The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1909-05-04
LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright 1908, by BRAN STOKER
Entered at Stationer's Hall-An rights reserved
e

4
feIioW to take her away in such an
underband manner. You need say
nothing of him. It's no use trying to
palliats his conduct. True enough I
don't know for certain that it is he
or that she is alone with any man;
| but I have conviction that it. is so ;
| and l tell you 1 shall lose no time in
| putting my convictions to the test.
mean to take no chances with regard
| to that damned fellow. I don't trust
| him. He has already affronted me, and
| has been tampering with the women OF
| my family. L have borne even that
| with what temper I could because
was under obligation to him. But it,
as 1t would seem. he has run away
with my daughter. I shall brook his
| iusolence no longer. He shall render
| me full account of his doings with
| me and miner He crammed his let
| tiers into his pocket and strobe up
stairs. There he rang the bell in such
a violent manner that the proprietor
himself attended to it. Colonel Ogilvie
asked him to have the chauffeur. sent
up to him. and requested the proprietor
ask him some questions on local mat
tiers. He had by now his temper in
hand, and was all the more dangerous
because cold. In a few minutes the
proprietor brought in the chauffeur. a
stolid. hard-featured. silent man;
! nanifestly one to obey orders and to
stand any amount Of fatigue. When
Colonel Ogilvie had looked at his
CTeQeflIldlS ana asked MIN Sonic QuSS-
tions, all of which he did with perfect
self-control and courtesy. he turned to
the proprietor and asked:
Can you tell me wtereabout is a
place called Castle Douglas?'
I'm Scotland. Colonel. In Galloway
the part of Scotland just beyond the
Firth Of Solway. 1t is think in Kirk
cud brightshire.''
''How far from here?"
Something over a hundred miles I
should say The father started:
Good God!" Judy's heart sank at
the exclamation and the tone; his
| spair. The new chauffeur's mouth
opened. He spoke as If every word
was grudgingly shot out:
1T is exactly ninety-one and a half
miles" Colonel Ogilvie turned to him
quickly:
How do you know so accurately:
have you driven it?''
Never STRIP
'aThen how do you know"
I'm the train coming down I spent
| my time looking over the maps and
the distance as given in the books of
the Motorists Touring Club. I noted
| that"
| Had you any reason for examining
| that particular route?" asked the
| Colonel suspfciously. He was obsessed
by an idea that the damned fellow"
| work against him. Colonel Ogilvie.
| None special; 1 was only trying to
do my business well. thought it
| likely that you might want me to stay
/ with you a short time until you and
your permanent chauffeur should be-
come acquainted with the mechanism
of your new car. You see. was told
| you were an American. and the Amerf-
| can makes differ somewhat from our
own. And as I am myself looking out
| for a permanent situation where
should be well paid, made comfortable.
| and treated with whatever .considera-
IN &c (IIn 10 ala nt1nr, f.fn
and driver 1 thodght that If I showed
zeal in your temporary service; you
might wish to retain me permanently.
In a certain sense I took. I may say,
particular route"
"why?'' Colonel Ogilvie's suspicious
came up afresh at the admission.
Simply because took it that you
might want to drive into Scotland. and
Galloway is perhaps the most promis-
ing region for motoring on this side
| of that country. All the motor roads
from this side of England run through
Carlisle. Then you cross the Border
close to Gretna Green. is. -
ITO where?' The Coloneps voice
was full of passion. The chauffeur
went on calmly and explicitly
-Gretna Green. That is where run
away marriages used to be made. That
place was usually chosen because it
was the first across the Border where
Scotch law ruled. The simplifying of
our marriage laws and the growth OF
sanity amongst parents of marriage
able daughters generally has done away
with the necessity of elopement. Now
we go by there without stopping, as
Galloway is the modern objective. In
deed in going there you do not go into
Gretna at all; you pass 1T by on the
right when you have crossed the bridge
over the Sark and are making for An
nan. And as to my knowledge OF mile
ages that is a part Of my trade. 1t is
my business to arrange for the amount
of petrol necessary for the run I am
ordered to make. I don't think that
you need disturb yourself about that
one small item of my knowledge. IT
may set you more at ease if tell you
that it is one hundred and thirty-six
and half miles to Glasgow; a hum
dred and one to Abbotsford; seventy
five and a. half to Dumfries: a hum
dred and thirty-five and half to Edin-
burgh; two hundred and seventy-four
and a half to Aberdeen: one hundred
and fifty-eight and three quarters
stop, stopr' cried Colonel Ogilvie.
ST am obliged to you for your zeal in
my service: and think can promise
you that if in every way you suit. you
may look on the permanent post as
your own. / shall want you to begin
your duties this very night But this
is a special job: and with special re-
ward. for it is difficult and arduous."
be-" am WILING SIT "s It Inlay
THAT is we'll said. You are Inc sort
Of man L want"
MY orders STRIP
"I want you to take me to Castle
Douglas to-night-now-as soon as You
can get ready. I wish to get there as
soon as I can. You will want to have
everything right. for we must have no
breakdown If we can help it. And
you must have good lamps
90 Twill be alb right. sir. We shan't.
expect. break down. But if we do
the motor is a new one and 1 did not
make i'll shall put it right. I am a
first-rate mechanicien and an accom-
plished driver. ~
"Au right; but don't talk. Get the
car ready, and we shall start at once"
1--WE can start a once. so far as the
car and are concerned. But we lack
something yet. We must have
pilot
"A pilot, I thought you knew the
way
"On paper yes: and I doubt not I