Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-16
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Bye. J.
c.N.& A.M'WMl..I!AMSON

very rich AmHicanY named Payne, q
golfer How he had obtained ali these par
ticulars 1t wasn't difficult to guess, when
one reflected upon Mr.. Payne's fondness
for talking of himself. BY the way, have
you ever met the man at all?
A few minutes after questioning the stew
ard. 1 was strolling on the lawn thinking
over what 1 had heard. when Sherlock
walked out Of the club. his obtrusive eye
glass dangling from his buttonhole
He advanced toward me- somewhat to my
surprise. and hailed me from afar, see
ing. suppose. that 1 was inclined to. move
on. Il say, sir" he began, IF you want
just gone. and there doesn't seem to be any
one here but you and me"
BY this time he had stuck TIE
big monocIe in his eye. where it
had somewhat the effect Of biscuit.
which discomposed his expression, but al
most Immediately realized that the change
was due to cause more violent.
:. .P ban Jove. ne CIRCULATED And then;
He stood glaring at me through that eve
glass with such an i am the Duke Of Om-
mum. who the devil are your" sort Of ex-
preston that I thought he must be mad
and 1 stared also, In amazed silence
After looking me up and down he began
again. What do you mean by 1t, 1 want
to know. staggering about here, among
gentlemen. as If you were one of us? I'll
have you put out by the walters With
this extraordinary outburst he turned on
his heel. and was making of toward the
club house; but. as you know. my temper is
not of the sweetest,6and mad or not mad,
didn't exactly yearn over Mr.. Payne. I
took advantage of the long legs about
which my friend Monte has occasionally
chaffed me and caught him up. I cannot
conceal from you that 1 did more. 1 grip
ped him by the shoulder. held him firmly,
apparently somewhat against his will. I
also shook him, and 1t now comes dimly
I, 10 rr1ocr 80
his eye.
you id cadr' 1 then remarked In a
tone which some people might consider alb
rupt; what in h do you mean?"
He took to stuttering-some men do In
emergencies-and 1 knew from that instant
that he couldn't drive motor-car. Let
CO." he stammered like schoolboy. You
chauffeur, you! I'll tell
your mistress of you, and have you dis
charged You-you're Miss Randolph's
chauffeur, and you come here to pass your
self off as a member at gentleman's club.
On the point of knocking him down, de-
cided I wouldn't, and dropped him instead
like a hot chestnut. You see. he had me
on the hip" for | am Miss Randolphs
chauffeur, and there was no good denying
it. In small way it was one of the mas
test situations Of my life. What a. In
Vanity Fair would have done don't know.
and I didn't know what to do myself Tor
a minute You see, my prophetic soul tells
me that the time hasn't come to confess an
and throw myself on the Goddess mercy.
as I hone it may some day: and couldn't
afford to be plunged INTO hot water with
her when the snn Gok e eonda ea
humble pie with that Bounder; sooner !
would have quietly killed him. and stuffed
him into hole in the links However,
sweet little cherub O. nspradlonh ieDsred an
for the fate Of poor jack ana Whispered I'LL
alternative in my ear.
plueking up courage; 81. ,;a hooking
him straight in the eyes? But don't in
tand to DENY it. / am Miss Randolph's
e efna te r." How he had found that out
eo Linen. I can, tell syoA you won't long
remain So" clustered the fellow, as COCK COCK
sure as if he were her brother, or some. ana
hina man %no Is isn't at
to be trusted with lady. shall get you
the sY ssee ought e be good fudge Of deeep-
dolpt vet about that trip of yours with the
Duke of Burford last summer .
Sherlock-Fauntleroy got as req as pes
and the Fauntleroy characteristics predom.
mated thought tears were anI ans 90 s into
annther At Of the shutters. "Wha-at DIDO
YOU meanr' he chartered. YOU don't
know what you're talking about. -.
ooh YES l do 1 said, growing calmer
as he grew excited, "a good deal more than
YOU knew what you were talking ABOUT
when you claimed the duke as your 1rleno.
happened to be with him at the time last
summer when you SAID you were orisiiis
him on your car. !
You with the duke!" sneered Sherlock
"Who would believe that?
Miss Randolph would said L. me
Duke of Burford was driving his own car
last summer. Now you can guess now l
happened to be with him. There was just
one other man on board, your friend Mon
tie Lord Lane, you know. Lord Lane was
pofb Of (HODp
don't object to being referred to as an Old
Master. and I was your flag at Eton) l
know him very we'll. He can do good
| many things, can Lord Lane, but he cant
drive motor car. And another little detail
you've got wrong He isn't running about
on the Riviera. He is at Davos Platz. I've
had letter from him there the other day;
| he's very thoughtful of his old servants.
| Miss Randolph would think 1t queer If you
| said you expected to meet Lord Lane on
the Riviera with your car, and l showed
her a letter from him which proved he'd
been at Davos for the last six weeks. Or
| he wouldn't mind telegra phing If / wired"
| you're a regular, bIackmailer.' gasped
Payne. ilfl
| Not at ALL" said l. IT suggest a bar
gain, but don't want money. All want
\ Is not to lose my job. Don't you give me
iaway, and ! won't give you away. Do you
| said?'
| We had been holding each other by the
eye, but suddenly his wandered, assisted by
| the monocle. So odd an expression sat on
| his race that l followed his straying glance
| ana saw what he saw-Miss Randolph! Miss
randolph at one of the long French win
| doWs or the club house. with several other
| LADIES. without seconds hesitation
| gr1pped Payne by the arm and dragged him
| across the lawn. using him as q screen
once round the corner of the house. l let
MIN go; but l dared not wait to chatter
Hemember, It's bargain" reminded the
| ielloW. While you keep to your part 1
Keep 10 nine and not a moment longer"
win tnis l darted into one of the waiting
CABS. Ihat was narrow shave but con-
! .ratuiated myself that had come out of
IL on Top, joyful in the hope that should
| snatch MISS Randolph away in a day or
| lwo. ana the episode would be closed But
me- ana men should go slow in self-con-
sa,ulat ion Even a confirmed liar occa-
Sorian ny tens the truth by mistake. Next
thr thy sMhi en-. means today 1 learned this
han vn o,tter experience. Nothing had
nn s;pl and when presented myself to
MISS randolph in the morning for orders,
! nel manner was so pleasant. SO exactly the
same as usual, that ! made sure Mr. Payne
hs,a CHOSEN the better part of valor and
nelo ms peace. EVENING came, however;
my mistress sent for me- as was informed
c cnrougn the invaluable ban porter. Coward
conscience cDs or some fhsE intricate internal
organ; gave a twlnge,a'.I asked myself
blankly If I had beeA betrayed. If I were in
tor a sco!ding If I ..shohld. have to choose