The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-25

olive had not replied oatlieni all.
1t appeared however,, that having
quurrelled& with the girl who had had
the place last Mrs. Crimson had been
to seek another in Il hurry
and without a personal Interview !; ana
hence olga Schmidt was admittedly an
experiment. and taken on trial.
All, this came out In the midst OF
torrent of Instructions about the work
to be done. Mrs. Grimston's personal
grievances. the shortcomings of the
other servants, and the troubles OF life
In general.
In word, Mrs. Grimston, as Olive
saw In an instant, was utterly unfit for
the position she held---the work of d.
recting the household was beyond her
always in a more or less chaotic condi-
ton She never used one word where
fifty would do; she never had clear
idea Of what she wanted done. and
SO never explained anything clearly;
she was constantly changing her mind
and Issuing absolutely contrary orders.
and Invariably put the blame Of her
own Incompetence upon the servants.
1t was q condition which suited
Olives work we'll enough. There was
neither order nor method; and IT was
possible to wander all over the house
at any time without the least remark
being made by any one. The servants
either did their work or left II undone
as they pleased, and were always
able to cite some ridiculous order Of
the housekeeper in excuse. They were
always ready to chatter. and in a
couple of days Olive had all the infor-
nation she needed.
l nit, tat ,,,;fa
and spent nearly all her time in her
rooms. generally on her back. The
minister himself rarely went to bed
before 3 or o'clock in the morning.
and lay late to make up for It. He
scarcely ever went to Downing Street
before the afternoon, and in the morn
ling papers were brought to hlm-gen-
orally By Mr.. Fenwick-and he dealt
with them in the study which adjoned
/ his bedroom.
In the meantime Olive set about the
work assigned to her very quietly;
evaded the showers Of questions which
i the other servants rained upon her by
the simple device of answering In
4 such broken English that they could
mot understand her, and was most care.
full not o give offence to any one
i With Mrs. Grimston-shrew as she
twas-Olive speedily became n favor.
i lite. Quick to observe what the house.
keeper wanted she was generally able
/ to anticipate her wishes and to inter
pref her most extraordinary orders cor
rectly.
| II wish they were all Germans, Xix
you. Schmidt" she shid more thar
once, You are about the only croatur,
in the place, except myself, with any
/ thing1like head on your shoulders
j and heaven knows we want somethn,
!, like Intelligence III a body nowadays
!, I'm sure l don't know what servant
ri are coming to.
Z II was almost afraid to take 70,
for we do hear such dreadful thing
about what some OF you foreigners d
!, But you're not bad. you know, an
= sometimes I'm almost glad that 70
. came, You can consider yourself PEI
:. nlanently engaged, even If the rest {
: hate having a. German about, ar
q spealstpf YOU as q. sausage; but ! to
Z, them there's more sense In your plum
9 bodyftthan any sausage could have
. And IN this style she ratified on s
"A great lien gth8 Ia nj ,inconseauence.
r This was when Eranting olives r
e quest to be allowed to go out on t
n following afternoon. Jack had be,
y EaCks LOT sOlIle Gays, hHu Sie F" DO oi'!'
} Gus. to see him and she wrote him
10 meet her at the Robsons.
y As5soon as she wasswell away fro
e, the big house she jumped into a CT
y and drove to the house where h
clothes Were. changed into Olive Pa
d, menter once more. and hurried
e., Chelsea.
~ When Jack arrived he was eager
4 llearn what she had been doing in !
ID absence. He had called for her II
= mediately on his return. and had be
4 told that she was away and that t
- Robsons did not know her address.
~ 81 have been finding out thns
:. Hack, but you mustn't ask me for a
:. particulars at present, l have fou
out for myself, however. that Sci.
- Hammond was quite right when $
. said that mischief was brewing
you"
I'd "All right" he laughed easily. "E
n suppose youth admit that can ia
pc care of myself" .
sh Against any open attack. yes.
M course; but this is aimed at your G
If fetal career. There isaa plot on ha!
Or to steal some important papers frc
ed the Foreign Office, and to put the the
ID, on you. You go nearly every day
Sc the minister's house in South Kensin