The Press., 1903-06-25
PEE
HER CANINE
CHAUFFEUR
BY Bennett Musson
Copyright, 1909. by 7. C. Mcclure

1t was q Qull DAY for bulldogs. PuHS,
whose bull batting ancestors had be-
queathed him a love of adventure, sat
Oil 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 a white
serge dress.
Zone would think had been away a
year instead of Il week." the girl said
gayly.
us it only week since l first met
you? replied her companion. 81 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. ANY
way, you've saved me a dismal rail
way journey from the Newtons'. l was
glad to let my trunks take it alone, So,
whatever your condition of mind, you
must come i'll and meet papa"
"Is 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"
"Yes. Do you hesitate at the ordeal
of passing the interval with meY Flor
encc was smiling again.
Porter Oakley laughed protestingly.
81 was hesitating because of an impors
tant business affair."" he said finally.
lis there telegraph Office in the vii
lager
'"There is, and l will send a groom
with your message"
Oakley looked at his watch. "Quar-
ter Of g." he murmured. will you
pardon me If go to the office in the
automobile?'' he asked. ''It will save
fifteen valuable minutes"
AS the machine puffed 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
that she had asked Oakley to stay, but
she knew that if the little scene near
the veranda were to be reacted she
would ask him again.
DO you believe in hypnotic infiu-
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 on the
veranda with Porter Oakley. Her ia
ther did not arrive on 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 moen-
light, and shall have a bright road
to New York." he said.
II thought father would surely be
here on the o'clock train," said Flor
ence.
Oakley held the face of his watch to
his cigar tip. Half past now" he
answered. "When does the next train
arrive"
"At o."
20 ho%
don't you run down to the station with
me and meet him?" Oakley said.
Florence looked up at him quickly.
"Why, Up 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 I'M
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 a 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 flew. Puffs stretched his legs
and galloped his hardest. The machine
drew rapidly away from him, but he
followed, with the perseverance Of his
kind.
I'VE had better turn back" said Flor
| ence as they reached an open stretch
of road.
Oakley consulted his watch. "After
D." he said, in apparent surprise. 1--WE
can't meet your father now. Shan't
we keep on?"
81 prefer to go home" Florence re-
piled coldly.
Oakley leaned over the steering lever
| as the machine sped on it's way. Then
he turned and his eyes met Florence's.
Il am the chauffeur" he said quietly.
Florence looked steadily at him. Por-
ter Oakley returned her gaze, but the
trifiing power that had made her for
get conventionalities was dissipated by
the honest wrath which glowed in the
girls eyes.
'Mr. Oakley. will you turn back?"
she said sharply.
"Miss Hastings, we are not going
back" Oakley replied mockingly.
"What do you mean?"
Il mean that l have known and
wanted you for a week. 1t usually
takes less than a week for me to get
anything 1 want. You will go home,
but it will be tomorrow-and it will
be as Mrs. Oakley"
Florence rose from her seat. ''If YOU
do not stop, shall jump out" she said.
Oakley seized her arm, but she strug-
gled His CRASH IN tho Staorinr loyo,.