New-York tribune., 1903-08-15
VII.

bread and butter and tea. To my surprise, the
butler did not leave the room after he had
gone through the ceremony of seating me- but
took up his position against the chimneypiece
against which he lounged in would-be ele-
giant attitude. He looked supremely ridiculous.
= imagine this is your first place, Miss
Dean he began, in his gentle drawl.
Yes"
Think you'll get on with the old lady?'
said I could not tell yet. The bread. I
ticed. abominable, and I foresaw trouble
with the cook
She amt bad # you get on her right side.
though she does say awful things when she
gets mad-cUsses like fury" and he gggled
suddenly But then my mother does the same.
I guess likely it's way all old ladies has. My
mothers a Irish woman. and my father he was
the same-hes dead. 1 born in this coun-
try. 1 amt bit Irish myself. Are you
Americana"
Yes"
Parents. too?"
Yes"
He silent. I wondered if my short an
swers had hurt his feelings. 1 hoped not, but
he looked all feeling, somehow. In spite of his
affectation and his familiarity there was some
thing kindly and pleasing about him. Pres
emily he removed my plate. asking if 1 would
have some pie, and I was glad to see from his
manner that had not offended him.
It's custard pie" he said. sadly. "Norah
makes splendid pie. Not that have eat any.
but I know by the look of it. guess it's gon'
on two years since I've eat piece of it. Dys-
pepsy. Do you have it?"
Explaining that I was always we'll, but did
not care for pie, I rose to leave the room.
Say" he burst out with excited litter,
'the girls are in a terrible way about you! No
housekeepers allowed the premises-and so
forth" Winkng knowingly he pointed down
ward with his thumb.
I stared at him bewdered. He was very
strange.
"a thousand pardons!' came jules voice
from the doorway. "Mademoiselle is f1nished?"
Cant you speak English, Jewlee?" asked the
butler, with teasing grin. What do you
want comm parlezvooin' round here for? Miss
Dean don't understand your gibberish no more
than me-"
She turned upon him fercely.
when YOU address me- sir have the kind
ness to remember that am Mrs Cray"
That's somethin' Cray would as leave for
get, I guess" said the man, with delighted
| giggle.
Mr. Claude Melnotte Raffarty, you are i'm
pertinent" retorted Julie, but you are fool!
1t matters little what you say. Mademoiselle
permits that I accompany her to her room?'
she asked with exaggerated respect 1T is
the wish of madame that do so. For you
butier-you may carry the basket
oh come OFF, demonstrated Claude. What
are you givin' us?'
He stood aside to let me precede him in leav-
ing the room, not from respect to a superior
he thought me of his own class-but man
Of galantry and fine manners! 1 could not
but feel lowered by his air of equality. though
indignant at myself for my inward objections.
What did it matter, so long paid my debts
and earned my bread? Yet Julie seemed to share
my discomfort. She hated aristocrats, and.
thinking me one. enjoyed seeing me brought
low Still, she disliled to fellow servant
as a French woman she felt immeasurably su-
perior-too familiar with the daughter of her
former mistress. Desiring to treat me with the
freedom allowable in an old servant longing
to put the butler in his proper place, she be-
came captious toward him, absurdIy respectful
TO me.
At the foot of the great staircase was
clothes basket overlooking with silks, muslins.
laces To my surprise Claude's long. sallow
face lighted up at sight of this fnery.
For the Lands sake, Mrs. Cray" he eiacu-
lated, lingering the silks caressingly. what's
up? What ever are you gon to do with all
this elegant stuff?"
Help me to carry it to the room of made
moiselle and you shall see, grand enfant!" said
Julie, taking handle of the basket.
Call me pet names. dearestH' giggled Claude
as, seizing the other, he ran upstairs so quickly
that Julie-panting, shrieking remonstrances in
French and Engish-had much ado to keep up
with him
1 followed slowly, admiring the beauty of the
staircase and examining with interest the up
per hall. This arranged a smoking
room with divans, easy chairs and, in hand
some cabinet quantity of pipes of all shapes
and sizes On the wall hung a wonderful col
lection of weapons, and beside the door stood
a huge iron safe. As I gazing this
Claude appeared out of breath, but grinning
with delight.
Thought you might not know the waf-he
spoke very loudly-"so I told the old girl I'd
run down and show you up"
He pointed a flexible thumb over his shoulder
toward the door from which he had emerged.
An indignant exclamation floating down from
above in answer TO his speech told me that
Julie was waiting for at the top OF back
staircase Claude giggled again. then. seeing
my interest in the safe. said. more soberly:
That's where we keep our valuables. Peggy
she's the mastif:; lives at the stables daytimes
lis chained to that ring you see clamped in
the side there at night That's Mr.. Errantrs
room it stands by. If he hears any tam
perrin with it, or with Peg. he'll just step out
and Civ 'em kingdom come. He's an awful
light sIeeper-seeps mighty little too. 'Twould
bust me all up TO live the way he does; but
then I amt as strong as I'd like 10 be. l amt
he gave himself a languid thump on his chest
Want to see the rooms? 'Twon't take min
ute; there's only five OF 'em. see''-he opened
the door on the left.
l entered. 1t was a large room, with two