Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-04-24

My! Wnat 0el1cate DumOr you
Engishmen have! Am to under
stand that you will continue to be my
servant on the original terms of agree
ment?"
at would make me Apply. m lord.
oh, so Apply"
Every WE'LL" said Richard. I'll give
you another trial. But understand me.
Bills there must be no more non
sense
"No, sir"
mo more brandy"
"No, sir"
"And you will obey me implicitly In
every thing?"
81 will. so 'elp mer'
"All right" smiled the Texan. "I'll
give you an order as starter. Just
get those new riding boots of Lord
Croylands, will you. and put them on
break them in for me? | may be out
for several hours. You will walk up
and down in them until return"
"But-but." protested Bills, them
boots is too small for you, sir-l mean,
your lordship-an' my foot is biggern
yours. sir"
81 know thai perfectly" answered
Richard pleasantly. Singular how Bills
had never before recognized how
pleasant his master could bel We'll
kill two birds with one stone. Not
only will you break those boots for
me. but per contra at the same time
you may he reminded of what it means
IA wifi ma I
clear?"
The valet sat limp and speechless.
He made no move to obey the harsh
command. so Richard turned on his
heel, crossed to the window and stood
looking out among the trees.
Bills" he asked presently, have
you noticed how many crows are fly
ing about the place? never observed
them before"
Eyes, yes. m lordw the servant gasp.
ed. "I've noticed 'em frequent sir.
an'-an'. awskin' your pardon. sir. I'm
ready to put the boots on
Richard watched the operation in
grim enjoyment The fit was a tight
one, but Bills accomplished the feat
out on his forehead In copious profu-
sion.
THANK you" said the Texan simply
and departed without giving any fur
Their directions.
He enjoyed his ride with Miss Har-
riet hugely. For three long. blssful
hours he cantered with her on beauti-
ftrf frx dc thn ai
sweet and invigorating. where the
scent Of wild flowers came to them and
the fragrance of the wild woods sweet
er still in the deepening dusk. A hun
dred times he was on the verge OF
confessing all, of throwing himself up.
on the mercy of her gentleness. but a
warning something held him in check.
and in spite of his impulses-like the
sailor in the opera-he remained an
Englishman. Once she turned to him
with sparkling eyes.
"Do you know" she said. there are
times when you remind me so of
man | CHANGED to meet that-that"-
1.-THE Cowboy" Richard asked
She made no answer. but flushed and
gave free rein to her eager horse while
the Texan spurred after her. laying a
firm hand upon her bride arm.
And II were he would it make a
difference then-a difference. | mean,
in winning your respect and trust
and
How absurd you are.' she laughed
in swift interruption. Have not Civ
en- you both already? My cowboy Is
but memory. and you-why. gracious
how late it's getting. We shall never
be In time for dinner! Gomez
If Richard and Miss Harriet enjoyed
their afternoon the same could not be
said of Bills. For three long hours
the servant did penance for his sins.
knowing not which ached the most
his head. his heart or his tender feet.
To walk was agony. To sit was to
suffer with gnawing. burning heat
that ever increased as his feet began
to swell. At the end of the first half
hour he determined to run away, to
hide himself somewhere IN the wilder
ness of New York. where his master
might seek for him in vain. Immedi-
ately. however. stumbling block pre-.
sented itself To get into the boots
had been difficult. To get ont of them
proved to be an utter impossibility,
and to run anywhere with such an
agonizlng handicap was out of the
question. True. he might have cut
them off. but in view of the thought OF
crows and knuckle bones he preferred
to bear his martyrdom.
Richard found him seated on the
edge OF the bathtub, with his feet In
half an inch of warm water-a mutt
neer reduced. like his boots, to pitt
able pulp.
Hello, Woolsey," Richard asked
cheerfully. whats up?"
IN lord" the valet walled, "fol