Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-02-26
CHAPTER VII.
vHYHlLE dressing for dinner aft
~ er delightful afternoon
w with Harriet Renwyck.

ply. i lie well framed Bl!lS attempted
to take full charge of the toilet, but
upon this the new master put his foot
down firmly.
Bills" he said, lust about eighteen
years ago. If | remember right. my
nurse came to the conclusion that I
was then old enough to get into NY
breeohes without her able assistance.
The conditions remain unchanged. Sit
down and talk TO me about London"
Gingerly avulling himself of the edge
of n chair on account of this conde-
sccnsion of .nexperience, the valet de.
tailed an account of his masters move
ments FOR the past three years. On the
whole. the story was interesting.
though distinctly unaatterlng at times
to member of the nobility Outward.
ly Bills was us eXpressionless as a
sphinx; inwardly he enjoyed his own
narrative hugely. 1t was seldom he
had so glorious an opportunity OF lay.
Ing bare his private opinions of his
whlom master.
'umph" grunted Richard as he tried
on one of Lord Croylands dinner
jackets. so am responsible for three
entanglements and one scandal of
which | still Wear honorable scars.
Drop that part of it. I'm seeker
after general information only"
Bits looked disappointed, but strove
to earn his salary on less tasteful
lines. He was shrewl man. and his
knowledge of the requirements of
Richards case led him to give valuable
information. He described Hyde park.
Piccadily. the Strand and many other
haunts of the fashionable set; also a
club or two and various prominent
English people likely to be mentioned
in general conversation.
Richard was possessed of retentive
memory, which lie now stored full of
odds and ends which would help him
pass muster, provided. of course. he did
not run foul Of the initiated, in which
case he shuddered to think of the pos.
sibilities His alleged soiourn in the
United States. especially his winter il
Texas, accounted in measure fol
occasional slips, but even with this in
his favor the position was Il trying
one.
There was another feature of the en-.
terprise which troubled him sorely II
was comparatively easy not to seem to
appreciate joke and to intersperse
small talk With a few stock phrases
delivered in Il British drawl, but when
he looked into the eyes of the woman
he loved he longed with all his heart
TO he for once and all time an Amcri |
can. He sighed for the sweep of the |
wide free plains. for a galiop with her
across the fragrant prairie. to speak to |
her in his natural native tongue and |
to tell her he loved her as he loved his |
land.
"WooIsey." be sighed, and 1t anus.
Cd him to notice how the valet resent.
ed tle>+se-ef his Christian name, I'm
afraid, after all. shall have to ask
you to tic this neck thing. The ones
had at home were ready made and
could be cinched up properly with
practical buckle at the back"
The valet deftly adjusted the bow
then gave pull here and poke there
to the dinner suit. to which the mas.
ter submitted meckly.
"M' lord" observed Bills. surveying |
his charge with an experts eyes, TASK
in your lordship's pardon for presum-
in to mention it, the-er-the other
one never looked quite SO convincin',
M lord"
THANK you, cardinal"
"Thank You. sir, an amt no judge
If the lady don't think so too"
Richard wheeled upon him sharply.
Lady? What Lady,"
ivy, Miss Renwyck, sir, the lady |
wot strikes me as
Stop right thcrer, commanded Rich.
ard sternly There are certain sub |
jects which are not discussed between
gentleman and his servant. This is
one of them. Please remember it."
THANK you. Mr.-er-l mean m
lord" said the valet respectfully. Every
good. sir"
In sizing up his man the astute Bills
had made Il grave mistake, wherein he
found much food for reflection regard
Ing his future line of conduct He had |
long since learned to manage his for |
mer master by various cunning little |
articles. but this wide awake Texan.
with his square chin and steely blue
eyes, was quite another proposition
Although Bills had OWNED the object
of this masquerade, it did not seem as
IL lie would profit much by 1t. and yet |
there must be some way in which he
could turn it to his own advantage
eventually, lie was sure.
Meanwhile the adventurer descended |
into the drawing room and was pre-
sentcd to several other members of the
small house party who had arrived by |
the late afternoon train for the week
end First there was Miss Caroline
Schermery. half sister to Mr.. Rem
wyck and belonging to the haute no.
blesse of old Manhattan. Flatterers
described her as a lady of uncertain
age. although there was little doubt as
to her personal antiquity. She was tai.
somewhat angular and incased in a
formal coat of blue blooded seet,
which had never thawe1 sufficiently
TO admit of husband being warmed
to her side. She approved of earls.
They represented caste: therefore she
promptly took Richard under her
noting wing, TO the vast discontinue
or the gentleman thus appropriated.
Then there was Miss lmogene Chit.
tendon. bosom friend of Miss Rem
wNck. newly released from boarding
school and radiant in the glamour of
hef irst season out. She was blond,
fluffy. glggly, enthusiastic, delivering
ner sentences In Il short, jerky STAG.
cato. with Il deal of unnecessary en-
phasis. until her conversation suggest.
ed some one playng telegraph opera
tor with vichy siphon
"She WIS so glad to meet i; real live
English lord! Really, it was delight
full! How did 1t feel to be Il nobleman
instead of just an ordinary American?
But of course lie couldn't tell the diff
ference. never having been anything
else, you KNOW" and so on nd Iibitum.
In his heart Richard agreed with her
literally. but WAS not in position to
H.. >