with your message" Gr7
Oakley looked at his watch. Quar-
ter of g." he murmured. "Win you
pardon me if I go to the Office in the
| automobileT' he asked. ut will save
! fifteen valuable minutes"
| AS the machine pulled along the
| driveway Florence watched it musing-
| ly and inwardly resented her feeling
of relief - it seemed like weakness.
When she first met Oakley at the New
tons country house. she vaguely dis
liked him. AS she watched the auto
mobile speeding toward the village
she thought of Trilby and smiled.
Then she grew serious and felt sorry
| mat she hat .,l,,~ : Oakley 10 stay, but
she knew that if the little scene near
the veranda were to be reacted she
would ask him again. " 5e
do you believe in hypnotic infu-
ence, Puffs?' she said softly. putting
an arm around the bulldogs muscular
| neck. " "
Puffs did not. Every line in his
sturdy figure expressed disbelief. Then
he conveyed sympathy and encourage
ment by extending a few inches Of
damp pink tongue toward his mistress
cheek.
That evening Florence sat OH the
veranda with Porter Oakley. Her ia
ther did not arrive OH the ''relief ex-
press" nor had word come from him.
Oakley had waited for the older man,
had accepted an invitation to dine, and
now he sat with Florence and watched
the moon creep toward the Orange
mountains.
"There is still an hour or so of moon
light, and I shall have a bright road
to New York." he said.
II thought father would surely be
here on thesS o'clock train" said Flor
enca. ILL.,. 49,.
Oakley held the face of his watch to
his cigar tip. ''Half past 8 now" he
answered. when does the next train
arriyew &Er- 49,
AT O." III. 81 81.
your father may be on that. Why
don't you run down to the station with
me and meet himw Oakley said.
Florence looked up at him quickly.
"Why. I-I'- she began, but Oakley
was leaning toward her, the moonlight
shining on his face and lighting his
gray eyes, which were fixed on hers.
Five minutes later the automobile
was running along the country road.
containing one uneasy and one tri-
umphant person and followed by a
white, four legged creature whose un-
der jaw protruded at the angle of de-
termination and who patiently blinked
away the dust aroused by the flying
monster in front.
The hands of the little red faced
clock in the tower of the station point
ed to quarter Of the hour. and they
passed on. Oakley saying that they
would have five minutes Of speeding
before returning to wait for the train.
The lights Of the village disappeared,
and the moon was hidden by the over
hanging trees of the road along which
they few. Puffs stretched his legs
and galloped his hardest. The machine
drew rapidly away from him, but he,
followed, with the perseverance Of his
kind
1--WE had better turn back" said Flor
ence as they reached an open stretch
Of ros.d. hi
Oakley consulted his watch. after
g." he said, in apparent surprise. 1--WE
can't meet your father now. Shan't
we keep ONT"
II prefer to go home" Florence re-
piled coldly.
Oakley leaned over the steering lever
as the machine sped on its way. Then
he turned and his eyes met Fforence'a
!. 80 d q s